Professional Background

I have been supporting women through their childbirth journey since 2001.  I began as a doula (non-clinical birth supporter), breastfeeding educator and peer supporter, and childbirth educator, but went on to spend 5 years training as a midwife.

I qualified as a Registered Midwife in the UK in March 2010, after completing the required 3-year direct entry midwifery education programme according to the standards set by the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC).  Prior to beginning this course, I spent two years training in Florida with Licensed Midwives who worked in home and birth centre settings exclusively.  During this period, I also worked with one of the only hospital-based obstetric/nurse-midwife practices in the area to accept VBAC (vaginal birth after caesarean) clients.

My training prepared me to work in a wide variety of settings, and in collaboration with the various professionals involved in maternity care.  In addition, my experience working with caseload midwives (where one or two midwives provide complete one-to-one care before, during and after birth, to all of the women in their caseload) helped me to understand the enormous difference between this gold-standard of maternity care and a service in which women are cared for by several different midwives, and do not know who will care for them while they are in labour.

Since qualifying, I have taken additional training in aromatherapy, reflexology and moxibustion for midwives (Expectancy).  I have also taken various breastfeeding support training throughout the years.

I am an elected IMUK Board member, and part of our Clinical Guidelines/Governance Group.  In addition to my independent work, when not on-call, I continue to work as a Bank Midwife in an NHS hospital and midwifery-led birth centre.

I am a member of:


Personal Background

My own journey to motherhood has influenced me very much.  Prior to experiencing pregnancy, birth and motherhood for myself, I intended to become an academic and held an MA in Poetry!  My four sons have all been born at home with midwives.  After my first son was born, I was elated .. I genuinely enjoyed giving birth, even though it was one of the biggest challenges of my life.  But I was saddened when I went to mother and baby groups and heard how disempowered, injured and upset some women felt by their birth experiences.  I felt that it didn't need to be that way, even when things were complicated or complex, and decided to become a midwife.

I live with my partner, Martin, my four sons, Ely, Waldo, Arnie and Monty Fox, our cat and our chickens, on Stubbs Green, just south of Norwich.  When I am practising midwifery, I enjoy knitting, sewing, gardening and reading.