Wagga Base Hospital midwife Sarah Eyles thought she would end up working in an emergency department until she fell in love with helping new mothers and their babies.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
An enrolled nurse in the old hospital building, Ms Eyles completed her training in the maternity ward to become a midwife three years ago.
"I really enjoying supporting women in this beautiful journey and being able to give them all the tips and help them into motherhood," she said.
"I think everyone's birth story is very unique and I think it's very important that women support each other. I think sometimes it can be a difficult time for some people."
Brand new mum Chantelle Clunes gave birth to her baby girl on Sunday at Wagga Base Hospital and praised the "amazing" team for its support.
"I was a little bit nervous but when the whole thing started to happen the midwives made me feel super comfortable," she said.
"Nothing was stressful for them. They were just amazing. They just made everything so easy.
"After IVF, it feels very surreal. It's something we wanted so badly and waited so long for and now we feel really blessed. We're on cloud nine."
IN OTHER NEWS:
Ms Eyles has now begun to see mothers come back to have their second babies accompanied by young children whom she helped into the world when she first started working.
"I'm starting to see the second lot of babies coming through at the moment which is really nice. It's beautiful to be able to then watch their little kids come back and see them all come back," she said.
"We have a very supportive team. And the women and the community is amazing."
Ms Eyles is one of about 3,900 registered midwives working for NSW Health who support the birth of almost 100,000 babies across the state each year.
Their dedication has been celebrated today on the International Day of the Midwife.
A hospital spokeswoman said midwives put women and the family at the centre of care and at the heart of every decision.
"The significance and importance of providing women, their partners and families with compassionate care cannot be underestimated," she said.