We're loving being parents to Rachel - she's now 3 and half months old but we still tell everyone we meet about her amazing birth!
Really really well - we were extremely well prepared by Joy and the complications of the pregnancy were normalised (I had Obstetric Cholestasis and was 43 so an older mum - if I'd been with the NHS the fear would have kept creeping in and ruined the whole experience)
Breast - completely. Rachel is the most horrendous feeder though so it's been a real challenge (luckily for her we're too bone idle (and poor!) to think about bottles!!)
Absolutely. I'll have to start saving up for my daughter who is now 20 years old! We were very lucky to have Joy- she was a perfect fit for our family. Such a shame she is retiring....I do hope she'll change her mind as midwives like her are very much needed! Independent midwives are the guardians of midwifery care and should be available to everyone. I've lived on benefits all my life and live in a council flat so probably not your typical client!! Sue was our second midwife and was really lovely although we met her very briefly.
Always, absolutely. Joy gave us TIME and that was what we valued most. She met with my older daughter (aged 20) and also my mum who both loved her too...and it really made them relaxed about us having a homebirth which was a relief.
Very much so. As a doula and NCT teacher I had a lot of strong ideas and thoughts about what I wanted and she respected this completely. If Joy had said we needed to go in for a caeasarean we would have as we trusted her completely.
Very much so - Joy was also able to come to my more medical appointments at the hospital too and that was really appreciated.
Her experience permeated everything she did. She arrived at our home at 7.20am and Rachel was born at 7.45am! At no point were we concerned or anxious about her not being there because we were so confident that things were going to happen smoothly...this was very much down to Joy being so normal, particularly for my boyfriend who was a first time dad!