What Does an Independent Midwife Actually Do — And Is It Right for Me?

There's a moment that happens for a lot of pregnant women. You've just had your twelve-week appointment. You waited forty minutes to be seen, the midwife who came in was someone you'd never met before, and the whole thing was over in under ten minutes. You drove home feeling vaguely unsettled, and you couldn't quite put your finger on why.

That feeling has a name. It's what happens when care doesn't feel like care — when something as significant as pregnancy gets processed like a routine admin task.

If you've ever felt that way, you might have started quietly wondering whether there's another option. And if that wondering has led you here, you've probably come across the term "independent midwife."

So — what does that actually mean? And is it something that's relevant to you?

What an independent midwife actually is

An independent midwife is a fully qualified, registered midwife who works privately — outside of the NHS and hospital structures.

That last part is important, so I want to be clear about what it doesn't mean. It doesn't mean less qualified. It doesn't mean unregulated. And it doesn't mean risky.

Independent midwives are registered with the Nursing and Midwifery Council — the same regulatory body that oversees every midwife working in the NHS. We train for the same number of years, hold the same qualifications, and are subject to the same professional standards. The difference isn't in our credentials. It's in how we work.

When I work as an independent midwife, I work for you — not for a hospital trust, not for a rota system, and not for a set of targets. That single shift changes almost everything about the experience.

What continuity of care really means

You'll hear the phrase "continuity of care" a lot in discussions about midwifery. It gets used so often that it's easy to let it wash over you. But it's worth pausing on what it actually means — because the research behind it is striking.

Continuity of care in midwifery means having the same known midwife throughout your pregnancy, at your birth, and in your postnatal period. Not a rotation of different people. Not whoever happens to be on shift. The same person, who knows your history, your preferences, your fears and your hopes — every single time.

The evidence shows that this matters enormously. Studies consistently find that women who receive continuity of midwifery care experience significantly better outcomes: reduced rates of premature birth, lower likelihood of stillbirth, fewer inductions, fewer instrumental births and fewer emergency caesarean sections. They also report higher levels of satisfaction, greater confidence in their own decision-making, and a more positive birth experience overall.

None of that is surprising when you think about it. When you trust the person caring for you, when you don't have to repeat yourself at every appointment, when someone actually knows you — things go better. For you, and for your baby.

The NHS understands this. Continuity of carer has been a named priority in NHS maternity policy for years. But understanding something and being able to deliver it are two different things — and the honest reality is that most NHS trusts, through no fault of their own, are simply too stretched to provide it consistently.

This is where independent midwifery comes in.

What working with an independent midwife looks like in practice

I think the easiest way to explain this is to describe what a typical experience of working with me actually looks like — because the texture of it is quite different to what most women have experienced within the NHS.

Your first appointment is at your home. We'll spend an hour or more together — talking through your medical history, your hopes for your pregnancy and birth, what matters most to you and what worries you. There's no waiting room. No rushing. Just a real conversation.

From that point, I'm your midwife. All your antenatal appointments happen in your home, at a time that works for your family. Between appointments, you have my number. You can WhatsApp me if something feels off at 10pm on a Thursday. You don't have to call a general helpline, explain your history to a stranger, and wait for a callback.

As your pregnancy progresses, we prepare together for your birth — whatever that looks like for you. From 37 weeks, I go on call for you around the clock. When your labour begins, I come to you. I'm with you throughout, and I stay until you and your baby are settled and well.

And then, rather than the support simply ending, I come back. Regularly, throughout your first six weeks, for postnatal visits that are tailored entirely to how you're doing — physically, emotionally and practically.

That's what continuity of care feels like when it's working.

A few things people get wrong about independent midwifery

Before I go further, I want to address some of the misconceptions I encounter regularly — because they stop women from exploring an option that might be genuinely right for them.

"It's only for people who want a home birth."

Not at all. Many of my clients do choose to birth at home, and I support that beautifully. But I also support women who birth in hospital. If you choose or need to birth in a hospital setting, I attend as your Professional Midwifery Advocate — present throughout, supporting you and making sure your voice is heard. You don't have to want a home birth to benefit from having a known, trusted midwife by your side.

"It's only for people who distrust medicine or the NHS."

This one really isn't true, and I think it's important to say so clearly. I work closely alongside the NHS — I arrange referrals, attend consultant appointments and coordinate care across both settings. I am deeply committed to evidence-based practice. Independent midwifery isn't anti-medicine. It's pro-you.

"It's only for wealthy people."

The cost of independent midwifery is significant, and I won't pretend otherwise. But many families find ways to make it work — through savings, family contributions, or by choosing to prioritise it above other spending. There are also more accessible options, including standalone postnatal packages and one-off appointments, which allow women to access some independent midwifery support even when a full package isn't possible. If you're curious, the most useful thing to do is simply get in touch and have an honest conversation.

Is it right for you?

That depends on what you're looking for. Here are some questions worth sitting with.

• Do you want to see the same midwife at every appointment?

• Do you want those appointments to happen in your home, without time pressure? Do you want someone available to you between visits — not a helpline, but a person who knows you?

• Do you want to feel genuinely prepared for your birth, and genuinely supported in those first weeks afterwards?

If the answer to most of those is yes — then independent midwifery is probably worth exploring further.

And the best way to do that is just to start a conversation. There's no obligation. No pitch. Just an honest chat about what you're looking for, and whether I can help.

I'd love to hear from you.

Mollie May is a registered independent midwife and IBCLC lactation consultant serving Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire and the wider East Midlands. Get in touch here.