Tiziana, centre, with her colleagues Sara and Chiara
They say that Italians love babies and lucky for us, this couldn’t be more true when it comes to Artemis Midwifery.
Three qualified midwives – Sara, Chiara and Tiziana, all from Italy – run a wonderful service to help expectant mums through pregnancy, childbirth and labour. And what’s more, they can visit you in the comfort of your own home; perfect for busy mums-to-be.
The three women work as midwives at Whipps Cross University Hospital in Leytonstone during the day, meaning they have hands-on, up-to-date experience of delivering babies every single day (and night). Somehow they have managed to set up a quality business ‘on the side’ attracting mums from all over North London, particularly Crouch End and Muswell Hill mums.
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For Tiziana, preparing expecting mums and their birth partners for labour can be the difference between a great experience and frankly, a dismal one. “We see lots of women and see how if they have a good antenatal education, their experience during labour is often far better. There can be a sense of guilt, or shame, when things don’t go to plan, and when their partners aren’t prepared, the experience can be traumatic.
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“We teach mums how to stay calm and be positive, preparing them for things that might come along that they don’t expect, for example being induced early, and learning to see them as perfectly normal steps of labour, not ‘things going wrong’.”
Over the past 10 years of working in maternity care, the team have helped thousands of women to learn how to feel at ease and stay relaxed, wherever they choose to give birth.
At Artemis Midwifery, the ladies offer a range of antenatal classes, North London, from a full-day introductory workshop taking mums to be through all the stages of childbirth, right through to a complete Hypnobirthing course, teaching expectant mums how to release unnecessary tension and overcome fears around childbirth. Four hour workshops start from just £50.
Importantly, the ladies have not overlooked those mums planning to have C-sections, for whatever reason, and their one-day workshop designed specifically for people who’d like to know just what to expect is concise and informative.
All courses can be taken in your own home, if you prefer – a real plus point for tired and busy mums-to-be. If you like the sound of chatting to other mums as well though, then perhaps a workshop in a nearby location would work better for you. Artemis currently run classes at The Yoga Junction in Crouch End throughout the year.
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Of course, your maternity hospital will likely offer a free talk on preparing for childbirth and labour, but with funding tight it can often be a gamble as to how good this is. “There is no standardised class, it depends on who the midwife is. We deliver all the things mums to be need to know with passion,” says Tiziana.
“There is no such thing as a perfect birth, so we try to prepare pregnant women as much as possible to accept this.”
Of course, Artemis also focuses on the postnatal period and infant feeding after birth. “What happens after birth is often not very talked about, but it’s important for us to equally teach about pregnancy and life as a parent,” she says.
So if you’re discovering Artemis for the first time after birth, don’t fear, there will be a course for you too.
As a midwife, Tiziana recalls some of the best, most memorable moments.
“I love the reaction of birth partners. I’ve had crying, laughing – even one fainting from the chair onto the floor because he was so overwhelmed. I’ve seen it all.”
So what it is about babies that Tiziana loves so much? “It’s the first five days of life that amazes me every time. If you think of mammals in the wild, most are quite independent when they are born; they can walk or feed themselves within a matter of hours. For us, we are more vulnerable, babies need so much support immediately.
“For me, it becomes real when I reach into the soft blanket and find the baby’s tiny foot to put the hospital labels on. The baby is usually enjoying skin-to-skin with their mum and I get to be part of that special moment. Plus I just adore squishy baby feet.”
Tiziana, who runs several antenatal classes north London, falls for squishy baby feet every time!
As if delivering babies wasn’t enough, to plough her knowledge and experience back into her business, to help new parents find their feet is “exciting and rewarding”. “We all work full time but we wanted to do something good together. It is great to be able to pass on our expertise to those that need it, in a fun and relaxed way.”
To find out more visit artemismidwiferylondon.com