If you’ve given birth at Werribee Mercy Hospital in the past decade, chances are you’ve met Lisa Regnier.
The midwife has spent 15 years of her 17-year career at the Mercy, helping deliver more than 500 babies at the hospital.
Ms Regnier, 40, began her career as a nurse and was keen to specialise in oncology or gynaecology nursing but got interested in midwifery after being exposed to it during her gynaecology rounds.
“It’s the challenge of midwifery and looking after the women and the follow-through with them [that I liked],” she said.
“Nursing is an illness model, midwifery is a wellness model. It’s getting women through a difficult time in life and walking them out three days later with them beaming.
“It’s quite an honour to look after these women and help get them through it. Giving to them as much as I can is what makes the job worth it.”
Ms Regnier said she had been lucky throughout her career to help individual mums through multiple birthings.
Her own son Nathan, now nine, was born at the hospital.
“A lot of our own midwives have their babies here, because it’s a good place to have them.”
Ms Regnier is one of 2600 midwives and registered nurses at Mercy Health. They will be celebrated this Thursday as part of International Midwives’ Day.
