A dedicated NHS midwife has transformed her clinical experience into a pioneering business venture, creating the UK's first specifically formulated hydration drink for pregnant, labouring and post-natal mothers after securing a £25,000 government start-up loan.
From Delivery Room to Business Plan
Darcey Croft, a 51-year-old midwife from Beaconsfield, Buckinghamshire, describes herself as an 'accidental entrepreneur' whose business idea was born from a troubling case she encountered in 2021. While working her shift, she attended to a mother initially categorised as low-risk who developed symptoms mimicking pre-eclampsia.
'Both she and the baby were very unwell,' Darcey recalls. 'She had an emergency c-section and the baby was taken to neonatal intensive care. It turned out she had been over-hydrating, drinking too much water, and her sodium levels were dangerously low.'
This critical incident sparked a realisation for Darcey: 'I couldn't believe we were in 2021 and didn't yet have a drink designed specifically for labour. Whilst pregnant, a woman will expend more energy than she ever has in her life, in a short space of time, and I couldn't find anything to help.'
Developing the Perfect Formula
Determined to fill this gap in maternal healthcare, Darcey began developing Isomum, a powdered drink mix containing carefully balanced electrolytes and essential nutrients. The formulation includes Magnesium Glycinate to ease muscle tension, Vitamin C for immune support, B-Vitamins for energy, and other specially tested elements beneficial for expectant and new mothers.
Facing significant research and development costs, Darcey successfully applied for government funding. 'I got the maximum start-up loan of £25,000 from the government,' she explains. 'I put that into research and development, that got me to the stage of having a robust formula which had been third-party tested.'
Despite manufacturing challenges that initially led her to launch simultaneously in the UK and US, Darcey discovered taste preferences differed significantly between markets. 'US customers wanted something much sweeter,' she notes, leading her to focus exclusively on the UK market she understands best.
Building a Business While Serving the NHS
Remarkably, Darcey managed to develop and launch Isomum within just six months while continuing her full-time work with the NHS. The drink is now available through the Isomum website and Amazon, with the business reaching the significant milestone of no longer operating at a loss.
Her unique position as a practising midwife provided invaluable insight. 'I know pregnant women, I've looked after them day in, day out,' Darcey emphasises. 'I know what their needs and their worries are and wanted to create a product which fulfills all those things.'
The company's success was formally recognised when it won Consumer Product StartUp of the Year for the South East in September, validating Darcey's exhausting dual role as midwife and entrepreneur.
Looking forward, Darcey hopes to see Isomum become a birth bag essential across the country. 'There is opportunity in every challenge,' she reflects. 'Sometimes I look at the product and think, that was an idea in my head and now it's making a difference in people's lives.'
