Next month heralds International Day of the Midwife. Tony Grant talks to three women in the mother of all professions.

It’s perhaps the most defining moment in a woman’s life, yet the people at the forefront of the experience largely go unnoticed. Giving birth is one of life’s very special occasions but it can also be a time of dread and stress for the woman concerned. In such situations, one group of health professionals come to the fore to share their expertise.

While doctors and nurses are held in high esteem for their commitment to patient care, midwives may well be the unsung heroes of the medical profession. These women, and men, are on hand for the grand entrance in to the world of a new life and no matter how many times they do it, their passion seems to shine through. International Day of the Midwife, May 5, aims to raise awareness of the unique skills of these highly qualified and dedicated individuals. From relative newcomers to the vastly experienced, one thing unites them in their pleasure – helping to bring a new life in to the world.

With 24 years’ midwifery experience, one could be forgiven for thinking Margaret Heenan has seen it all and merely “goes to work” each day at the Cairns Base Hospital’s women’s unit. However, the Trinity Beach mother of four (aged 9-14 years) says every day is a happy one. “One of the common themes for midwives is that we are looking after ‘healthy’ people,” Margaret says.

“The people we see are not really there for any treatment as such and it’s a joy looking after them. That doesn’t mean it’s easy work, midwifery is very different from general nursing.  It’s a lot more specialised.”

Like most midwives with such experience, Margaret’s career began in general nursing. Having qualified as a nurse in Australia, she travelled to England and trained in midwifery.

She took up a position on completion of her training and has “never looked back”. “I’ve spent most of my (working) time in birthing suites and they’re really happy places to be,” she says.

“I think it’s because we are present for that magical moment, when a baby is born and (often) you look at the joy on the new mum’s face. But it’s not just new mothers, women who have done it before still have that look.”

The overall, almost tangible, feeling of satisfaction that is delivering a baby is what attracted Helen Shaw to the profession. The 25 year old from Yorkeys Knob has been a midwife for four years and relishes every day at work.

After completing her nursing degree in Brisbane, Helen took a one-year Master of Midwifery course after which she applied for a postgraduate student position as a midwife.

“The magic of birth is where I get my job satisfaction,” she says. “I found general nursing was too broad and therefore it lacked the stimulus I sought. I wanted to specialise and midwifery provided a highly specialised area.”

Because no two patients are the same, Helen says the key to settling expectant mums is to treat each individually.

“It’s all about keeping the lines of communication open,” she says. “It helps women to relax and put their trust in you. There’s more to the job than being there on the day to make sure it all goes smoothly. We have to prepare women and their partners for what is going to happen.”

Part of the preparation process begins with antenatal classes, an opportunity to learn about the changes taking place in the woman’s body and about the developing baby. It also includes helping women understand that as well as the physical aspect, there is an emotional and psychological side to what can be a life-changing event. According to Helen, the classes make all the difference on the day of delivery.

She says the classes also allow male partners to feel involved as well as gain additional information. Over the years there has been a marked increase in the number of men attending classes.

Both women say Christmas/new year babies are popular. “There seems to be ‘a few’ arrivals which happen nine months after Christmas,” Helen says.

When it comes to busy periods on the wards, Helen remembers one very eventful day.

“I worked at a hospital in Brisbane before moving to Cairns and in the one shift we had 14 deliveries. It was amazing,” she says.

At the Cairns Private Hospital, 45-year-old Michelle White, with 25 years’ experience in the field, almost did not become a midwife. The English-born mother of two (aged 12 and 14 years) from Smithfield says her training in obstetrics was not a happy experience and she was “turned off” the idea of a career as a midwife.

“During my general nursing training I had to do eight weeks’ obstetrics training and I really didn’t enjoy it,” she says.

“The supervising nurses were very ‘old-school’ and strict. They certainly didn’t encourage men in the birthing suites or any of the politeness we have today,” she says.

It may have remained that way for Michelle if a friend had not put the idea back in her head. “We were talking about work and she told me some wonderful, positive stories about the birthing unit in her area (north of London) and that I should look into applying to work there,” Michelle says.

Michelle moved to Australia in 1997 to work in Sydney, before moving to Cairns four years ago. Her 25 years in the profession has not dimmed her enthusiasm. In fact, Michelle feels as fresh as she did on her first day.

She still remembers her first delivery at work. “When I was told I’d be doing the delivery I was nervous but excited,” she says. “As the baby came out I couldn’t believe it. It was just such an awe-inspiring experience. I went home that night and couldn’t sleep. I couldn’t believe I had helped a tiny human enter the world.”

Michelle admits to loving all areas of her job. “It’s never hard to get up for work because I feel it’s a privilege to be a part of this wonderful experience,” she says. “It is an honour to be involved in this situation.”

Being a mother has helped Michelle understand the connection between mother and newborn baby, something she admits she lacked prior to joining the ranks of motherhood.

“There are many midwives who do not have children and I don’t think having them makes you better at the job but for me it really answered some questions because I was on the other side of the care process,” she says.

Having the boot on the other foot was not as difficult as she imagined. “When I was having my children I was acutely aware of not being a midwife while being a patient,” Michelle says.

“I was lucky as well because the midwives in charge were friends of mine, so that added to the feeling of relaxation and the trust was there.” Of the many changes she has witnessed in the suites, two stand out – the increase in men attending deliveries and the number of women choosing to have a caesarean section.

While Michelle is conscious of not pushing points of view for or against the procedure, she explains there appears to be a certain misconception by some women that a caesarean is an easier way to give birth.

“Society is very planned, where one thing needs to be done in order to facilitate something else, so that’s maybe why caesareans are so popular,” she says.

“It saddens me that for some women, they are seen as the ‘only convenient option’. What many do not understand is that having a caesarean is major abdominal surgery and it’s not a procedure to be taken lightly, you won’t be up and running after a couple of days. I must say though, there are many cases when they are necessary but, at the end of the day, it’s always the woman’s right to choose and our primary concern is to ensure she is happy and content.” 

Michelle says having men in attendance is a big plus and the increase may be as a result of them sitting in on antenatal classes. They are also getting more involved by helping to cut the umbilical cord and even giving the baby its first bath.

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