‘Helping bring life into the world is a buzz’: Sue French, midwife, Bristol

Following 30 years as a birthing assistant, I've practically observed everything. One day you're a piece of the most joyful night of someone's life, the following you're there to help them through disaster. Good and bad times are a piece of the course, as is working all day, every day.

In a unit like our own, the lights are on day or night, you in some cases don't see the distinction. I assume there are less directors, ladies and office staff around, yet our activity stays precisely the equivalent. It implies our tight-weave night group is absolutely understanding centered. We're an amiable unit – we endeavor to eat together when we can. In case we're by and large great, we may have a serving of mixed greens night, and once in a while we'll arrange pizzas. Generally everybody acquires diverse bits and, when we can, we share. It's terrible for the waistline, yet incredible for the spirit. Evenings can be long and hard, so getting to know each other is useful for resolve.

The key to enduring the night is resting between movements. There's nothing more regrettable than being depleted except for waiting be wakeful and caution at three toward the beginning of the day. You can't flounder: you're in charge of the lives of ladies and their children. I'm fortunate, I'm a decent sleeper at whatever time. I used to get up for the children. In any case, mine are grown up now, so I can entertain myself. Despite the fact that during the evening on the off chance that I wake up for a small, I can return to rest. In the daytime that can be somewhat harder.

In some cases it's hard to rest if something disquieting has happened the prior night. The warm fluffy inclination you get from conveying a sound child is consoling, however there are unnerving evenings, when something happens to an infant. You figure out how to turn off, yet anyway long you carry out the activity it can in any case get to you. Children are hearty animals. It's stunning what they can adapt to, regardless of whether they require a smidgen of assistance. They're harder than you may envision.

I never embarked to be a birthing assistant, however I've adored my time in the activity. Carrying life into the world, particularly when outside the ward everybody is dozing, gives you a buzz. What's more, the fervor is that for 12 hours on end anybody could stroll in through the entryway, prepared to begin that venture. Indeed, even tiredness can be fought off when an infant is being conceived.