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The Midwife's Here! The Enchanting True Story of One of Britain's Longest Serving Midwives
Delivering my first baby is a memory that will stay with me forever. Just feeling the warmth of a newborn head in your hands, that new life, there’s honestly nothing like it… I’ve since brought more than 2,200 babies into the world, and I still tingle with excitement every time.
It’s the summer of 1967and St Mary’s Maternity Hospital in Manchester is a place from a bygone age. It is filled with starched white hats and full skirts, steaming laundries and milk kitchens, strict curfews and bellowed commands. It is a time of homebirths, swaddling and dangerous anaesthetics. It was this world that Linda Fairley entered as a trainee midwife aged just 19 years old.
From the moment Linda delivered her first baby – racing across rain-splattered Manchester street on her trusty moped in the dead of night – Linda knew she’d found her vocation. ‘The midwife’s here!’ they always exclaimed, joined in their joyful chorus by relieved husbands, mothers, grandmothers and whoever else had found themselves in close proximity to a woman about to give birth.
Under the strict supervision of community midwife Mrs Tattershall, Linda’s gruellingly long days were spent on overcrowded wards pinning Terry nappies, making up bottles and sterilizing bedpans – and above all helping women in need. Her life was a succession of emergencies, successes and tragedies: a never-ending chain of actions which made all the difference between life and death.
There was Mrs Petty who gave birth in heartbreaking poverty; Mrs Drew who confided to Linda that the triplets she was carrying were not in fact her husband’s; and Murial Turner, whose dangerously premature baby boy survived – against all the odds. Forty years later Linda’s passion for midwifery burns as bright as ever as she is now celebrated as one of Britain’s longest-serving midwives, still holding the lives of mothers and children in her own two hands.
Rich in period detail and told with a good dose of Manchester humour, The Midwife’s Here! is the extraordinary, heartwarming tale of a truly inspiring woman.
It’s the summer of 1967and St Mary’s Maternity Hospital in Manchester is a place from a bygone age. It is filled with starched white hats and full skirts, steaming laundries and milk kitchens, strict curfews and bellowed commands. It is a time of homebirths, swaddling and dangerous anaesthetics. It was this world that Linda Fairley entered as a trainee midwife aged just 19 years old.
From the moment Linda delivered her first baby – racing across rain-splattered Manchester street on her trusty moped in the dead of night – Linda knew she’d found her vocation. ‘The midwife’s here!’ they always exclaimed, joined in their joyful chorus by relieved husbands, mothers, grandmothers and whoever else had found themselves in close proximity to a woman about to give birth.
Under the strict supervision of community midwife Mrs Tattershall, Linda’s gruellingly long days were spent on overcrowded wards pinning Terry nappies, making up bottles and sterilizing bedpans – and above all helping women in need. Her life was a succession of emergencies, successes and tragedies: a never-ending chain of actions which made all the difference between life and death.
There was Mrs Petty who gave birth in heartbreaking poverty; Mrs Drew who confided to Linda that the triplets she was carrying were not in fact her husband’s; and Murial Turner, whose dangerously premature baby boy survived – against all the odds. Forty years later Linda’s passion for midwifery burns as bright as ever as she is now celebrated as one of Britain’s longest-serving midwives, still holding the lives of mothers and children in her own two hands.
Rich in period detail and told with a good dose of Manchester humour, The Midwife’s Here! is the extraordinary, heartwarming tale of a truly inspiring woman.
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First published May 10, 2012
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 162 reviews
July 23, 2013
Oh my oh my!!! Linda fairley was my midwife for my 2nd baby!! Looking forward to reading this book
July 28, 2015
This is an episodic memoir, reminiscent in a way of James Herriot's vet books, which means you can put it down without losing the thread. Written about a period of change in the UK's National Health Service (and a lot of change and upheaval generally, such as the change to the decimal system), the emphasis is on her decision first to become a nurse and then to become specifically a midwife.Perhaps it's because she herself didn't like general nursing that I didn't enjoy that section as much. The swinging sixties pass with very few comments, almost as if she didn't really notice what was going on around her.
Interesting that in the prologue she speaks of "her third husband"; I can imagine that she was so focussed on her career that it's hardly surprising that she and her first "drifted apart." She speaks so lovingly of Graham, the "love of her life" throughout the narrative that I thought he might have died or something, but no; their separation is relegated a couple of sentences in the epilogue.
An interesting read, but I couldn't warm up to the author. "Enchanting" is not a word I would use about it, and I find it sad that they decided to include it in the title. I dunno, she just seems to be all about external validation, to the point of telling her readership that there's another book in process before we've finished this one, and repeatedly mentioning "in passing" her later awards and recognition. Would I read it? I might, if only to find out who the next two husbands were--and what happened to them.
Interesting that in the prologue she speaks of "her third husband"; I can imagine that she was so focussed on her career that it's hardly surprising that she and her first "drifted apart." She speaks so lovingly of Graham, the "love of her life" throughout the narrative that I thought he might have died or something, but no; their separation is relegated a couple of sentences in the epilogue.
An interesting read, but I couldn't warm up to the author. "Enchanting" is not a word I would use about it, and I find it sad that they decided to include it in the title. I dunno, she just seems to be all about external validation, to the point of telling her readership that there's another book in process before we've finished this one, and repeatedly mentioning "in passing" her later awards and recognition. Would I read it? I might, if only to find out who the next two husbands were--and what happened to them.
October 29, 2022
Lovely read 😊 I love reading about peoples careers especially when it’s in midwifery the same as me, it’s crazy reading about outdated practices/ behaviours that used to happen and how shocking some of them would be if done now… Reading this was such a cosy experience is the best way to describe it, listening to Linda’s stories and really refreshing to read such positive enthusiastic things about the profession that remind you why you’re doing it in times when conversation around midwifery is a lot of the times quite bleak in the current system.
Thank you Linda for your story! I would love to read her second book if I come across it 😊
Thank you Linda for your story! I would love to read her second book if I come across it 😊
May 20, 2017
A really lovely read hearing how Linda trained from a nurse through to a midwife and all the hard times she would have. She nearly gave up training as a nurse but they gave her a placement at the maternity hospital and she then decided it's what she defiantly wanted to do. Strange to hear how the times change while she's working and training and how many babies she delivers. Well worth reading.
April 27, 2017
A lot of this book is about the years of study and apprenticeship that a nurse (and then midwife) went through in England in the late 1960s. Interesting, lots of anecdotes, so it doesn't get tedious. Nursing and midwifery were very, very different in those days. A pleasant read.
April 5, 2024
A easy read about Linda's journey on becoming a midwife and her personal life.
October 5, 2016
Quotable:
‘The ward has to be clean, neat and tidy at all times,’ the Welsh voice continued. ‘Patients are washed and have their beds changed every day. Bedding must be fitted exactly the same way each day, with enveloped corners on bottom sheets. Pillowcase ends facing away from the doors and perfectly folded counterpanes on top of blankets. You will receive precise instructions in bed-making procedures in due course.’
Funnily enough, conversations were hardly ever about babies. The new mothers cooed over them and admired each other’s newborns, of course, but the women didn’t obsess about potential ailments, pre-school provision and the pros and cons of certain foods as they tend to do today. Instead, they talked about the latest episode of The Prisoner or Coronation Street they’d seen on telly, swapped crochet patterns for matinee jackets and booties and bickered over whether Tom Jones was more of a dish than Elvis.
‘But at least this Act [Abortion Act of 1967] is a step in the right direction,’ the older midwife ploughed on. ‘It’s better to make abortion legal than force these poor girls into back-street clinics. Believe me, I’ve known some terrible cases. The NHS is much better off picking up the bill for termination than forking out to put these poor women back together again after they’ve been butchered.’
Babies are our lifeblood. They make this world of ours go round and round. Babies enthral and inspire us, giving meaning and purpose to our lives, whoever we are and whatever we believe… No matter how many babies I deliver, each and every one is a miracle, connecting me to the world like nothing else, reminding me that we are all equal in the beginning, and in the end. It’s the great leveler, childbirth.
‘The ward has to be clean, neat and tidy at all times,’ the Welsh voice continued. ‘Patients are washed and have their beds changed every day. Bedding must be fitted exactly the same way each day, with enveloped corners on bottom sheets. Pillowcase ends facing away from the doors and perfectly folded counterpanes on top of blankets. You will receive precise instructions in bed-making procedures in due course.’
Funnily enough, conversations were hardly ever about babies. The new mothers cooed over them and admired each other’s newborns, of course, but the women didn’t obsess about potential ailments, pre-school provision and the pros and cons of certain foods as they tend to do today. Instead, they talked about the latest episode of The Prisoner or Coronation Street they’d seen on telly, swapped crochet patterns for matinee jackets and booties and bickered over whether Tom Jones was more of a dish than Elvis.
‘But at least this Act [Abortion Act of 1967] is a step in the right direction,’ the older midwife ploughed on. ‘It’s better to make abortion legal than force these poor girls into back-street clinics. Believe me, I’ve known some terrible cases. The NHS is much better off picking up the bill for termination than forking out to put these poor women back together again after they’ve been butchered.’
Babies are our lifeblood. They make this world of ours go round and round. Babies enthral and inspire us, giving meaning and purpose to our lives, whoever we are and whatever we believe… No matter how many babies I deliver, each and every one is a miracle, connecting me to the world like nothing else, reminding me that we are all equal in the beginning, and in the end. It’s the great leveler, childbirth.
October 2, 2013
Quite simply written, Linda's voice is very clear; I could almost hear the words being spoken, as if she were in another room and talking to me. This covers her first few years, from entering nursing school at age 18 in the 1960s to qualifying and serving as a midwife. It's most interesting to see how things have changed: when she first started there were three 10-hour nursing shifts, nurses washed patients and remade their beds every day, nurses wore starched caps, detachable cuffs and were supervised by Matron, natural birth was the default... even for confirmed triplets! And then there are the other fashions, such as breast- or bottle-feeding, home- or hospital-birth, laying babies down on their fronts or their backs, all of which changed (sometimes repeatedly).
As Linda said, "You never stop being surprised when you are a midwife", and her stories seem to hold that out as she tells of funny, surprising, tragic, heartwarming or challenging moments in the early part of her career.
As Linda said, "You never stop being surprised when you are a midwife", and her stories seem to hold that out as she tells of funny, surprising, tragic, heartwarming or challenging moments in the early part of her career.
May 23, 2014
I’ve always been fascinated by midwifery and after loving PBS’ Call the Midwife and seeking out Jennifer Worth’s first memoir of her own time as a midwife in London’s East End – this seemed like a perfect fit. I think this is an excellent example of the different between someone who is a good storyteller and a good writer. The author was Britain’s longest serving midwife and this memoir focuses heavily on her training and early experiences in the late 1960s and early 1970s. She has great stories, but sometimes the connectors are stilted or awkward. Overall, a good read but it didn’t suck me or enthrall me the way Worth’s book did.
March 25, 2020
I've always been interested in midwives and lord knows I've loved babies having had 6 of my own and adopting 2! This story is set in Manchester England and while I enjoyed it, wasn't anything different than I expected...but it was fun to read.
January 22, 2013
Loved it, especially with it being a midwife from where I live, and she worked in the hospital I was born in and my children were born in, great to hear how things were done back then!
January 20, 2021
I’ve read over half the book in one day and it is a good read . I think this book may be better written in two parts . The first half is about her nursing training and I thought that she came to a pretty good conclusion after the first half . I was wondering what she was going to write about with a strong conclusion and half the book to go . The second half is about her midwifery training . From the get go it was clear that she did not enjoy general nursing and found illness and death to be no doubt distressing . I think it is unfortunate that back in the day a student had to complete nursing training in order to apply for midwifery training . Nowadays she could have just applied to midwifery school from the start and skipped all the other parts of her training . Granted not all maternity cases have a happy outcome but most do . Overall a decent read and worth the money I paid for the kindle edition .
February 11, 2023
The author's joie de vivre is both refreshing and delightful. This is a nice book to read when you're feeling depressed because you're catapulted along by all the positive emotions. Even the sad episodes just highlight the overall happiness that the author obviously derives from her work. The descriptions of eccentric mentors, quirky mothers, and adorable babies read like a comforting balm. A very nice memoir, indeed.
February 22, 2021
Excellent
This is an excellent book about training to be a midwife in England in the 60's. You can tell Linda's enthusiasm for and love for nursing especially to be a Midwife. I enjoyed reading this book. As a student in the U.S. About the same time, I think life in England was more difficult than in CT were U went to nursing school.
This is an excellent book about training to be a midwife in England in the 60's. You can tell Linda's enthusiasm for and love for nursing especially to be a Midwife. I enjoyed reading this book. As a student in the U.S. About the same time, I think life in England was more difficult than in CT were U went to nursing school.
December 11, 2017
An easy read, but I should have read the title more carefully. I somehow thought the book would be stories about delivering babies, but in reality the entire first half is the story of getting her education.
July 3, 2018
Interesting and eye opening read
I never had a midwife for either of my kids births. I was so enthralled by Ms. Fairley's experiences. She found her calling. And it was so cool to watch it unfold. Definitely want to read her other book.
I never had a midwife for either of my kids births. I was so enthralled by Ms. Fairley's experiences. She found her calling. And it was so cool to watch it unfold. Definitely want to read her other book.
August 22, 2018
This was a well written story. I really enjoyed it. It was a bit slow, not incredibly exciting, but a nice level headed book. I loved how she intertwined her diary and facts into an interesting, readable, story.
The pictures at the end was a really nice touch!!
The pictures at the end was a really nice touch!!
March 21, 2020
Read it over two days
Really enjoyed this book, I really Celtic wanted to work with Maria! As I nurse , I've never fancied midwifery and still don't, but did bring back memories of having my own children and also some of the mums to be I've met through my work .
Really enjoyed this book, I really Celtic wanted to work with Maria! As I nurse , I've never fancied midwifery and still don't, but did bring back memories of having my own children and also some of the mums to be I've met through my work .
June 30, 2022
An easy read. Fairley gives the highs and lows of her training through nursing school and becoming a certified midwife. It is somewhat lighthearted, although these are some sad moments. It's an interesting read, as so much has changed in the years since.
August 16, 2022
So true to life
Although Linda did not continue with general nursing, I found such similarities with my own experiences with nurse training. It was heartening to find I was not alone in how I often felt during my time although I carried on until retirement.
Although Linda did not continue with general nursing, I found such similarities with my own experiences with nurse training. It was heartening to find I was not alone in how I often felt during my time although I carried on until retirement.
November 23, 2016
An enjoyable read. Could have used a bit of editing to tighten things up a bit, but overall very well done.
July 21, 2018
Very enjoyable early memoir of a British midwife.
February 23, 2018
An enjoyable read for relaxing.
I don't know if I'd recommend to anyone else, but i enjoyed following Linda's journey
I don't know if I'd recommend to anyone else, but i enjoyed following Linda's journey
January 28, 2019
Loved this true story. In the late 60''s when everything seemed harder but fun too.
March 10, 2019
A joy to read
This was a joy to read. Every birth so real, it was as if I was there. I highly recommend it.
This was a joy to read. Every birth so real, it was as if I was there. I highly recommend it.
January 4, 2020
Midwifes
This was a great insight to a midwifes start
And Linda was a fantastic midwife loved reading her story of her start at midwifery 5 stars
This was a great insight to a midwifes start
And Linda was a fantastic midwife loved reading her story of her start at midwifery 5 stars
March 23, 2020
Good read
I enjoyed this book. However, when I purchased it I their would be full of midwife stories and it is more of a memoir of a career
I enjoyed this book. However, when I purchased it I their would be full of midwife stories and it is more of a memoir of a career
June 18, 2021
Wonderful and down to earth
Such a great story, following her path from school into nurses training. I can’t wait to read the next book.
Such a great story, following her path from school into nurses training. I can’t wait to read the next book.
October 21, 2016
Another amazing midwifery memoir! Occasionally needed some editing, but overall a really great story. Fairley's voice is compassionate and clear in this book. I think it makes a nice companion piece to "Call the Midwife" (the show; sadly the book is still on my to-read list), looking at birth in Britain in the early-mid 20th century.
March 15, 2017
I couldn't put this book down. What a wonderful insight to becoming a nurse and then a midwife.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 162 reviews