Your labour and birth are YOURS and yours alone. We know and recognise when to sit back and watch as you rock your birth, and we know when we need to pull out the pom poms and give you extra support.
Your labour and birth are YOURS and yours alone. We know and recognise when to sit back and watch as you rock your birth, and we know when we need to pull out the pom poms and give you extra support.
Coronavirus has many strains. Some cause a common cold whilst others cause SARS. A new strain (Covid-19) developed in Wuhan, China, and has now led to a global pandemic. This strain is highly contagious. Whilst most people infected will develop mild symptoms, or symptoms of flu, some will develop acute, or severe respiratory difficulties. In order to try and contain and manage the situation, many countries have imposed a variety of restrictions. These are changing daily, and as such specific guidance, on self-isolation groups is not included here.
We aim to provide some information to Private Midwives clients and staff during this very challenging and continually changing time. However, please refer to the latest information from the Department of Health, as this is updated daily as the pandemic evolves.
Pregnant women are in the “moderate risk” category and considered clinically vulnerable. If pregnant women become very unwell due to Covid, this is more likely to happen later in pregnancy. There is some emerging evidence that the risk of still birth may also be a little higher. Women should be vigilant with precautions, particularly after 28 weeks of pregnancy. Vertical transmission from mother to baby before birth is possible. When this happens, the baby normally recovers well. There is no evidence of Covid causing miscarriage or problems with baby’s development.
Tess and Leonie are private midwives in South London, aka Your Neighbourhood Midwives, who met whilst training at Kings College University. Along with some other midwives, they formed a close bond forged through the years of a tough degree, helping each other to juggle raising their respective families whilst learning the world of medical lingo, research, information, night shifts, day shifts, and of course, essays and dissertations.
Once qualified they secured jobs in different NHS Trusts in South London, and both worked in all areas of maternity and midwife care. Whilst they both loved working in their communities and being part of the NHS, they each felt a bit out of place – a disconnect, like ‘square pegs trying to fit into round holes’ – with the tight restrictions, they deeply felt the frustrations of not always being able to put women’s needs ahead of the institution’s needs. Throughout it all they both remained close friends, meeting up regularly to debrief, discuss and drink tea!
I could not recommend Tess and Leonie more highly. Having had a traumatic birth resulting in emergency CS the first time around, when I was pregnant with my second child I did as much research as possible to understand what might make my next birth better, as I wanted to try for a VBAC. Amongst other things, continuity of care and having a midwife that you trust results in clinically improved outcomes for labouring mothers. I simply could not imagine a better team than these two ladies for providing this. Compassionate, intelligent, funny and warm, they listened so carefully to me and helped me craft the perfect birth plan and helped facilitate a truly empowering birth.
Clare Docherty
There are genuinely no words to describe just how amazing tess and leonie are and how over and above they went from start to finish. We feel so lucky to have had them care for us - care being the key word as we felt cared for and supported the whole way through. We had a rocky journey to a successful pregnancy outcome and their support really helped us through a very anxious and challenging time - we couldn’t have done it without them and our daughter Eva is now lucky enough to have two surrogate aunties too!! Can’t recommend them more highly and miss their frequent visits! Steph, Jon and Eva xx
Steph Wilkinson
We used Tess and Leonie for the birth of my second son as we wanted a home birth but the NHS couldn't facilitate this and I am so pleased we did! Their prenatal support allowed me to make the right birth choices for us and meant we had a home birth exactly as planned. Having them gently guide me and my husband through labour helped us feel in control and empowered and I honestly couldn't have asked for more in this respect.
Melissa Jones
Wonderful, supportive midwives - friends for life!! If I'm honest, I booked private midwives because I was quite afraid of giving birth and I wanted to have as much control over the process as I could. With the help of Tess and Leonie, by the time I delivered my son, I was fully prepared, empowered and excited about it! For Tess and Leonie, midwifery is a calling not a job. From beginning to end I felt their service was truly fantastic.
Larissa Neve
Private Midwives in South London