I first came to Caboolture Hospital in 2000 as a senior registrar. I had heard that Dr Aldo Vacca, a renowned expert on vacuum birth was working in Caboolture, so I came to learn from him.

He had developed a new vacuum extractor, the “Kiwi cup” and we were using this as part of a clinical trial, prior to it becoming generally available.

Dr Cochrane’s family, then

Dr Vacca’s mantra was that the flexing part of the fetal skull where the vacuum should be applied was “always more posterior than you think” and he even wrote a poem about it. I still think of this every time I apply a vacuum.

My residency visa application failed and I left Caboolture after only six months but I never forgot the warmth of the midwives I worked with – they threw me a leaving party, gave me gifts and Carol Dodd even wrote me my very own poem, it seemed poetry was a Caboolture tradition.

When we won our appeal and gained Australian residency, I was keen to come back to the unit which had made me feel so welcome.

I started as a consultant at Caboolture Hospital almost 20 years ago and have had two of my babies here in the maternity unit.

With my first Caboolture birth in 2006, I remember the midwives arguing about who was going to look after me.

Dr Cochrane’s family, now

No-one wanted to look after a consultant! They sent Judy, the most senior midwife at the time.

Judy was flustered by my request to have a waterbirth, which was against policy at that time.

However, in true Caboolture style, I was able to make my own fully informed choice to have the birth experience I wanted.

For my second Caboolture birth in 2009, I was pleased to be one of the first women in the newly formed midwifery group practice, “Holding Hands”.

Colleen agreed to be my named midwife and she cared for me through the antenatal, intrapartum and postpartum journey.

This time, there were no arguments about who would look after me when I arrived in labour.

I still have no hesitation recommending Caboolture Hospital as a great place to give birth. We have a great team of midwives and doctors who work so well together.

These days, we have many more procedures and guidelines, but we still always try to put families at the centre and support them to make their own decision about their care.

Have you got a story to share? Email ckw-engage@health.qld.gov.au.