Laura Wyatt

Laura Wyatt was a Bereavement Midwife in Cardiff who returned to Wales with plans to train as a paediatric nurse. Career flexibility, continuous training and support combined with Laura’s hardworking attitude throughout her career helped her achieve Emma’s Diary ‘Midwife of the Year 2017’ award.

She explains:

“I’m originally from West Wales and decided to move back to carry out my Nurse training in Cardiff because of the opportunities that were available to me here, after working as a nanny for two years outside of Wales. I loved the experience of working with children and originally wanted to specialise as a children’s nurse when I completed my general nursing in 1998. But after covering several maternity placements my career aspirations turned to midwifery.

“Training, working and living anywhere other than Wales was never an option for me. I was brought up in Wales so knew about the benefits of starting a family here alongside the advantages of working within the NHS. As a Bereavement Midwife I was involved with providing support for couples who’ve experienced the loss of a baby. It was a challenging but very rewarding job and for me, the most important thing was to listen to my patients, supporting them following their loss and supporting them through their next pregnancy, preparing for birth and guiding them to becoming future parents. My job was made much easier from the additional support of the hardworking staff around me.

“I was so overwhelmed to be nominated for the ‘Midwife of the Year 2017’ award by one of my former patients and was even more shocked to win it. It feels amazing to be recognised for all my work over the last 21 years.

My passion for public health and supporting families and children has now encouraged further career development and over the last year I have been studying to become a health visitor and will qualify in September 2021. Supporting parents to develop a strong attachment and bond with their child is amazing and consequently supports the child’s growth and development, meeting their milestones and preparing them for school readiness.

“There’s a great education system here in Wales for those wanting to train and progress a career in both nursing, midwifery and health visiting. I’ve had a tailor-made development programme designed to help me meet my career aspirations and wouldn’t have achieved what I have without structured mentoring and support from my peers. I work with a wonderful team who listen to each other to provide the best quality care for families.

“The benefits of working and living in Wales are endless. Wales is such a passionate and friendly nation, and you’re never too far away from the beautiful landscapes and countryside. I strongly encourage anyone who wants to be surrounded by beautiful landscapes and benefit from a structured career path, to consider Wales as their choice for starting a new life.”