Celebrating midwives at Western Sydney hospitals
International Day of the Midwife is being celebrated across Western Sydney Local Health District hospitals, recognising the people who help 10,000 births each year.
May 5 is International Day of the Midwife, celebrating the vital role midwives play in supporting women, babies, and families through pregnancy, birth, and the postnatal journey.
The midwifery team at Westmead Hospital is celebrating the birth of new parents Lucy and Shane’s yet to be named beautiful baby girl – one of the more than 10,000 babies born in Western Sydney each year.
Lucy’s pregnancy was determined high-risk, so she was under the guidance of an obstetrician and the Westmead midwifery team.
“We spent an extended time here and we saw a few of the midwives,” Lucy said.
One of those midwives was Kevin Torio.
Kevin was a registered nurse for eight years before pivoting into midwifery.
“It doesn't matter if you're male or female, as long as you're willing to do the job and help mums,” Kevin said.
He says while it’s not common to have male midwives, he’s happy to be working in a place that brings him joy.
“We have five registered male midwives working in the hospital.”
Kevin says the biggest thing he’s learned from his time in midwifery, is acknowledging the individual differences in each parent and baby.
“Everyone is different. Everyone goes through labour different. Some go through till the end without yelling, and some need that primal yell to get things done,” Kevin said.
He says having a baby is a big change for everyone, and he’s glad to be in a position to help parents feel confident and empowered as they take their first steps into parenthood.
The District’s Director, Nursing & Midwifery, Maria Lingam said May 5 is an important time to celebrate the dedication, skill, and professionalism of our midwives.
“Every day, our midwives provide compassionate support, clinical expertise, and reassurance to women and their families during some of the most significant moments of their lives. Their ability to advocate, lead, and deliver care with kindness and respect leaves a lasting impact,” Maria said.
New mum Lucy says she can see why people would want to go into midwifery.
“I think being midwife would be really rewarding. Quite a few midwives said it was really nice to see us, and reflected on the change they saw in us as we got more confident in ourselves,” Lucy said.
Happy International Day of the Midwife.