From first baby to lifelong memories: The impact of midwife Cheryl Guthrie in Canberra

Cheryl Guthrie knew she wanted to be a midwife the moment she stepped into a maternity unit.

“It was love at first sight,” she said.

“I love working with women, and seeing how powerful they can be in birth is one of the reasons why I have continued in this role.”

Cheryl has been a midwife at Calvary John James Hospital – Canberra’s only private maternity unit – for 30 years.

“I’ve worked most of the time in the birthing suite,” she explained.

“My favourite part of the job is watching the birth, seeing the joy and knowing the parents’ lives have changed forever.”

The maternity services at Calvary John James Hospital celebrated 30 years last month, and Cheryl said the unit was part of the fabric of the Canberra community.

“We now have mums and dads coming through to have their own babies after being born here themselves,” she said.

“I always look up their birth on the registry and show them the page.”

Cheryl helped deliver Donna Davis, the very first baby born at John James Hospital in 1994.

Donna, now a police officer in Central Queensland, said the story had become part of her identity.

“I moved to Queensland when I was about six years old, so being the first baby born in the maternity unit at John James Hospital has been a foothold for me in Canberra,” she said.

“It is always my claim to fame and my personal fun fact.”

A few years ago, Donna and her parents, Marianne and Gerard, visited the hospital and discovered Cheryl and other midwives were still working there.

“I was gobsmacked that after all these years, they were still working at John James Hospital,” Marianne said.

“Our delightful midwife, Cheryl, has always been part of our wonderful memories. It was such a delight for Donna to meet her.”

Cheryl’s long career at the hospital has made her a recognisable face for many people in Canberra.

“People often stop me in the supermarket and ask, ‘Do you remember me?” and they will have their six-month-old or two-year-old with them,” she said.

“Recently, I ran into a woman at the shop who gave me a big hug. She had her 18-year-old son with her, who I helped birth. He was getting ready to go off to university.”

Cheryl said midwifery had changed over her career, but it remained an incredibly rewarding role.

“If you choose to become a midwife, you will get immense joy out of working with women,” she said.

“Seeing how a woman can birth is a simple thing but brings so much joy. The ups and downs of midwifery can be extreme, however, the happiness and job satisfaction it brings is immense.”