“I have always wanted a home birth. I am a strongbeliever that all women have the ability to birth naturally and it is a right of passage that all women should experience. However, when I became pregnant with my daughter, no midwife with the HSE would travel to our house in the countryside in Wicklow. I was devastated. I decided to research getting a private midwife and luckily I found the company Private Midwives Ireland.

From the very first call to Private Midwives Ireland, I was put at ease. They answered all my questions in a very caring and professional manner, told me what information they required from the hospital, gave me plenty of notice for any hospital information they required and outlined the various packages that they provided. They then assigned me a midwife who I could arrange to meet before making the booking. The midwife I was matched with was Madelaine.

What can I say about Madelaine! From our very first meeting, I knew this was the woman I wanted as my midwife. I trusted her immediately. She oozes professionalism, positivity, has a wealth of experience and leaves no stone unturned. At our prenatal visits, she answered any concerns I had and at every session built up my confidence around birthing at home. She also gave me her private number and I could contact her at any time if I had any worries or concerns. This really put me at ease.

When it came to my labour, Madelaine arrived just in time. I felt like she could read what stage I was at without even asking. She didn't try interfere with my labour but guided me gently through it when I needed it the most. Before I knew it I was pushing the baby out and before I could even grasp that the baby was on its way, all I could hear was “ Eimear! Grab your baby and check whether its a boy or girl!”

We got a massive shock when we saw it was a girl- as Madelaine suspected it before!

WE DID IT !!

The absolute euphoria, happiness and achievement I felt after experiencing a homebirth was an experience I will never forget. This could not have happened without Madelaine, I’m sure.

Madelaine continued to support me postnatally after the birth and with breastfeeding which really helped me beyond words. She is one of a kind.

If anyone in Ireland is contemplating a homebirth, then I would highly recommend Private Midwives Ireland and our midwife Madelaine.

With her cute German Accent she is revolutionising Ireland's attitude to homebirths one birth at a time. She left a deep impact on myself and my family and gave me the gift of being able to have my daughter at home which every woman deserves to experience.

Thank you, Private Midwives Ireland, thank you, Madelaine!

Love, Eimear. “