Written by Cathy O’Sullivan and Reflection by Cathy O’Sullivan

Cathy O’ Sullivan is the Director of the Centre of Midwifery Education at Cork University Maternity Hospital in Southern Ireland. She has been involved in midwifery education for almost 30 years. She has a Master’s Degree in Midwifery Education. She is passionately interested in preparing parents realistically for labour, birth and the transition to parenthood. She is one of the authors of Ireland’s National Standards for Antenatal education which was published in March 2020. She was involved in the development of the HSE website www.mychild.ie in 2018. She is one of the authors of the My Pregnancy Book, which is offered to all expectant mothers at their first antenatal visit in Ireland. She developed the only academic programme available in Ireland for childbirth educators at University College Cork.

Seeing a baby

Emerge, she said

let your personality shine forth

as she shone the light

to elicit your habituation response.

Come closer, she said

as she pulled you to sit.

Your response was a revelation

of how you responded to this situation.

I called your name

and as your turned towards my voice

the smile on your face and mine

will remain in multiple hearts for life.

With a flick of your arm

and a turn of your head

You began to reveal your story

by your actions and what you said.

Love in the room expanded

and worries and fears regressed,

as with each step of the NBO

Your capabilities professed.

I saw what I had not seen before,

The NBO opened a door

for me and a window

into your world.

You cried incessantly,

It was tense

I touched your hand

Your response calmed me.

Thank you for sharing

and increasing my learning.

Insights revealed.

Your wonder flowing forth.

AMOR morphed

into increasing amour

as You grasped my finger

You enslaved my heart.

My love poured out

Spilling everywhere

I am in Heaven

I love you

(Written on 3rd December 2020).

Reflection by Cathy O’Sullivan

What led me to write this poem was the sense of excitement I felt on completion of the NBO training in December 2020 with Kevin and Yvette. Whenever, I am excited I am inspired to write poetry. It flows easily and captures what significant events mean to me. The course was wonderful and awoke in me an awareness of each baby’s individual personality. It also emphasised that relationship is so important when caring for babies. I became aware of Infant Mental Health through my work with Catherine Maguire, IMH Specialist, Cork, Ireland in 2016. Catherine’s expertise was admirable and her enthusiasm in this area was contagious. Doing the NBO course with 29 people from all around Ireland who were so passionate about infant wellbeing and nurturance was a privilege. I dedicate this poem to all babies who deserve the very best life has to offer.

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