Every doctor has their own personal graveyard in their head because it's the patients they couldn't save. I think that midwives carry a similar thing, not a graveyard, thankfully, but a little collection of women who have really touched them and made them question things. Maybe we've connected with them or maybe they've really challenged us in some way. But there certainly have been times on days off when all I can think about is something that's happened during my last shift - which is just part of being an adult in the world. We all go through that in our own way... The trick is just not to let it wrinkle and to try and work it out somehow.
While we take a rest over the summer, we’re sharing some remastered episodes from Season One, chosen by listeners.
This week, I talk to Leah Hazard, NHS midwife extraordinaire and author of Hard Pushed, part memoir of Leah’s life on the labour ward, and part exploration of the current state of the profession.
Leah is as funny, wise and warm in person as she is in print, and she talks about the life-changing decision to leave her TV career and train to be a midwife, and the moment when the stress became too much during one very busy night on the ward.
References from this episode:
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