Are private middies equipped with emergency gear? Like forceps? I know they carry oxygen...
Independently Practicing Midwives carry emergency equipment that enables them to get IV access, administer emergency drugs, such as syntocinon, and give emergency fluids in the event of a haemorrhage. They also carry oxygen, in case the baby needs oxygen support when they are born, and resuscitation equipment.

Midwives do not carry forceps because using forceps is a surgical procedure, and is performed by an obstetrician who is trained in their use. But more to the point, an independently practicing midwife is trained to recognise a situation developing where intervention, such as forceps may be necessary, and do one of two things - either manage the situation to prevent the complication, through repositioning the mother, the use of aromatherapy, relaxation or visualisation techniques, water for pain relief, or a myriad of other natural techniques, or much more rarely, determine that the situation cannot be managed at home and arrange for your transfer to hospital.

Some women may feel, after previous birth experiences, that such emergencies come on in a matter of minutes and need immediate attention. In actual fact, this is not the case; birth complications are preceded by many warning signs, and an independently practicing midwife, as part of her job, will be constantly communicating with you and your chosen birth partner(s) to appraise you of your progress. This is quite different to a hospital birth where you do not have that rapport with your midwife, and as a result they often do not communicate their concerns or worries with you until the last minute, thus giving the impression that it all fell to pieces in a matter of seconds or minutes.