I honestly felt so lost and alone in my breech vaginal delivery hopes, it felt like everywhere I turned I was met with lost hope until I came across Sharyn! It felt like the stars had finally aligned and she seemed to have all of the contacts I needed to help me. Sharyn couldn’t have been more helpful and accommodating during such a worrying time for me.

– G, breech baby, 2025

God has truly blessed us by putting us under your care. We have been moved by your kindness, patience and love during some of the hardest hours that we’ve faced as a family so far in our lives. Many names and faces are forgotten as time goes on, yours is not one of them. Thank you.

– First baby, born Jan 2025

Sharyn was invaluable as our independent midwife. The extensive support she provided in the first week after the birth was extremely useful. Whenever we had a question, a problem, or needed to learn a skill, she was there to help. We also really valued her online/phone support in the weeks after the birth, which meant that help was always to hand, anytime of the day or night. The extra support that Sharyn offered us as first time parents was worth its weight in gold! Our little one is now 7 weeks old and thriving.

– Emma and Joseph, baby born March 2024

I’m sure you get countless emails and messages from mothers and I bet it’s so hard to remember everyone you care for but I really wanted to reach out whilst I remembered to. You looked after us all at the hospital and made the delivery of our baby, M, a really positive experience. I have told so many people about you and I think I will remember you forever!

M is 6 weeks old tomorrow and is still exclusively breastfed. I really think that the calm, caring and reassuring nature of yourself and the other midwives and staff really played a huge part in what a happy baby she is. If in the future we ever fall pregnant again I’ll be in touch! Thank you, for everything. Please feel free to use this email as a review/testimonial of how amazing you are!!

– first baby, hospital birth, 2023

From the moment I first connected with Sharyn, she understood exactly what I was seeking from her; to feel reassured and confident in my upcoming birth. She answered all my burning questions honestly and was the first midwife I spoke to who made me feel that it was OK to have so much curiosity surrounding birth. I knew I wanted my first birth to be a in a pool at home with little to no assistance; Sharyn helped me to fill in the gaps in my knowledge and I felt prepared, ready and excited going into my labour. I also knew the best choices to make when some elements didn’t go as I had planned. I will be forever grateful to the remote service Sharyn offered me when I couldn’t find a local midwife to support me in the way I needed it most. 

– K, first time mum, 2023

From the moment I first met with Sharyn online she was both personal and professional, extremely knowledgeable and caring. She moved mountains to be able to attend my birth and she provided me with invaluable information and documents in the build up.

Throughout my labour, Sharyn helped me make informed choices at every step and always made me feel like I was the one in control. Sharyn helped me navigate some difficult and unforeseen circumstances of my labour and I was still able to birth my son without intervention which was my wish. I am positive this would have been a different story without Sharyn. The aftercare and advice I received was also fantastic.

Any questions or concerns I threw at Sharyn- she could answer them and always put my mind at ease . She clearly has a combination of great experience, knowledge and passion for midwifery and for people in general.

Asking Sharyn to be my independent midwife was one of the best decisions I have ever made and she will also be a friend for life.

Ellie, first time mum, 2022

Asking Sharyn to be our independent midwife was the best decision we made when I got pregnant. Unlike any other health care provider, Sharyn took time and genuinely cared for us. It was not just a job but a commitment, a relationship of trust and friendship. These months of pregnancy, birth and the first weeks of postnatal care are life changing times and Sharyn was our harbour whenever something unexpected or worrying happened.

We met via Zoom at pre-arranged times which worked really well. We would talk about any questions we had about pregnancy, develop a birth plan or just chat. Sharyn was amazing at understanding what we were needing and wanting, supporting us in those decisions with the vast amount of knowledge she has.

Sharyn’s approach to midwifery is rooted in Quaker values of care and mindfulness, accompanying the journey of pregnancy and maternity with patience, respect and loving kindness.

NHS guidelines and procedures are not always very holistic and caring. Sharyn helped us to navigate the medical system. Being independent of particular NHS trust guidelines, she can draw on the most recent and most convincing research rather than being restricted by some protocols or tick lists. She would listen carefully, give advice including advantages and risks of different choices and send us additional resources to draw on. This really helped us to find our own voice when confronted with decisions.

Because of current issues in IMs accessing birth insurance, Sharyn couldn’t attend the birth itself. But she was vital in making a natural birth possible and was a huge support in the postnatal days when our baby had to be in special care. It would have been very difficult to make some of those decisions without Sharyn’s advice.

Even though I had a straight forward, low-risk pregnancy, we had a few panicky moments and it was invaluable to be able to call Sharyn and talk things through, knowing that she was supportive of our values. I didn’t have that kind of relationship with my NHS midwife. Calling Sharyn felt more like calling a friend for advice.

L & S, First-time parents, Yorkshire, 2021

Sharyn was brilliant. She supported us through the unknowns of pregnancy and pandemic. Her visits made life feel a lot more normal and so pleasant. I would say we had all our needs and expectations met – she not only supported my becoming a mother but my husband becoming a father at the birth of our son and the wonderful postnatal visits thereafter. We very much miss Sharyn’s presence and would have her over for a coffee any time (with lots of milk and sugar)!

I had to have a midwife I knew and trusted attend my second birth… after having Post Traumatic Stress Disorder following the birth of my first child I can fully attest to how impossible it is to feel like a good and competent mother in a PTSD state. It’s a steep learning curve. I couldn’t be left on my own with my son for long, or have catch up day time sleeps for a year – sleep deprivation is exacerbated by PTSD. It’s actually physiologically impossible to feel that parent child connection when in a PTSD state.

The birth experience is so delicate and fragile that trauma in some form is possible, and I hate to say it, even common. But that doesn’t mean that leads to PTSD. We can do hard things and we can grow from them. PTSD is caused when, during an experience of trauma, we are not supported or respected. We are disempowered and lose control over our situation.

In labour you really do not have control over your situation, it is a wild ride, and need to have trust in those around you to guide the situation to a positive conclusion – whatever that may be. So the power imbalance is inherent in the situation. It takes great skill and self awareness on the part of the people around you to guide you through it keeping the power in your control and not picking it up and running off with it, as it is so easy to do when someone is so vulnerable.

With the skill of the amazing midwife Sharyn Lock (and of course my doula and partner!) I managed to birth my daughter with a feeling of empowerment, choice and agency, despite coming into the situation hyper sensitive and PTSD-ready! It really healed me and therefore healed my family and gave my daughter a truly wonderful start in life.

D, second child, birthed at home, 2019