Changing of a New YearThe end of December is the time of the year when people reflect on the year that has happened and plan for the year about to start. During this holiday season, I have been doing just that.

2015 has been a wonderful year for me with lots of positives. It has been an extremely busy year. I have so many wonderful new patients who chose me to manage them in pregnancy. Many have chosen to come to me as I have been/am currently the obstetrician of a family member (or family members) or friend (or friends). Such an honour! I have so many wonderful past patients who chose me to manage them again in their next (current) pregnancy. That is such an incredible joy!

It is a unique job where I have the amazing opportunity to build friendships with patients that last over so many years. I have had quite a number of ‘second gen’ patients in 2015. By that I mean the mother of the patient or the mother of a patient’s husband/partner saw me for pregnancy management. Now I am managing the pregnancy of the grown-up baby that I delivered or the wife of the grown-up husband/partner I delivered. That is so wonderful!

When out and about I so often bump into old patients, who take great joy in reacquainting me with their children that I delivered and telling me what they are up to. What a unique and fabulous job I have!

Having a baby is one of the most important times in a woman’s life. To be able to support a woman at this special time is so humbling, and such an honour and privilege. To share in the joy of the birth of a couple’s new baby is so special. As I reflect on the many such occasions in 2015 I am reminded what a wonderful job I have. Now with advances in digital photography and the popularity of social media and the internet I have been sent so many ‘proud parent’ photos by patients of their baby’s birth day. I look at these and reflect on that special day.

Most deliveries go well, but the year has had its share of patients with complications of pregnancy or childbirth, some of which have been life-threatening for the mother or baby or both. To reflect on these times and how with careful management I have been able to secure a safe outcome for mother and baby is so wonderful.

There have also been those pregnancies that have not worked out. To be able to support a woman in her hour of grief is a great privilege. I encourage any woman who has had a pregnancy loss in 2015 to try again knowing that I will do all that I can to optimise her chances of a successful pregnancy in 2016 and to celebrate the birth of her baby with her and her husband/partner.

I am blessed to have such wonderful staff working for me. I thank Kylee, Emily and Robyn for their amazing secretarial support. I also thank my webmaster Luke Beeton of Sailor Studio and his team for all the incredible work they do to optimise my website. I get so much fantastic feedback about how useful and easy to navigate the website is. I wish also to thank the wonderful hospital nursing staff and medical colleagues for their incredible support in 2015. Optimising pregnancy care is all about good teamwork. I owe so much to these wonderful people in supporting me in patient care.

As I look ahead I think about ways I can tweak my practice to improve patient care and pregnancy and birth experience. I know Luke is looking at ways of tweaking the website. I will be adding more patient information especial in the Q&A section and in blogs. If you have any topics, in particular, you think I should include then please let me know. Please continue to send ‘proud parent’ photos or post them directly on the timeline of my Facebook site. I and other patients love seeing them.

For those who will be delivering in 2016 – I look forward to supporting you and celebrating with you. For those who are considering having a baby – why not make 2016 your year of celebration? I would value very much the opportunity of supporting you in your 2016 pregnancy.

I wish you and your family a fabulous 2016.

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*Saturday morning appointments are not available for initial antenatal visit.