Frontline Midwife: My Story of Survival and Keeping Others Safe

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At first Anna admits she doesn’t really like James, but after working with him, they become firm friends for life. This contributes to the fact that despite the strong focus on overseas midwifery, the book feels relevant to all midwives currently practicing. Anna Kent has delivered babies in war zones, caring for the most vulnerable women in the most vulnerable places in the world. This book is about obstetrics, heroic women, humanitarian workers, appalling contexts, mental health, and Anna Kent. I don't think I am spoiling anything by saying I was relieved to find her in a better place at the end of the book.

I knew ‘Frontline Midwife’ would be a terrific book ever since Anna, who I once met in Bangladesh, told me she was writing it. However bad it is here it’s infinitely better than some folks have it so the next time somebody feels like a good whinge about life in general this is a book I’d recommend they read. When offering training to these women she is told the only reason they are actually turning up is for the food etc on offer whilst they are there. In this book, along with her own journey, Anna has also written the story of those women who sometimes suffer from malnutrition at home, and sometimes due to lack of medicines, they put their child's life in danger as well. Anna is a humanitarian aid worker, an NHS nurse and midwife who has cared for some of the most vulnerable women in the most vulnerable places in the world.In Frontline Midwife, Kent shares her extraordinary experiences as a nurse, midwife and mother, illuminating the lives of women that are irreparably affected by compromised access to healthcare. I love the hopeful optimistic part at the end however, with her daughter on the beach it’s really was very emotional and made me cry. To calculate the overall star rating and percentage breakdown by star, we don’t use a simple average. Used to having access to high tech equipment, Anna has to learn to use the more “old-fashioned” equipment that is available.

She describes the difficulties of working in the NHS, such as staffing shortages and fear of adverse outcomes, in a way that feels very recognisable.

An honor and privilege to read, Anna Kent is a remarkable woman, and the courage of not just her work, but also the courage to put her story to paper for us to bear witness too, I'm simply in awe.

However, Kent manages to avoid this and treats all the families she describes with dignity and respect. Extremely eye opening and while a difficult read at times it was thoughtful and did justice to important lives and stories. Frontline Midwife is an account of Anna Kent's time as a midwife in South Sudan, Bangladesh and the UK. Anna I am so sorry about your darling daughter Fatima but my heart screamed with delight at Aisha’s birth with the lovely and divine Nicky in attendance (what a gorgeous human being she is). The type of difference Anna has made is how I hope to practice once qualified, everyone deserves the best care possible.As part of her work, she was able to lead the building of a new maternity hospital and this was such an achievement for her.