On Call

The most amazing day had the most amazing ending.

Due to a home birth earlier in my shift, and a rather lengthy feeding support visit, I arrived for my final visit of the day at 19.30. It was a day 5 visit, and I needed to take the 5-day newborn blood spot test. I apologised to the mother and explained why I was so late.

The living room was filled with relatives, and they asked me to wait for a couple of minutes as they were having a birthday cake for another child. I instantly recognised the mother, and told her that I’d seen her before. She replied that she hadn’t seen me during her pregnancy as she had only seen her midwife. Her partner then came out of the kitchen, and I remembered how I knew them.

I had delivered their little girl a couple of years previously while a student midwife. They instantly remembered me. In fact, the birthday cake and singing was for that very same little girl’s second birthday! I joined in with the singing and it felt such a privilege to be there at this special moment. It’s not every day a midwife gets to sing happy birthday to a baby she delivered two years ago.