FOR those carrying a child, whether it be for the first time or if they have done it before, having a good midwife to help them throughout the process is crucial.
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Luckily for mothers-to-be, they will have a new face to assist them in what can be a stressful time.
Gunnedah's Erin Quinn has joined the maternity unit at Tamworth Rural Regional Hospital, following her graduation from Charles Sturt University and placement at Gunnedah Hospital, but hopes to return one day.
Gunnedah Hospital employs a sole midwife per shift, and therefore does not have the capacity to hire Ms Quinn just yet.
However, if she were to return then she would no stranger to the local community or the hospital, having lived in town for the past seven years and worked in the emergency department as a nurse.
Ms Quinn always wanted to be a midwife though, and jumped at the chance when the MidStart program became available in 2020.
"I love that midwifery kind of combines the science and the evidence that I'm used to as a nurse with the art of being with women and thinking on your feet, and making sure that experience is individualised for every woman and their family" she said.
"It's a pretty special job to be invited into incredibly intimate moments and such huge life-changing moments with their families and that's an incredibly privilege that I'm incredibly grateful for."
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Part of Ms Quinn's motivation comes from the fact she had excellent midwives for the pregnancy and births of her four children, which helped her realise what an extraordinary impact they can make.
Having already been part of the health system in the area, she is aware how valuable professional health staff are in Gunnedah.
She hopes more people will gain qualifications and make the move to regional locatoins.
"Having more trained health care professionals is a great thing for rural areas, it's absolutely vital for rural areas really," she said.
"Midwives are vital to support women through their pregnancies so the more midwives we can get trained, particularly in rural areas, and the more midwives we can retain in rural areas can make a huge difference to the services that NSW can provide to women everywhere."
