Birth Story 17

Our Story

Hello I am Lerryn. I was pregnant in the first lockdown with my son Ziggy, and when faced with my homebirth NHS midwife strongly advising me against a homebirth, despite having already had one. We employed an independent private midwife because my baby was due in the first lockdown and to be honest, everything looked so uncertain that I hired Leonie because it was the only way I could have a homebirth at the time. And because Leonie is GREAT.

The reason we chose Leonie, well for one, my good friend’s mum used to be Leonie’s colleague. So that knowledge made the decision easier to make. And I was /am very protective of women having the birth that they want. And something that having a private midwife gives you is consistency of care, so no matter what, she is going to be the one at your birth. And they have definitely definitely read your birth plan. Which, with NHS is not definite.

I genuinely feel emotional writing about Leonie (and anything to do with birth for that matter). And I worked really hard to remain calm when the world seemed to be in the midst of utter upheaval. And I just could not have done that without the security of a private midwife. I had my homebirth, and I laughed and cried and all the other private stuff in front of her. She saw me at one of the most intense and raw moments of my life. And she continues to answer my WhatsApp texts to this day.

She gave me the confidence in my ability to birth my baby.

I had a homebirth that I feel really really proud of. And a little terror child as a product of it.

I would recommend her, for first time mums. Women in the pandemic, anyone having babies.

Lerryn