Midwife Brittany McGrath
Midwife Brittany McGrath has had not one, but three babies named in her honour over the course of the past decade.
The first, and most memorable, occurred early in her career while working at a rural hospital.
Brittany recalled caring for a woman in pre-term labour who required urgent aeromedical transfer.
“I had only just graduated from university, and having the helicopter arrive to retrieve this young mum was incredibly exciting for me,” she said. “As we were preparing her for transfer, we were chatting about baby names.
“She [the patient] had settled on the name Khaleesi, and we were joking about how the baby was like a little dragon because it was going in a helicopter.”
Weeks later, Brittany volunteered to meet the Royal Flying Doctor Service aircraft to bring the mother and baby back to the unit.
“As the mum stepped off the plane with her baby, she said, ‘Hi Brittany, meet baby Brittney!’”
“I was so excited and grateful that the very first person I rang was my grandma.”
Since then, Brittany has had two more babies named after her, something she described as both humbling and completely unexpected.
She said moments like these highlighted the importance of connection in midwifery, where care extended well beyond clinical practice.
“Midwifery is about the lasting impact of words, reassurance and presence, which can stay with families long after birth,” she said.
Brittany’s own approach to care has evolved significantly throughout her career, particularly after becoming a mother herself and experiencing the loss of a baby.
She said those experiences reshaped her understanding of midwifery and strengthened her commitment to compassionate and holistic, woman-centred care.
“I have the ability, for the time I am caring for a woman, to make her feel seen, heard and supported,” she said. “I have the privilege of helping her recognise how strong and capable she is.
“That is an incredible responsibility and an extraordinary privilege, and one that midwives honour every day.”
Full circle moment
Brittany’s career has now come full circle working alongside Maternity Unit Manager Lisa Maher.
Brittany first met Lisa early in her Logan journey, when she interviewed for a midwifery role to support the introduction of the ieMR.
“I boldly told Lisa I wanted to work with her one day,” Brittany said.
Years later, that moment has become reality, with Brittany currently working alongside Lisa in her A/Clinical Midwife Consultant role within the Birth Suite!