A very truthful insight into the role of a midwife . from student to a fully fledged midwife.. moving in places reading her stories of some of the patients struggles and experiences. a great insight also into our NHS maybe a free copy should be sent to our government to show them the truth of what actually goes on and the day to day jobs of these unsung heroes.

brilliant read, wonderfully written

I decided to give this one a try after reading and loving "This is going to hurt". I knew this one would be different but still enjoyed it. It is a great insight into the reality of the NHS and how cuts are affecting midwives. It was beautifully written and had some elements that made me laugh which always helps in these kinds of books.

A great insight into the reality of the cash strapped NHS and how that impacts on midwives. Absolutely fascinating understanding more about their role

Read and reviewed in exchange for a free copy from NetGalley (thanks!). I really enjoy fly-on-the wall, personal accounts of people's professions, especially medical ones, and this was no exception, especially as there seem to be fewer of these books concerning midwifery, making it a really interesting read, not least due to my general interest in the topic. Hazard gives a searingly honest portrayal of midwifery in the NHS, and shows with humour and poignancy what an incredible, difficult job midwives do.

Absolutely loved this. Amazing writing style and really captured what it’s like & the times where you don’t find out what happens next when they leave. I would love to know how things turned out for a few of those ladies.

I really enjoyed Leah's insight into what it's like to be an NHS midwife especially since my best friend is midwife too. The stories ranged from hilarious to heartbreaking - I was just upset that you didn't find out what became of the young girl's baby at the end of one of the earlier chapters.

Really enjoyed this book. Lots of funny and also serious stories. Really enjoy real life story books.

This book was a brilliant insight into a world of midwives and the women and babies they care for. I loved the frankness and the humour as well as the emotional and life-changing stories. The book combined the sense of birth/delivery as an everyday miracle, with the visceral and scary realities of labour.

I found it moving, challenging and fascinating - it really gripped me and I had to read on. I definitely appreciated the author's honesty about her patients and the system - including the difficulties both can pose.

This can be read alongside This is Going to Hurt and The Language of Kindness to get a real sense of what our health professionals face, what they give and how they cope with working in this world.

PS: a very minor point and it might have been something about the Kindle formatting of the ARC but I found the structure very slightly confusing in that sometimes there was a kind of short 'overview' followed by 'cases' that illustrated the point. It might have been helpful for those intros to look slightly different for sign-posting, but, as I say, it didn't take away from my enjoyment at all.

Moving, timely, and beautifully written - and a wake up call if only the government would heed it.
And interesting to hear from a new, often unheard perspective - like ‘The Language of Kindness’

I thoroughly enjoyed this book, it's the first of a kind for me and it was great to get an insight to what goes on day to day. I don't remember half the people I seen while pregnant but what I do remember is the ladies faces and names who induced me broke my waters and delivered both my sons. Our country would literally be on its knees without the NHS this lady may not see herself as a saint but I do she's amazing you can feel the passion and love she has for her job and for all the lucky ladies in her care. I hope on release this book becomes a bestseller I'll definitely be buying a few copies for family and friends

Honest and real account of life as a midwife, from student midwifery to fully qualified.

Packed full of emotion, love, stress and frustration at the inadequate resourcing, this will be a compelling read for all fans of real-life medical stories.

If you thought that midwives are just there to catch babies as they’re delivered, Leah Hazard’s great autobiography will open your eyes.
She intersperses stories of the women she’s cared for with an honest and unflinching picture of what it’s really like to work in the NHS.
This isn’t easy reading: you’ll discover why too many midwives abandon the jobs they love as the profession takes its toll on their lives and mental health.
My partner is a doctor and this really made me understand why he comes home looking so frazzled and sometimes feels so burned-out.
The best thing about this memoir is that the author can write. I’ve read many stories of fascinating careers where the author is obviously a great professional but sadly not a great story-teller.
Hazard writes beautifully and her work comes alive. You can see the women and feel their remarkable tales.
I read this over the course of two days and thoroughly recommend it.