Ciaran Villa, Midwife

My husband and I were expecting our first child. I was due to be induced but started labour naturally. We went through the motions until I was able to move to the labour ward, where we were passed over to Ciaran the next morning. We told Ciaran we would like to be as informed as possible throughout the process, and he was very clear in his communication, which immediately made us feel at ease. Ciaran made us feel like we were his own family members; he was incredible. I went through a slow labour process, and at one stage, my contractions started back to back, and I found it difficult to catch my breath. Ciaran supported my husband, coaching him on how best to help himself and me, supporting both of us. When it was clear there was no break for me, Ciaran was quick to explain solutions, medication, etc, to help ease my contractions. Ciaran told us his recommendations without being pushy. He listened to us and again continued to communicate with us throughout. I eventually needed an emergency C-section, and when I went into theatre, Ciaran was so supportive of both me and my husband, talking us through the process and making sure we knew what was happening. A member of the theatre team was not listening to me when I told them I could feel the stitches towards the end, and Ciaran was a huge advocate for me, ensuring I was heard and appropriately dealt with. We then went to recovery, and Ciaran was again very supportive of us first-time parents; he helped my husband with the nappy change and bottle feeding before wishing us well. We felt the labour, which lasted around 36 hours, was much more bearable with Ciaran supporting us. We honestly wouldn’t have wanted anyone else to help us go through this process, and we feel that he deserves some recognition for his empathy, work ethic and overall attitude towards his work and patients.