The finale to this season of Call the Midwife was as poignant as ever, leading us through several emotional storylines. Our beloved characters have had to navigate some major secrets coming to light. In Episode 6, Trixie learned that Matthew was facing serious financial trouble, news that had an immediate impact on their lives and all of the plans they had been making for the future. Additionally, Joyce’s estranged husband, Sylvester, came to Poplar and blackmailed her into handing over most of her paycheck as well as threatening to divulge her true name and identity to Nonnatus House. Finally, we learn that Miss Higgins had a son when she lived in India and placed him for adoption at the time; in the finale, we see he is currently in London and hoping to reconnect.

One of my favorite things about Call the Midwife is how the show can combine an honest portrayal of midwifery care in the 1960s along with the powerful connections between characters and how their everyday lives intertwine with their work. As we grow up, the majority of our time outside the home is spent at work, and if we are lucky, our colleagues become friends. The midwives and the Sisters at Nonnatus house have grown close over the years, and even the newest midwives have been accepted fully into the group and cared for as a family.

I was so relieved to see that several of the stressful storylines woven through this season were wrapped up in this final episode. Trixie ultimately decided to head to New York to be with Matthew and Jonty, and while I worry about what her future at Nonnatus house might look like, this is clearly the right choice for Trixie and her family. Sometimes, we have to put our mental health and family life before our work life, and I was proud of Trixie for being able to do that. Joyce confronted her estranged husband, Sylvester, and refused to be blackmailed and bullied by him any longer. She was supported by her colleagues at Nonnatus house, who understood the reasons she lied about her name and offered to support her through whatever was necessary to ensure she could continue working as a midwife. Miss Higgins was able to spend some invaluable time with her son, daughter-in-law, and grandson. Although the time with Victor, her son, was cut short due to his poor health, I’m certain that being able to reconnect with his mother brought him so much peace in his final days.

The Turners were also experiencing some turmoil this season after May’s near-drowning incident. The foster care system was looking into whether or not May was safe in the care of the Turners, and then the news came that May’s mother wanted to speak with her on the phone. The Turners were the only family that May had ever known, and thankfully it was officially declared that May would remain a member of their family! Patrick and Shelagh, as well as their children, already considered May a member of their family and loved her accordingly. My heart was so full to see their joy as a family when the news came that May’s birth mother wanted her to stay with the Turners.

Midwifery is such a special and joyous profession but also carries a lot of stress and demands. You give so much of yourself to your patients, and I think it’s really important to have people you can talk to when you’re feeling overwhelmed. I am so grateful that I have colleagues to confer with when needed, a partner who always has a listening ear when I need him, and a therapist. I love that Call the Midwife is able to portray both the joy and the hardships of midwifery, and the importance of having friends and colleagues to lean on (unfortunately, therapy wasn’t so widely accepted in the 1960s as it is today). It’s also important to set boundaries between work and home life so that you don’t become burned out. I loved seeing examples of this through the seasons on Call the Midwife.

Finally, the episode ended with Sister Julienne being crowned as Poplar’s Mother of the Year. This was such a moving moment and a reminder that the work we do as midwives shapes the families we work with. There are so many ways to be a mother figure without birthing babies of your own. In her role as a caregiver and midwife, Sister Julienne has “mothered” so many mothers, helping them come into their new role with confidence and gentle guidance. She provides care without judgement and has made a difference in countless lives. There was no one more deserving of this honor than Sister Julienne.