Midwife’s new colleague is baby she helped save 25 years ago
A BIRMINGHAM midwife who helped save a high-risk baby was amazed to be reunited with her patient a quarter of a century later as her new colleague.
Elise Robinson’s life was at risk before it had even begun back in 1996 when her mother, Hilary, was in the care of midwife Maggie Coleman, at Good Hope Hospital, in Sutton Coldfield.
Hilary had been under the watch of the maternity team during her pregnancy because her baby had stopped growing and there was a reduction in amniotic fluid around her baby.
The pregnancy was considered ‘‘very high risk’’ and for several weeks she went to the antenatal clinic and was scanned by Maggie.
It was there that they struck up a rapport until Elise was born in March 1996 weighing 5lb 1oz.
Hilary never forgot the care shown to her by Maggie, often reminding Elise of the midwife who helped ‘‘save her’’ as she was growing up.
That connection proved inspirational as Elise decided to train to become a midwife in 2014.
After qualifying, she worked in Coventry before landing her dream job at Good Hope’s new Midwifery Led Unit.
The 25-year-old said: “When I was offered the interview I showed my mum the letter and straight away she said ‘that’s Maggie that looked after me’.
“I couldn’t believe it! She had always talked about the midwife who had shown her such kindness and compassion but never in a million years did I think that I would one day end up meeting her.”
She continued: “You could say that the stories of Maggie inspired me to think about being a midwife because I always heard such good stories about her.
“I am so thrilled to be part of her team now and hope that I can make as much of an impact on my patients as Maggie did on my mum.”
Maggie, now 60, who started in the NHS in 1980 and is now a midwifery matron at Good Hope, said: “As a midwife it is always lovely to meet the mums and the babies you cared for but to meet one of those babies 25 years later and call her a colleague is just wonderful.
“I am delighted to think that the care I gave Hilary all those years ago has stayed with her and goes to show the lasting impression our care makes.
“Elise is an excellent midwife. I am sure that she will already be remembered for the care she has given to others.”