The MAMA Podcast28 Nov 2025

What Midwives Wish the System Knew w/ Leah Hazard

In this episode, Heidi is joined by midwife, author and maternity advocate Leah Hazard to explore what life on the real frontline of maternity care is like, and what midwives wish the system truly understood. Drawing on almost 12 years as an NHS midwife in a busy urban maternity unit, Leah offers a powerful, honest insight into staffing pressures, moral injury, and the emotional toll of not being able to provide the standard of care midwives are trained, and desperately want, to give. Together, Heidi and Leah unpack how system pressures impact safety, staff wellbeing and families, and why safe staffing and proper resourcing are non-negotiable if we want better outcomes for parents and babies.

We also cover:
• what a day in maternity triage is really like
• how staff shortages affect safety, compassion and continuity of care
• moral injury, burnout and why so many midwives are leaving
• the culture of fear around speaking up and whistleblowing
• the importance of listening to parents and frontline staff in national reviews
• Leah’s hopes (and worries) for the future of maternity care
• honest advice for anyone considering a career in midwifery

If you’d like to learn more about Leah Hazard, you can do that here:
Website: https://www.leahhazard.co.uk/ Instagram: @leahhazard

If you’d like to see more of what we do, you can find us at:
Our Website – https://www.mamaacademy.org.uk/ Or @mamaacademy on all your favourite social media platforms.

If you'd like to make a one-time donation to support everything we do, you can text:
‘MAMA05’ to 70085 to donate £5
‘MAMA10’ to 70085 to donate £10
‘MAMA50’ to 70085 to donate £50

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