A community midwife who has championed home births for more than 20 years says it is still a privilege to be present when a new baby arrives.
Penny Estall’s latest babe in arms is three-week-old Jesse Oldfield, who was born at home in Harrow Weald to mother Katie.
Penny, who works as a community midwife at London North West University Healthcare NHS Trust, said: “I’ve been a midwife for nearly 40 years and it’s still a great privilege to be present at a birth. I still find it an amazing experience and have shed a few tears over the years.”
She is a veteran of more than 100 water births and assisted in hundreds of deliveries saying that mothers deliver babies, not midwives.
Her first home birth delivery was a ‘triple first’ as it was the woman’s first home birth, Penny’s first home delivery and her first assist in helping a delivery from a standing position.
Penny, 62, said: “I’m there to assist and encourage women. I’m a great advocate of home births because they provide mums with a familiar relaxed environment to have their baby.
“I’m semi-retired now and will find it hard to give up. It’s a wonderful vocation and I have a lot of happy memories.”
For more information about home births, visit www.nhs.uk/conditions/pregnancy-and-baby/where-can-i-give-birth/#home-birth.
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