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MIDWIFE Ann Fisher still cries every time she delivers a baby, even after 40 years.

Her friendly face at Chipping Sodbury Maternity Clinic has welcomed countless little cherubs into the world but every one is as special as the last.

Ann, who retires at the end of this month, said she was anticipating withdrawal symptoms from holding newborns in her arms.

"It does not matter how many births I attend, they are all very special and make me emotional," she told the Gazette.

"I think I have cried at almost every one."

Ann started her career training at Great Ormond Street Hospital in London in April 1968. She initially wanted to go into children's nursing but found some of the cases were so disturbing she settled on midwifery and began practising in Chipping Sodbury in 1975.

She has been running surgeries for pregnant women in Courtside Surgery in Yate since then and works as part of a nine-strong team from the clinic, in Station Road.

During her time as a community midwife, Ann, 58, has delivered numerous babies on the back seat of cars, delivered several generations of children in the same family and brought two sets of triplets into the world.

"I started off with a set of triplets, who are now aged 22, and we had another set six months ago so that was really nice," she said.

A memorable delivery was on Millennium eve when a woman was in labour for 24 hours.

Ann has also helped three mums give birth to Christmas babies, including one last year.

She said: "If you are prepared to put the hard work in you reap the benefits.

"I know I am well respected in the community and have built up a good rapport with mums. They can come and talk to me quite freely about any problems and often I have given out advice on everything from family planning to post-natal care to women who see me shopping at Tesco."

Her colleague, community midwife Deb Cowley, said: "We will all miss her greatly and her shoes will be hard to fill."

Ann, who lives in Blaisdon in Yate, has worked full-time without a break for four decades.

After being on call six nights a month for all those years, she said she was looking forward to relaxing.

"It will be nice not to hear my beeper go off and have a glass of wine in the evening," she said. "But I am mostly looking forward to doing some travelling."

Ann and her new partner have already booked three holidays this year, including a tour of Australia, to keep her busy.

But she said she would be knocking on mums' doors as soon as she felt the urge for a cuddle with a baby.

"It has been a privilege to have been allowed to share in that very special time for mums and dads when a new baby is born," said Ann.

"And I would like to thank them and my colleagues for making it so enjoyable.

"I am going to miss everyone very much but I am looking forward to seeing them out and about without having the responsibility."

* Ann is holding a drop-in session for any mums she has helped on Thursday (10.30am-3pm) at Chipping Sodbury Baptist Church.

10:12am Saturday 10th May 2008

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