Liz Nightingale

My name is Liz Nightingale and I am an independent midwife practising in South Oxfordshire, offering continuity of care to birthing women and specialising in home birth, water birth and breastfeeding support. I taught antenatal classes for the National Childbirth Trust for nine years while my three daughters were small. After qualifying as a midwife, I have worked mainly in the community and led a variety of antenatal classes (including aquanatal classes) for the National Health Service.

I live in South Oxfordshire with my husband, youngest daughter, two elderly cats and a bouncy new Collie puppy called Jack.

Sarah Ifill

Hi, I’m Sarah Ifill, I live in Didcot, Oxfordshire with my husband and three daughters. I run an independent midwifery business called "Birthday Presence Midwifery Services".

However, I have a long-standing passion for teaching antenatal classes, which began when I trained as a midwife 17 years ago; continued as I became a qualified teacher for the NCT in 1998 (when I met Liz Nightingale) ; and now seeks to develop through Essence- which is the joint venture between Liz’s independent midwifery business "Purple Walnut Midwifery Services", and my own.

Liz and I are in the process of formulating exciting new birth preparation classes for 2008. They will include everything from an early pregnancy "drop-in" session once a month, (when newly expectant mothers can come for advice and information; providing a partners support telephone number so that they can get their own independent advice if needed) as well as four brand new classes which will cover normal birth, birth surprises such as assisted births, hospital routines, pain management, birth plans and "baby care and life after the birth." We will continue to offer our popular active birth classes, as well as our aquanatal sessions now on in two venues at different times.

Through Essence Midwifery Services we also plan to offer a variety of birth related equipment to hire or buy.