For years Dr. Ian Fulton has been the first person to touch the lives of thousands of Bermudians.

But on Monday night, at 6.06 p.m., the retiring obstetrician received his last call from the labour ward at the King Edward VII Memorial Hospital.

And around 7 p.m. he delivered the last baby of his extensive career that spanned three countries and saw more than 7,000 lives brought into the world. Speaking to The Royal Gazette, Dr. Fulton who has retired his obstetrics practice, but will continue in his gynaecology practice, said the last delivery was a moment of mixed emotions.

He said: "I got my last phone call at 6.06 p.m. and I knew that was the last phone call from the labour ward after thousands and thousands of phone calls.

"That was a moment. It's both (sad and touching) you feel privileged to be part of such an event that's so important for everybody. To be part of that many, many times it's really special.

"Ninety percent of the time everything's good. There's a lot of that I will miss for sure."

At 57 years-old it was time for Dr. Fulton and his wife, Anna, to enjoy evenings, weekends and vacations again as well as more free time to visit his two young grandchildren living in London, England.

Unfortunately, while bringing a life into the world can be an amazing experience it is also one that does not stick within the confines of nine to five.

Dr. Fulton said he tried to restrict his practice to 20 to 25 a month deliveries a month for manageability and even then would find himself excusing himself from dinners or struggling to get back from being out on his boat in Dockyard.

"There's been maybe like 7,000 (babies) I don't know for sure. I did it for ten years (in Edinburgh) before I came back to Bermuda," he said. "I think it's a case of just wanting more free time. I want to travel more. The stress begins to take its toll. The constants of the job; it's there all day every day.

"Once I was out in a boat in Dockyard and I had to get to the hospital right away. They (the Police) gave me a ride down South Shore.

"I would go in around two or three in the morning and had a guy lying in the road. I have seen two people drive right into the wall on the top of Tee Street.

"I have seen some beautiful things too; some beautiful nights. You didn't know when it's going to happen and you have to drop what you are doing and you have to go immediately.

"That's 19 years of no weekends or nights. I have got to get a life. I think life will be ordered and a bit more organised, now."

Dr. Fulton studied in Edinburgh, Scotland for his training in medicine and then as part of his studies spent a year in Zambia from 1976 to 1977. It was an eye-opening experience where women died daily giving birth and with little pre or post natal care difficulty regularly arose.

Then from 1981 to 1985 he was at Cambridge as a lecturer before finally returning to his homeland in 1985 on Halloween night.

But while his practice has seen some amazing life-giving experiences, it has also been a struggle losing babies when they are almost full-term or finding they are suffering from abnormalities. "Over the years I have seen bad things happen. Congenital abnormalities and one of the worst is dying in the Utero and you don't know why that's happened. It all seems to be normal and when you look after somebody for nine months it's hard."

He says, though, that people are becoming more involved and know a lot more about child birth and getting better care.

"There's nothing we can do about some things that happen during pregnancy. It's hard getting that balance between natural and that which is outside the process. Having babies and pregnancy and labour is one of the most dangerous things that women will do in their lives. There are several people who deliver at home.

"The vast majority of the times it will be fine so you get away with it. However, it will go wrong and you may need to be able to get to a hospital immediately if complications develop."

And as he sets to retire from bringing babies into the world, Dr. Fulton hopes to continue hearing from the many families he has touched and who have touched him over the years. He said: "A lot of people send Christmas cards and it's lovely. It means a lot. You put quite a bit into it so it does mean a lot when people remember."