While most people spend the holidays with family and friends, there are also many people who have to work during Christmas. Merijn Westbroek and Rhea Peeters work at the Jeroen Bosch hospital in the obstetrics department and spend most of their Christmas there. But they don’t care at all. “It’s often the best rounds of the year,” says Merijn.
She has been a midwife at the Den Bosch hospital for two years and works the night shift on Sundays. “I’ve already helped several Christmas kids around the world over the past few years and those are always very special deliveries,” she says. “And I think the best time is when the family arrives. Because they often come to the hospital in their best clothes to look at the newborn.’
“Christmas stockings go on and often everyone brings tasty snacks.”
Solidarity between colleagues makes a day at work at Christmas even more fun, according to Merijn. “There is a very nice atmosphere, everyone is happy, the Christmas stockings are on and often everyone also brings tasty snacks”. This is also why Rhea Peeters has been hospitalized over Christmas for twelve years. As a nurse, she accompanies pregnant women during and after childbirth and helps with childcare. “It’s always very nice.”
Rhea, along with a few other colleagues, also makes sure that every Christmas child gets a present. “Every child receives a knitted Christmas present, which we make ourselves in our own time. New parents often like it a lot. It’s already a miracle if you have a baby for Christmas and then he also gets a keepsake.”
“I bring those good stories to Christmas dinner.”
Merijn enters the ward at eleven on Sunday evening and remains in the hospital until half past eight on Monday morning. Boxing Day is free and she celebrates it with friends. “Just like me, the rest of my family is in treatment, so it’s never possible to plan anything with them. My friends always like to know how my service was. So I always bring my stories to Christmas dinner.
