‘I’ve delivered 4000 babies, but I played the role of nervous hubby when my own kids were born!’

The northern beaches is full of amazing characters and interesting stories. This week we talk to obstetrician and gynaecologist Dr Jim Ferry from Manly Beach Babies

Obstetrican Dr Jim Ferry at his office in Manly. Photo: Adam Ward

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I have delivered 4000 babies in total but I didn’t deliver my own kids.

At the birth of your own kids, your role is dad, not obstetrician — it is not a good idea to be ‘on duty’. It is a little frowned upon to deliver a baby within your own family, because your role is to be a loving father.

I am 59 now and have two boys — Christian, 23, who is in his final year of engineering at the University of New South Wales, and Anton, 20, who is studying at Billy Blue College of Design in Ultimo. My daughter Annika is 17 and is finishing her HSC at Queenwood in Mosman.

Dr Jim Ferry at Manly Beach Babies. Photo: Adam Ward

I was present when all of my kids were born. My wife Helen (we live separately now but are good friends) was pregnant with Christian when I was working in England and when she developed complications, I had to make a beeline from the UK to Australia.

Helen went in to premature labour and had bleeding and high blood pressure. Thankfully I got to the Royal North Shore on time and Christian was delivered safely.

With Anton, Helen had high blood pressure and had to have an emergency caesarean, and Annika arrived via scheduled caesar at North Shore Private.

I played the role of hubby at all of the births, and I was surprisingly nervous because it was so close and personal to me.

In my job I have to have a certain amount of clinical detachment, especially when there is some kind of drama. In an emergency, I have to be cool and calculating. I always enjoy seeing the baby afterwards and enjoy sharing in the moment with the mum, but during the delivery my job is to remain detached emotionally.

Dr Ferry at his office on Darley Road. Photo: Adam Ward

Dr Ferry has delivered 4000 babies

Thankfully, I have never lost a mum during my career, but there are some tragic moments you have to deal with. I never forget stillbirths. Sometimes a woman will lose a baby at 38 or 39 weeks and it happens for no reason — any obstetrician will have to deal with those.

I usually attend the funerals. That is a very hard thing to do. I remember a White Lady service where instead of six people carrying the coffin, there was just one person carrying this tiny thing — it was soul destroying.

Thankfully these days, especially in Australia, stillbirth is very rare.

The best part of the job is developing relationships with the patients. You build such a rapport that when it comes to the delivery, your presence has a calming effect. It’s nice to know the mums trust me a great deal.

Delivering triplets has been the most memorable experience for me — I’ve had a couple of sets.

The most satisfying birth is when it looks like it may have to be a caesarean, or where the foetal heartbeat is not reassuring, and you ensure a safe natural delivery.

Dr Ferry with his kids Anton, Annika and Christian

My office is on Darley Road in Manly. I am head of obstetrics at the Mater and also work out of North Shore Private and a little out of Manly Hospital too.

Because I live locally I always bump in to my mums and they’re always happy to see me.

They usually say to their kids “Look, Billy, this was the first person to ever see you,” and the kids always give me a suspicious look!

I was a GP to start with and delivered some babies while I was doing it. I really enjoyed it and one of the reasons went in to obstetrics was because it meant dealing with young, fit women in situations with a happy outcome.

Now I do all sorts of procedures, including cosmetic gynaecology. I mean it’s not the kind of thing you talk about over dinner, but people are starting to chat about it. It’s going to be a huge growth area.

Annika thinks it’s a bit yuk but Anton has been doing all the promotional design work for that part of the business for me. Even though it is a sensitive subject, he doesn’t seem to mind.