Lisa G

My reasons why

There are not many jobs where, within a single shift, you can experience the very best and the very worst of life.

Midwifery is one of them.

I have worked as a midwife across three hospitals, caring for women, babies and families. I have witnessed first breaths and first cuddles, and shared in the joy of parents meeting their baby for the first time. These are the moments that make midwifery such a privilege.

But there is another side.

When there is no cry

Sometimes the room is quiet.

Instead of taking a baby home, families are faced with leaving hospital without them.

Baby loss is more common than many realise, and behind every statistic is a baby, a family and a future that was already imagined.

I have supported families through these moments, both professionally and personally. There is no perfect thing to say. Sometimes, we simply sit, listen, and help parents make memories and say their baby’s name.

And make sure they know their baby mattered.

Finding joy alongside sadness

Midwifery is not only sadness. There is laughter, chaos, unexpected birth plans, and endless cups of tea that are never quite finished.

There are colleagues who know when you need support, and families who remember kindness above all else.

They remember who listened, who stayed, and who shared their joy or their grief.

The privilege of being there

As a senior midwife, I also think about the people providing this care. Bereavement work requires time, training and support, and we must look after those who do it.

Midwifery has given me some of the happiest and hardest moments of my life. It has shown me that joy and sadness often sit side by side.

We cannot always change outcomes, but we can shape how families are cared for.

We can celebrate life, sit in silence, and honour babies who were gone too soon.

After all these years, it remains an extraordinary privilege to do both.