And each birth is a miracle to watch, according to the Echuca midwife.
Born and bred in rural Victoria, Brooke started her midwifery career in Mildura before joining the maternity ward at Echuca Regional Health 13 years ago.
“I have always loved women and birthing so it was a passion of mine to become a midwife after I completed my nursing,” she said.
Brooke said birthing numbers had grown from 200 births in 2007 to more than 400 last year.
“The maternity ward has grown with women coming from all over the region, some as far as Cobram, Tatura, Shepparton, Cohuna, Boort and Kyabram,” she said.
“The best start of my job is the women and families I get to meet from all works of life.
“I feel birthing is a very private event and to allow strangers - midwives you don't know - in to the birth is magical.
“I love watching the elation of the fathers/partners/support people when the babies are born.
“I also love to see the women grow in confidence with parenting and breastfeeding.”
Working in all areas of maternity care, including antenatal, birthing suite and postnatal wards, Brooke took on the midwifery education job four years ago.
“This is extremely rewarding watching nurses develop into mature and confident midwives,” she said.
“I love my job as an educator as I work alongside the students in birthing suite teaching them new skills.
“The maternity team at ERH are highly skilled and motivated and is a great place to work.
“We all work closely with the general practice obstetrician and have a great relationship with all of them.”
Brooke said a great midwife was motivated, kind, caring, hard-working, compassionate and able to communicate well with women and their families.
“Midwives make a huge difference in the lives of women and their families throughout their pregnancy, labour and birth and their postnatal period,” she said.
“Midwives are important as women will continue to give birth long after I'm gone.”
Brooke is one of several nurses the Riv is profiling as part of International Nurses Day on May 12.
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