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Hard Pushed

A Midwife’s Story

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Hard Pushed

By: Leah Hazard
Narrated by: Leah Hazard
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About this listen

Random House presents the audiobook edition of Hard Pushed by Leah Hazard.

THE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER

You haven't slept for twenty hours, haven't eaten for ten, and you're in charge of twenty heavily pregnant women at midnight.

Welcome to the life of a midwife.

Life on the NHS front line is tougher than you could imagine. Marathon shifts, endless birth complications, staffing shortages, pushy families, panicking mothers – and that's a quiet Thursday afternoon.

But the strength and camaraderie of the women working under such intense pressure is a beautiful thing. Together, they must withstand one of the world's most difficult job, one that produces moments of pure, absolute joy and terrible, heart-wrenching grief.

Through the experienced eyes of Leah Hazard, we meet women from all walks of life: the scared fifteen-year-old whose baby could be months premature, the same-sex couple whose child will be a miracle of modern medicine, the woman giving birth in a room drenched in essential oils and love, and the mother-to-be whose tale of exploitation and endurance has carried her thousands of miles to Leah’s ward.

Moving, compassionate and intensely candid, Hard Pushed is a love letter to new mothers and to Leah’s fellow midwives – there for us at some of the most challenging, empowering and defining moments of our lives.

©2019 Leah Hazard (P)2019 Penguin Audio
Medical Pregnancy Midwife

Critic Reviews

'Heart-rending, inspiring and funny, Hard Pushed brings alive the world of midwifery in all its complexity and radiates love and respect for women.' PROFESSOR LESLEY PAGE CBE, former president of the Royal College of Midwives

'It is Leah Hazard's capacity to love and give so personally to the many thousands of women she has worked with which imbues this book with its power.' JULIA SAMUEL, author of Grief Works

'The stories in Hard Pushed highlight the bravery of our midwives, and the women they care for.' CHRISTIE WATSON, author of The Language of Kindness

What listeners say about Hard Pushed

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Beautiful story

Highly recommend this book. One can put oneself in her shoes and emphatise with the work all midwife do.

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Leah Hazard is AMAZING!

Leah Hazard is an amazing author and narrator, she's touching, funny and passionate. Highly Recommend.

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Enlightening novel

Enlightening novel that shares the ups and downs of the under resourced, over worked, compassionate and caring role of midwifery. Beautifully written and captured my attention from start to finish!

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Lovely

As an Australian midwife, I loved this. I could relate to everything. Such a nice listen

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Huge Reality Check For Me Via a Very Wise Woman!

Thank you Leah Hazard for sharing this story of the work, sacrifice and care given amongst some of the worst of times. I know, even since listening, that living with COVID in the UK and NHS has challenged everyone to almost collapse. Thank goodness people like you share their truth. I am glad we also connected via Twitter after I listened to this book, and look forward to Womb n 2023. Congratulations. Denyse

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Beautifully worded reality

As a midwife who has ended up as a cornflour blue puff of smoke as Leah says, this book put into words what I couldn't. amazingly funny and beautifully poignant.

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the truth about birthing

loved it. Leah tells a very true and hearfelt story of birth and midwifery. I was so drawn into her story i couldn't wait to get back to it when i could

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In the spirit of reconciliation, Audible acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respect to their elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.