A day on the job: Zerica Whittingham, midwife

ZERICA WHITTINGHAM, 52

Certified nurse midwife

Contemporary Women's Care, Seminole

How long have you been doing this?

Since 1975. I did my training in England and came to Florida in 1983.

Are you English?

I was born in Jamaica but brought up in England.

How did you get into this field?

I'm a registered nurse. As you do your RN training in England, you choose the area you want to work in. Women and children are an area I like, so I chose midwifery.

What's the attraction of delivering babies?

It's a happy and rewarding area to work in. Every day, a miracle happens. It's a family-centered, happy occasion.

And you actually deliver the babies yourself, right?

Yes. The term "midwife" actually means "being with woman." We're at her bedside. We empower and strengthen the woman and deliver the baby.

Why does a woman choose a midwife delivery?

The reason women choose midwives is they don't want a lot of intervention. They don't want drugs; they want to walk around. We practice differently from the physicians. We spend more time with the women, we counsel them.

But aren't there times when you have to call in a doctor?

As a matter of fact, midwives work under a protocol with physicians. We are in a collaborative practice with physicians. I do all my births at the hospital, where the woman can have a normal birth, but there's an environment of safety. We inform the physicians of the progress; we tell them when the woman comes in. When we see something that deviates from the norm, we call them in.

How many babies have you delivered in your career?

Oh, Lord! I think I have probably delivered close to 2,500 babies.

How many will you deliver in an average month?

About 10 babies a month.

What's your favorite thing about this job?

My favorite thing is that I go in, the patients know me and I know them. I'm like a part of the family. To see these women go through labor and say, "I've done it!" and see the look on their faces -- it's a wonderful thing.

What's your least favorite thing?

My least favorite thing is when something does not go right. The woman has prepared for her birth, and the outcome is not what she expected.

Are you paid by the birth or do you get a salary?

I am paid a salary.

What kind of money do you make?

I make between $70,000 and $75,000 a year.

Do you keep in touch with babies you've delivered?

Well, I see people all over the place. You're in the mall and someone will say, "Do you remember me? You delivered my child." Or they'll send you photos.

If you could have your dream job, what would it be?

If I could have any job in the world, I would want to help women. To see them as the person God meant them to be: strong, powerful, doing what they do best.

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