Antenatal Classes

About Us    

Hi My name is Sharon Eccles and I am an Independent Midwife. I trained as a midwife at Southampton University & The Princess Anne Maternity Hospital. I have been an Independent Midwife since I qualified in 2005 and have never looked back. You can find out about my practice on my web site at www.hampshireindependentmidwife.co.uk I am a passionate midwife who believes strongly in Women's Choice and Woman Centred Care. I have 5 children and 3 grandchildren and it has been my privilege and the highlight of my career so far to look after both my daughters during their pregnancies and to be there to catch their babies. I have decided to start these ANTENATAL CLASSES so that I can share my knowledge, experience and philosophies with parents and help guide them through the journey ahead and hopefully help them feel ready and informed for their transition into parenthood. I feel very passionately that Pregnancy is not just about making babies. It's about the making of a family and that is why these Antenatal Classes are very family orientated and women are encouraged to involve their families as much as possible. Being an Independent Midwife has enabled me gain experience in the diversity and complexities that pregnancy can present us with and therefore, hopefully enable me to guide women and their partners through any of these if they occur. I look forward to meeting you and sharing in your journey. With Pregnancy comes an array of experiences and emotions and with us there to guide you hopefully you will feel both reassured and empowered and ready for the biggest challenge of all.

Hi My name is Jill Hutchings and I am a community based case loading midwife in Southampton. I have been a midwife for 11 years and have always offered continuity of care as I feel that this form of care is the Gold Standard of Maternity Care and that ALL women should be entitled to. I have been privileged to be involved in the setting up of caseload midwifery in Southampton.  I have a defined caseload of women who I care for from booking until 6 weeks postnatal. Working in this way has given me the opportunity to support and guide the women and there families through each step of the journey, providing advice and support and acting as an advocate for their birth choices. I am passionate about informed choice and  women centred care and believe that birth is a social event and an extraordinary journey for the woman and her family. I have two sons who think I have an amazing job, how right they are. I was also privileged to be part of sharon's daughters pregnancies and was at the birth of two of her grandchildren. I recently looked after her niece.  I truly believe women should be enabled to give birth to a healthy baby in the place of their choice.  With this in mind I decided to set up these Antenatal Classes with Sharon so that I too could  share my knowledge and experience and help guide you on your journey into parenthood.  It is an exciting time ahead for you all and hopefully my experience and knowledge of the highlights and challenges that come with pregnancy and birth will enable me to guide you and your partner on this journey.