Mum retrains as midwife after own maternity care

A woman who had emergency surgery for an ectopic pregnancy is retraining as a midwife after her own maternity experiences.

Clare Scruby, who studies midwifery at Coventry University, said she had both "positive" and "really difficult" experiences in maternity care and was inspired to make things easier for people "in the moments they will remember forever".

The 28-year-old mum, in the second year of her degree, has already helped to deliver 20 babies while studying and caring for her now seven-year-old daughter.

"I want to help people by being the person I needed, someone who listens, understands and is just there when it matters," she said.

Scruby, from Coventry, had her surgery during the coronavirus pandemic for her pregnancy, in which a fertilised egg implanted itself outside of the womb.

"I... was discharged the next day, with no one allowed to be with me," she said, describing it as a "really frightening time".

"Sometimes people don't need fixing, they just need someone to be there and understand what they're going through."

A former primary school teacher, the midwifery student decided to follow in the footsteps of her mum, aunt and nan and pursue a career in healthcare.

Scruby took on a clinical support worker role in maternity care while completing an access course, before starting her midwifery degree in 2024.

"I really enjoyed teaching but I got to a point where I knew I needed a better balance and a career that suited me long‑term," she said.

"Working in maternity just felt right."

Scruby hopes her story will encourage others considering a career change.

"If it's something you really want to do, and it's going to make you happier in the long run, it's absolutely worth going for," she said.

Follow BBC Coventry & Warwickshire on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.