Jo Perry’s deep commitment to supporting new mothers and families goes far beyond her role as a Nurse Midwife at St Vincent’s Private Hospital Melbourne. 

‘There are beautiful days and there are hard days, but the reward you get from helping someone on one of the most important days of their lives is magical,’ said Jo. 

Everyone’s ideal birthing experience looks different, and Jo takes her role as an advocate for her patients seriously. 'I’d been a registered nurse for five years and my heart led me to midwifery. You need to be compassionate, but also able to push back and advocate for women.’  

‘For new mothers, it can be so overwhelming. The one piece of advice I give is to do what works for you.' 

The St Vincent’s Nursing Scholarship, proudly sponsored by Bank First, has enabled Jo's studies to be a Lactation Consultant. 'A lot of women find breastfeeding incredibly difficult and there’s a lot of pressure on them. I want to help women in those vulnerable times.' 

'Families do a lot of preparation for birth, which is fabulous, but your birth won’t go as long as breastfeeding will. I encourage families to educate themselves before having their baby and I want to be with them on that journey.’ 

Jo is currently juggling her studies and role at St Vincent’s with being a mum. ‘It’s wild, but I have the most amazing partner and mum. I’m studying for my exam in September, and I know I can get it done.’ 

Supporting new mothers outside of the ward 

Jo's deep commitment to supporting new mothers and families goes far beyond the end of each shift. 

Three years ago, Jo was a surrogate for a close friend whose battle with ovarian cancer left her unable to carry a child. 'It was one of the best days of my life. She needed help and I could birth easily. The family are so precious to me, and I love watching them as parents.' 

'I am a mum before anything else. My kids are old enough to understand when I say that I make other people into mums and dads at work. They love that I can do that, and they understand that I’m now enabling someone else to love their babies as much as I love them.’ 

This International Day of the Midwife, we’re recognising incredible midwives like Jo. 'It's about celebrating the amazing team that we work with. Whether that's our immediate colleagues or the people doing research to make midwifery safer for everyone.’ 

We’re proud to support midwives like Jo in realising their career ambitions and expanding the support they give to their patients.