“Why would you want to be an independent midwife and be on call ALL of the time”… This was a question I had from several midwife friends and previous NHS colleagues whilst I was thinking about starting as an Independent Midwife (IM). It was definitely something I thought about for a while, and a subject myself and my husband spoke about at length. But I can assure anyone considering the impact of this and if this is influencing your choice to become an IM, it’s not the 24/7 that it seems.
I’m now three weeks into my current on call period and eagerly awaiting two births over the next few weeks and can honestly say I haven’t felt any stress regarding being on call. On calls for independent life is extremely different to the NHS on call life.
When I was working in a homebirth team previously, I was usually doing 3-4 nights a week on call. This was advertised as a flexible role, managing your own workload and hours, but we all know the pressures and staffing issues faced in the NHS. I would be called out for almost every on call, whether this be to attend homebirths or cover short staffing in the obstetric units. Doing this 3-4 times per week, plus the extra hours during the days for routine care meant that I was continually working over my hours and constantly feeling tired. I would dread the on-call shifts, feeling pressured to make myself sleep in the afternoon (which is something I just can’t do, even after having Ayda!!) and have early nights. This significantly impacted not only my working but also my personal life.
However, on-call life as an independent midwife is completely different. You are on call for a period of approximately 5-6 weeks at a time and potentially longer if you have clients due in different months. There is then the consideration of the early postnatal period and increased visits, and scheduling this in around your other work and home life. This does have a large element of organisation to it, especially when you have children. This week me and Ayda have had two sleepovers with Grandma and Grandad as my husband was working away… Forward planning is key in situations like this, but also brings opportunities to spend more time with family (and have your dinners cooked by your mum!!).
Time off-call is precious, and holiday periods need to be arranged well in-advance for planning when you book clients. We have some family time off towards the end of the year scheduled in, but may be able to book some last minute weekend trips when I finish my on call period. On the flip side, I manage my own workload, get to spend way more time with my daughter and husband and only have to work evenings/weekends if I choose to! If I need a weekend off for a family event – no issues… No need to worry about requesting it and hoping I get it off from work!
On call periods also don’t mean that you need to stay in and do nothing for the entire time. Last night I went to the theatre with my brother, knowing there’s a high chance I would be called this week. But with my kit in the car and my phone on my lap (on silent!) in case any calls came through from my clients or colleagues, I knew I would be able to leave in an instant if needed and had a brilliant night out.
There is the continual thought of where you are going for the day and how far can you be from your client’s home address, which can have some limitations, but it really isn’t difficult to fit into everyday life. Plus, should I be called halfway through the event I’m attending or midway through a meal out it’s to support the clients that I really care about and whose births I am excitedly awaiting, so who would I be to complain?!?
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