I never said thank you.
How could I have not said thank you?
Truth be told, I think it’s because I never truly saw you.
I’m ashamed to admit it, but I was so focused on my own journey – on becoming a new mum, on meeting my baby – that I didn’t notice how much you were a part of it all.
But I look back now and I see it.
I see you.
I see how you helped me through the early stages of pregnancy.
Carrying out all the necessary checks. Recording all the important information. Answering my curious questions. Pulling me out of many a Google hole.
Every appointment my midwife was my all-wise, all-knowing source of information, and I was… a pain, I’m sure.
And yet, no question was too much.
Thanks to you, I went into my labour feeling calm and in control. I felt confident in listening to my body, my baby, and trusting in the advice from my medical team. Thanks to you, I was ready.
When my water broke you ushered me into the delivery suite, helping me to get comfortable in between contractions. You knew it was going to be a while.
You dimmed the lights and rubbed my back as I laboured for over 24 hours.
You responded to my cues for pain relief.
The shifts changed, but the support always remained. Through the breaths, the pain, the sickness – you were there.
I looked to you when my labour started to take an unexpected turn. You stayed calm and because of that, so did I. Mostly.
Thank you for holding my shaking body as the doctors prepared me for theatre.
And thank you for holding my hand, for what felt like an eternity, when my baby wouldn't take his first breath.
Everyone rushed to his aid, but I still had you by my side.
Thank you for checking back again hours later, after your shift ended, "just to make sure everyone was okay".
I realise now that for you, this is so much more than a job.
When my baby was here…
You showed me how to protect and care for his delicate newborn skin.
You recommend me Huggies Newborn nappies and Thick Wipes. You taught me that they're the duo I need while my newborn’s skin is still developing, and explained to me how they both help protect him against nappy rash. Exactly the reasons why they're endorsed by the Australian College of Midwives.
You reassured me those nappies are the first choice for Australian hospitals. And that, yes, the colour of his first poo was ‘completely normal’. How the Huggies nappies will absorb those runny number twos (pure magic to my ears) keeping his skin cleaner and drier.
You followed up with, "while we’re on the topic… have you had yours?"
It’s not the glamour that draws a midwife to this work.
You managed my recovery, tending to my stitches when I didn't have the stomach to.
You taught me how to breastfeed. Thanks to you we were able to continue for much longer than I ever would have without your help.
And you taught me how to burp my son. You showed me the art of all the burping positions – who knew there were that many? Always with reassurance, like how you taught me to tell which messy cleanups from the baby were deemed completely normal in colour and texture. And not to have my Huggies wipes too far away now I'm a parent; thick, soft and absorbent to care for his precious, sensitive skin.
You cared for me without judgement and protected my modesty during a home visit when I answered the door dressed only in my underwear. You’ve seen sleep deprivation in all forms.
With the long shifts, day and night, you’ve experienced it too.
You monitored my baby’s growth… and also mine.
Thank you for asking the questions about my mental health when no one else did.
And thank you for uniting me with my others group. The friends I never knew I needed. A bond that I am eternally grateful for.
And then..
You shared in the magical moment that I saw that I was going to be a mum again.
Only to have to share the news a few weeks later that my baby was no longer there.
That can’t have been easy. I realise now that you have to share this type of news more than you would ever like to.
But like clockwork, you were there again when the time came for my next pregnancy.
Standing by my side, just like you did every other time. Just like you have for every other woman.
These first moments of motherhood bring some of the highest highs and the lowest lows and it’s taken me all these years to realise that for all these moments…
I’ve never weathered any of them alone.
You have delivered my two babies, and so many more for women around the world.
But you’re not just delivering the baby. You are delivering something else equally as special: A new mother.
The birth that’s often overlooked.
When everyone else is holding the baby, you are holding us.
As we enter new motherhood we look around and often wonder ‘where is my village?’. I’ve finally come to realise that one of the most important pillars… was you. Because there were many of you. Together you were the person I never had to ask for, but who was always there.
The person I could trust and whose recommendations and advice helped guide the way. From how to treat pregnancy indigestion, to what temperature to set the bath water, to what brand of nappies to use; you always had the answer.
Listen to This Glorious Mess' episode on everything you've ever wanted to ask a midwife. Post continues after podcast.
And as life carried on, so did you… to the next mum.
I’ll never know the full extent of the physical and emotional labour of a midwife but I do know it takes a special kind of person to turn up and do this day in and day out.
As mums, we are so lucky to have you in our corner, content in the wings as we take the spotlight. So for this very brief moment, I want to shine the light on you.
I should have said it earlier, but I realise it now: Thank you for being a part of my village. I couldn’t have done it without you.
Huggies understand how important it is to start your baby’s journey with the best care. Their Newborn Nappies & Fragrance Free Thick Wipes are endorsed by the Australian College of Midwives.
Make your parenting village bigger by joining the Huggies Club for exclusive offers and information to help new mums and parents-to-be on their journey.
Feature Image: Supplied/Instagram/@keereece