To mark International Day of the Midwife, staff at the RVI 's maternity unit in Newcastle have reflected on the "great privilege" of their jobs - and how they see their mission as supporting new parents "from happiness to heartbreak and everything in between".
At a difficult time for the profession - with recent scandals in other parts of the country having spotlighted the need for safe maternity care - midwives in Newcastle spoke of how recognising that every expectant mum is different and providing safe, high-quality was always the top priority.
Speaking to ChronicleLive, delivery suite midwife Kayle Washburn, 31, said: "Pregnancy and birth have always fascinated me, as it's absolutely incredible what a woman's body can do. It's such a privilege to do our job. There's nothing more rewarding than bringing somebody into the world - being the first person to ever touch a baby. There are times where it's not quite so happy, but even then it's still a privilege to help those women through."
