My name is Tracey McGrath; I am a happily married mother of 2 girls, Catherine and Emma. I started my training in 2003 and completing my degree in the summer of 2006.

I trained at a large teaching hospital in North London where I was offered a job at the end of my training. I worked part-time across community and maternity unit settings supporting women during both the antenatal and postnatal periods as well as caring for women in labour. This integration ensured that my skills within both normal and 'high risk' midwifery were maintained.

I was one of the very few students to have the opportunity to train in a one-to-one midwifery team an experience, which, I believe, gave me a unique view of midwifery. The area in which I worked was one of great socio-economic diversity presenting a variety of issues for the women we cared for. Much is the same in the area I covered in North London, it was an area that challenged me every single day; it fed my mind and my soul, and demanded a truly holistic approach to the job.

I recently took a position at the Luton and Dunstable NHS Trust, which is much closer to home. I am now based on delivery suite, a very fulfilling place to work. The one thing that is more apparent to me having worked for the last year soley on delivery suite is how unprepared both physically and psychologically many women are for the realities and wonder of child birth. This both saddens and worries me.

So, why Mother Nurture?

Quite simply, I strongly believe in the value of preparation for birth and parenthood and I thoroughly enjoy supporting women and families during the birth and into the early days and weeks with their newborn. I welcome the opportunity to do these things with local women and families in Hertfordshire.

All midwives working within the UK are required by law to register with the Nursing and Midwifery Council. Please feel free to access their website and verify my registration at the Nursing and Midwifery Council web site. In addition, the Nursing and Midwifery Council aims to protect the public by setting standards of practice and clinical supervision for midwives. Details of how they support my practice can also be found on the NMC web-site.