Not all heroes wear capes - but many do seem to wear hospital scrubs! - Kilkenny Live

It’s been a strange and eventful few weeks in the Spillane household as life has taken a considerable turn.

Sleep has become a distant memory — as has the memory — after we welcomed a 7lbs 7oz ball of wonder into our lives. (No, the cat hasn’t come back from his daily trek into the garden. Besides, he’s heavier than that — and he’s watching me type this, so I have to behave).

The birth of our daughter was an incredible experience, but as the days and weeks fly by you find the initial memories and special moments get replaced by more little markers. However, what will always stand out was the care and attention given to two rookie parents by all at St Luke’s General Hospital in Kilkenny.

Right from the time that she followed in her father’s footsteps and arrived in plenty of time (ahem!) for her big day — albeit two weeks early — our little one became what felt like the centre of attention for a kind and caring medical team who were there at every turn.
TAP HERE FOR MORE KILKENNY VIEWS AND OPINION

From the first scan on the morning we arrived in hospital to the minute we walked out of the maternity ward into the world with a smallie in tow, we were made to feel like our child was the most important person in the world.

INCREDIBLE
But what was most incredible was watching the entire maternity team go through this time and again. In the few days my better half was in hospital I looked on as the beds in the wards around us were filled, emptied and filled again with expectant mothers waiting for their newborns to arrive. Some had excited faces, others wore anxious looks; all were treated with compassion and care.

Like any great team the maternity unit was made up of a sum of many parts, all just cogs in the wheel working together to make sure the patient was looked after.  It seemed like every time you turned around, someone was there checking in on mother and baby, checking blood pressure, making notes and asking if anything was needed.

Sometimes medication would be needed, other times advice on ‘am I doing this right?’ All new parents will recognise that line - after all, you’re now responsible for a new life, with your wants and needs taking second place from here on in.
That in itself can be terrifying, but a sympathetic ear and kind words can make you feel like you’re not doing so bad after all.

That, as first-time parents, was appreciated more than anything. It went beyond the doctors and midwives, with catering (never underestimate the recovery powers of hospital tea and toast!) and support staff all present in great numbers ready to help out when needed.

And it wasn’t just in a typical nine-to-five fashion. One example which really stood out came on the day of the birth. One of the midwives went above and beyond her role by staying with us all day, even long after her shift had ended, to be there as our daughter came into this world. Her kind voice is something that will stay with me long into the future, her words echoing in my head as she prepared our child and made sure she was ready to meet her parents.

The days and weeks after a child is born is something of a bubble. You become preoccupied with looking after your new bundle and sometimes things may go amiss — but it was important for us to let the people who looked after us know that their work was never taken for granted.

People are often so quick to criticise, but slow to show gratitude to those who offer it without a second thought. It may be a long-winded way of saying thanks, but thank you everyone at St Luke’s — in the space of a week you gave us a lifetime of beautiful memories.