Celebrating Western Sydney’s midwives

Every day they support mothers and help welcome new life into the world.

Today is International Day of the Midwife, an opportunity to honour and thank a midwife for the wonderful work they do.

Auburn Hospital clinical midwifery educator Jawaher Masri realised this was her calling after becoming a mother at the age of 17.

“Being a mum and at a young age and supporting my sister when she had her baby were the moments which inspired me to become a midwife,” Jawaher said.

“I chose to work in midwifery because of the support, connections and the relationships that you develop with women.

“It’s an exciting, rewarding and challenging job which leads to many great opportunities.”

Western Sydney Local Health District (WSLHD) Nursing, Midwifery and Clinical Governance director Caroline Farmer said midwives are integral to our healthcare system, providing vital care and support to our families.

“It’s important to acknowledge the contributions our midwives make each year,” Caroline said.

“They are at the forefront of patient care and during these difficult times are turning up to work each day to care for our communities.”

WSLHD is not holding its traditional nurse and midwife award ceremonies this year due to COVID-19 restrictions, but special treats are being distributed at our hospitals and community health centres as a sign of appreciation to staff.

Jawaher explained that she and her colleagues have adapted the way they work this year, including embracing telehealth tools to keep patients up to date.

“It’s important to keep in contact with women during these difficult times as some may not have much support from family due to the isolation regulations,” she said.

WSLHD is currently recruiting for more midwives, nurses and other healthcare workers to meet growing demand – check out our jobs here.

For the latest COVID-19 information, click here.