Hello
My name is Stacey and I am the founder of Willow & Wren. I'm a former midwife and I live in Sutton Coldfield with my partner Chris and our three young daughters.
I love all things pregnancy, birth and postnatal related, and am extremely passionate about supporting women and their families through their journey to parenthood, and beyond. It's a true pleasure to be doing something that I absolutely adore and I know always makes a difference.
I'm beyond grateful that I get to fulfil my passion in life and feel incredibly privileged that women and their families allow me in to this very special time in their lives.
I started my working life within early years education and was fascinated to learn how much of a child's health and development is influenced by their first 1001 days earth side, and even from their time in the womb! I worked within my local Sure Start Children's Centre and found myself frequently offering to help out at the antenatal classes ran there. One summer, I went on a short break with a friend to Brighton, and we stayed with her auntie, who happened to be a midwife. I was absolutely fascinated by her work, quizzed her to no end and by the end of the week, she convinced me that I needed to apply to study midwifery and pursue my own career. I had never felt so passionate about anything and so this is exactly what I did! I started studying in September 2013 and qualified as a midwife towards the end of 2016.
I achieved a First Class honours but I won't lie- my midwifery degree is by far the hardest thing I've ever done. It was TOUGH and I'm immensely proud of myself for what I achieved. From learning medical terminology and complex anatomy and physiology, to working full-time clinical placement hours, it never really felt like there was time to take a break. We didn't have the long university holidays that most students on other degrees get, and we certainly didn't have time for the 'student lifestyle'.
My story...
In your first year of being a student midwife, you are just so filled with awe and amazement - I know I was! You 'catch' your first baby (AKA assist a baby being born for the first time) and it's all exciting! Year two has a focus on professional development and learning the abundance of clinical skills required as a midwife. By your third year, you start to work more independently, overseen by your mentor. You get a taste of what it is going to be like working as a qualified midwife and the level of responsibility and accountability you hold for the women and babies in your care. The naivety has long gone and you are much more aware of the pressures within the NHS and maternity services. If I'm being completely honest, I think I knew before I even qualified that I definitely wasn't going to be a midwife for life,
Long story short, I fell pregnant with our first baby quite soon after qualifying and didn't return to midwifery after my maternity leave was over. This was for various reasons, with the main one being it just wouldn't have worked for our family at the time. Do I regret training to be a midwife? No. Do I feel like I wasted my time? Not at all. I learnt SO much and I certainly wouldn't be where I am today, setting up my own parent and baby wellness business, if I hadn't took the leap to follow my dream. My dream of wanting to be in a role where I can support women and their families on their journey to parenthood is actually still the same. I left my role as a midwife as I didn't feel the job satisfaction I thought I would. Working in an understaffed maternity department, I never felt I had enough time to truly support those in my care. I can hands down say that I give far more support to women and their families from my treatment room now, than I ever did as a midwife and I LOVE it.
I have since had two more babies and we are now well and truly #teamgirl. My family are my absolute world and always my reason why <3
Stacey x
Contact me
Please send me a message - my inbox is always open!
07902 629328