Nanny to the stars, farmer’s wife, child of God

I was the oldest of six and almost 11 years old when my youngest sibling was born. My parents owned a dairy farm in Kent, and I remember going to church and being read Bible stories and mummy praying with us at night.

My relationship with God become personal to me when I was about 13. I was at an evening service, where the gospel was being preached, and we sang that lovely song, ‘Hallelujah, what a saviour’. It just meant something to me. Whereas before, I’d lived off my parents’ faith, suddenly I felt: “Yes, he’s my saviour.” After that I just knew that I belonged to Jesus. 

Following my passion

I wasn’t academic at all, so didn’t manage to get any O-levels, but I was very practical; because I’d been brought up in a big family, I was always helping and doing things with the little ones. I loved babies, so I went to St Christopher’s Nursery Training College in Tunbridge Wells when I was nearly 17. It was a Barnardo’s home in the 1960s before the Abortion Act had come in and before the pill was widely used, so there were lots of young girls having babies out of wedlock. 

I hadn’t a clue who Gwyneth Paltrow was, but I’ve never been phased by fame

I did two years as a nursery nurse, and then I went to work at St Thomas’ Hospital on the maternity unit. In those days, mothers were in for up to two weeks after giving birth so they needed nursery nurses to give advice with breastfeeding or bottle feeding, as well as teaching them how to bath their babies and just be there for them. By the time the mothers went home, they were in a nice routine; we didn’t see postnatal depression in the same way as we do today, because there was so much support. 

During my time at St Thomas’, I really went away from God - although I never lost my faith. I always say that God was so gracious with me. He just waited for me, and then gradually drew me back. 

Marriage problems

I met my husband, John, at the end of my training in 1967, and we were married in 1969. He was a farmer, and we moved to Kent. We had two children, Ben and Sarah, and then the M25 was going to be built around our farm, so we decided to get out. 

It took us two years to sell. Eventually we moved to Devon, to just the other side of Oakhampton with all our cattle and our machinery. That was in 1977. 

We had another baby, Jayne, not long after we got there, but we had a difficult time. Farming wasn’t easy. It was totally different land from where we’d been in Kent and we were away from our families. We didn’t know a soul. 

The children grew up and went to school, but our marriage was not good, even though we pulled together and nobody would have known. But we had lots of issues. And then we needed to sell the farm, because John was not in a good place. It took us a long time to sell. We sold the cattle first and then the machinery before moving to where we are now, which is just on the edge of Dartmoor. 

When we were farming, I did a bit of work helping mothers with newborn babies through an agency in the winter months, and did bed and breakfast in the summer. The lady I’d been working for asked: “What do you think about doing maternity work?” She explained I’d have to go away and live in to do the night feeds. As our marriage wasn’t in a good place, I said yes.

Broken apart, then drawn back together

My husband and I parted in 1996 after 27 years of marriage. Our eldest was married, Sarah was nursing her children and Jayne was still living at home. John left while I stayed at the house to do bed and breakfast in the summer. I’d then go and do maternity nursing during winter. I’d never really travelled, but my name was passed around and suddenly my nursing business just blossomed, and I had the opportunity to travel to Hong Kong.

Amazingly, John and I got back together in 2000 after

being divorced for four-and-a-half years. God had changed both our hearts. John had really had a touch

from God and was very different. God, in his grace and mercy, brought us back together.

Initially, I said: “No, I’m hurt. It’s finished, and I’ll never love him again.” But I couldn’t get this unfinished business with John out of my head, and I wasn’t quite sure whether that was because I had to lay it down, or whether God had something for me. And then, gradually, through circumstances, he brought us back together. We remarried on our wedding anniversary, 19 September 2001, 31 years after we first married.

Famous faces

In 2002 I was given a copy of Tatler magazine by a client. In it was an article about the Mountbatten family who’d moved not far from me. They had two children at that stage. There was a beautiful picture of Lady Mountbatten (Penny) and the children, and I don’t know what made me do it, but I prayed that if they had another baby, I would go to help them. 

Then I was away on a job, and I spoke to John who said he’d had Penny Mountbatten on the phone asking me if I could be their maternity nurse as they were having a third baby! Penny had met my cousin, Emma, in the school car park and asked her if she knew any local maternity nurses and so Emma gave her my number. Amazing really, but God was at work in all of this. So, I worked for them and had a wonderful time, and that job led to me working for the royal family.

It was in 2004 that I started working with celebrities and their babies. It started with Chris Martin and Gwyneth Paltrow. To be quite honest, I hadn’t a clue who Gwyneth Paltrow was, but I’ve never been phased by fame. Women are women. We all go through the same emotions with a newborn. 

A Bible for your baby

I don’t push my faith on the families I work for. But new parents are often concerned about cot death. I always said to parents: “Look, I can’t sit up all night and watch your baby. I’m a Christian, and I will pray for God to put his angels over your baby. We trust that that the Lord will take care of your little one.”

If your faith bubbles out of you then actually it’s natural. I always leave a Bible for the baby, as I believe God can use His word with these little ones. We commit these babies and children into the Lord’s hands praying: “Lord, bring them to faith. May they come to know you, Lord and Saviour.” 

My first book came out in 2006, and Gwyneth endorsed it. It is called How to Enjoy Year One. It’s all practical and in the last chapter, I was allowed to cover spiritual and emotional needs. It’s amazing how many women who come to me for consultations say to me that they love the last chapter. 

Expanding the business

I knew this lovely lady, Lucy. She got married and had twins, so asked if I could help with them. I wasn’t free, but I had a friend who I’d worked with in Monte Carlo, who was a Norland Nanny (Norland is a training college for uniformed nannies), and she wanted to get back into looking after babies. So, I introduced them and she went to work with Lucy, who I kept in touch with. When her and her husband were relocating from London to Somerset, they got in touch and said: “We’d like to represent you.” I was clueless when it came to publicity. So, they and my publishers got my website for Rachel’s Babies put together.  

Women are women. We all go through the same emotions with a newborn

I had to go into hospital in 2017 and have major bowel surgery, which wasn’t cancer, thankfully, but I had to have time off. That is when other nurses came on board to Rachel’s Babies.

Knowing God’s faithfulness

I think one of my life lessons is that if you’re a Christian, and you’re going through really deep waters; hold on to God’s love. There have been times in my life when I’ve found I don’t know where God is, and people have upheld me in prayer and got me through. 

Now I almost feel all the stuff that I’ve been through has been a blessing, because it’s drawn me nearer to Jesus. I think either people become embittered, or you learn to say: “Lord, I don’t know what to do here, but you do. I’m in your hands.”

Also, when I was at home on my own, I used to say: “Lord, I’ve only got a little bit of money left, and I’ve got bills to pay. Can you send something in?” And you know, somebody would come up the lane and want bed and breakfast for a couple of nights. 

We have such a generous God who longs to bless us.  

For more information about Rachel, the agency and her books go to: rachelsbabies.com