Every midwife has an "aha moment", says newly retired Peel midwife Marlene Winton.
"Every midwife has a beautiful moment when they have the first birth that they really understand and it leaves them on cloud nine," she said.
"It leaves them totally elated and wanting more."
Ms Winton knows the feeling of elation well after 40 years of delivering babies in the Peel region.
In 1981, she began her midwifery career in the local hospital at the time, Pinjarra.
"It was a great place to learn all of the normality's of birth because anything more complicated would go to Perth," she said.
"My youngest child was born at Pinjarra so there's a lot of memories there."
Over the years, Ms Winton saw the Peel Health Campus, previously known as the Mandurah Hospital, be built and became a founding midwife there.
I've seen babies grow up into adults and come back to have their own babies.
- Marlene Winton
In 2006, she became a child health nurse and worked at the antenatal clinic, Peel Maternity and Family practice.
It was there where she grew to love the long term relationships she built with to-be mothers.
"As a midwife, you usually only have three to five days to support the mother but when you work in an antenatal clinic you see that woman all through their pregnancy," she said.
"I made great relationships with women and then if I was at Peel Health Campus while they were in labor I could also be there for the birth.
"It was really lovely to be able to look after them in pregnancy, in labor, in the hospital, and in that first six weeks postpartum."
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Throughout her career, she also had a mentoring role for upcoming midwives at Curtin University and taught women hypnobirthing.
By working in the community for decades, Ms Winton has gotten the opportunity to see generations of families be born.
"I've seen babies grow up into adults and come back to have their own babies," she said.
"It's been really special."
Ms Winton said one of the more beautiful moments of midwifery was being present at most of her grandchildren's births.
"I've got eight grandchildren and I was able to be with my daughter's for five of those births," she said.
"It was so special to see my grandchildren being born and support my daughters and son in laws."
As she enters retirement, Ms Winton is not planning to rest.
"I want to explore my options to continue to support mothers and their babies."
