Your questions, answered honestly.

We are London's first private midwifery service designed to sit alongside the NHS. Every client is paired with one dedicated midwife who supports them through pregnancy, birth, and the postnatal weeks, at home, on their own terms.

All our midwives are members of the Royal College of Midwives with over five years of NHS experience across diverse birth settings, and a specific focus on continuity of care models. They are trained to care for both low and high-risk pregnancies and births. Beyond their clinical skills, they receive specific additional training in perinatal mental health screening and postpartum care, so they are equipped to notice the early signs of what you might be going through - and know exactly how to help. You will have an initial get-to-know-you chat to ensure you feel a genuine connection and sense of safety. Once you have chosen your midwife, she is yours for the entire journey. You will not have to explain your story or your preferences again.

Our midwives provide the same continuous emotional presence and physical comfort as a doula - but they bring a full layer of clinical expertise that a doula cannot. As registered members of the Royal College of Midwives, they perform all the clinical checks at every visit: blood pressure, urine, foetal heartbeat, growth, and more. This means they are trained screeners for a wide range of conditions - from medical risks like pre-eclampsia to the early signs of perinatal anxiety or depression - things that might otherwise go unnoticed between standard appointments. They bring an evidence-based approach grounded in the latest research and guidelines, and the experience to translate that into honest, practical guidance you can actually use. You receive the warmth and continuity of a birth companion, with the trained eyes and clinical authority of a midwife who knows exactly when something needs escalating, and how to make that happen.

Not at all. Around half of our clients are second- or third-time parents who want a different experience this time, or want the hands-on postpartum support they didn't have before. Every baby is different, and every journey deserves the same level of care.

Yes. Many of our clients have additional medical needs - gestational diabetes, previous loss, IVF pregnancies, advanced maternal age. We care for low and high-risk pregnancies. Our midwives are trained for all birth situations, and our continuity model allows them to adapt the support you need to your situation. Our collaborative model with the NHS means that we escalate any concern to your hospital and hand over all medical notes at the end of your pregnancy. At The Motherhood Practice, we see beyond risk categories. We believe that every pregnant woman deserves the full attention of her midwife.

Yes, fully. Our care is for every family. We work with single parents, same-sex couples, IVF and surrogacy journeys, and adoption preparation. Tell us about your situation on the free introductory call and we will tailor the package to you.

Start with a free 20-minute chat with Clarissa, our co-founder. There is no commitment and no pressure. She will listen to your situation, answer your questions, and guide you towards the package and the midwife that is the best fit for your needs and your area of London. Book directly via our contact page.

Our antenatal packages range from £1,500 to £2,500 depending on the trimester you join. Birth support starts at £3,500. Our postnatal package is £1,700. We are happy to combine packages - please get in touch to discuss what works best for you.

Yes. Payments can be split into a maximum of three instalments, spread across the months leading up to your due date. We walk through the schedule together on the free introductory call.

Yes, and most of our clients do. The same midwife from your first antenatal visit through to six weeks postpartum is when this care is truly at its best.

Some international private health insurance policies cover maternity-related care. Providers such as Cigna Global, Allianz Global, Bupa Global, AXA Global Healthcare, Aetna International, and APRIL International may include maternity options. We would recommend checking directly with your provider. We are happy to support any claims process and can provide the documentation you need.

We understand that circumstances change, and we will always do our best to be fair. If your situation changes and you were unable to use all the visits you have paid for, we will refund the unused portion of your package. The full details are set out in our terms and conditions, which we walk through together before you sign.

Absolutely. Our support is available at any hospital - private or NHS - that allows for the presence of a second birth partner. Whether you are birthing at a private maternity unit or a local NHS labour ward, we are there to ensure your experience remains personal and supported.

No, never. Think of us as an extra layer of expert support - we are complementary, not a replacement. You keep your NHS midwife, scans, blood tests, consultant appointments, and your hospital booking. The NHS continues to perform the key clinical touchpoints: your booking appointment, all scans, routine blood tests, and your 38-week hospital check. We add a layer of continuity, time, and home support built around your NHS care.

Yes. We get in contact with your NHS team at the start of your care with us. We escalate any clinical concern to them without delay, and hand over your full clinical notes at the end of our care. During labour, we also keep the hospital team informed of your progress and your planned arrival, so you are never a stranger when you walk through those doors.

Your privacy matters deeply to us. We only ever share clinical information with your NHS team, and only what is necessary for your safe care. Before anything is shared, we send it to you first so you can see exactly what is being communicated on your behalf. The only exception is a genuine emergency, where we may need to act immediately to protect your safety or your baby's. Beyond the NHS, your information is never shared with any third party.

Should we identify any clinical concerns for you or your baby, we will promptly escalate your care to the appropriate NHS specialist team, ensuring you receive the right expert intervention without delay, with a professional handover of your clinical notes so your medical records remain complete.

Yes, and this is something we take seriously. We have built a trusted network of carefully chosen partners: night nurses, pelvic floor physiotherapists, maternal therapists, sleep consultants, and more. If we feel you would benefit from specialist support that falls outside our scope, we will make a direct, personalised referral. We only refer to partners we know and trust.

We can carry out clinical observations and make recommendations, but as private midwives we do not prescribe. If you need a prescription, we will loop in your GP or NHS team quickly and clearly, and stay involved in the process.

We believe the relationship between a mother and her midwife is sacred. You will have an initial get-to-know-you chat to ensure you feel a genuine connection and sense of safety. Once you have chosen your midwife, she is yours for the entire journey. You will not have to explain your story or your preferences again, she will be the consistent, familiar face walking beside you.

Each visit lasts at least one hour, giving us plenty of unhurried time to go through your questions, troubleshoot feeding, or simply sit and talk through how you are feeling. The very first visit lasts longer - up to two hours - as we take a full medical history and get to know you properly. Visits that include a workshop session also last on average two hours. We are never rushed, and neither are you.

Absolutely, and we actively encourage it. Partners are welcome at home visits and workshops. They often find it hard to know how best to support you while also adapting to a new role themselves. We involve them in clinical checks, answer their questions, and make sure they feel confident and equipped. We are caring for a new family unit, not just a mother and baby.

You will have direct access to your dedicated midwife. The WhatsApp line is open from 8am to 10pm, seven days a week. For those middle-of-the-night worries, you can send your message as soon as it's on your mind, and your midwife will be there with an answer first thing in the morning.

All of Greater London - all 33 boroughs. Get in touch and we will confirm we cover your postcode. There is no extra travel fee within London. We are a London-only service so we can keep visit times short, response times fast, and on-call coverage realistic.

Yes, with full professional indemnity insurance covering the antenatal, intrapartum, and postnatal care we provide.