My labor was long and I ended up having three nurses. All of them were wonderful, but Brooke was exceptional. I strongly believe that my labor would not have resulted in a successful vaginal birth if it was not for her. I was admitted to the hospital and my doctor noted that my baby was in the OP position, something I had not heard much about but was told that it would make a vaginal delivery more difficult and to expect that I might end up having to have a C-section. My doctor told me that I could take as long as I wanted pushing until it was necessary to discuss a C-section. Lucky for me, Brooke had given birth to her own child in the OP position and had a wealth of knowledge about the topic. She took the time to explain to me the position, how it affects the baby, and how it can complicate a vaginal birth. She was detailed and patient in her explanations. If I did not understand something, she would rephrase it or give another example. In addition to her medical knowledge, she also had practical knowledge. She moved me through a variety of positions while laboring to encourage the baby to rotate. When I was in extreme pain from back labor, she moved me into different positions to take the pressure off of my back, even massaging my back through contractions.
Once I was fully dilated and ready to start pushing, she placed me into several different positions that gave me leverage and were favorable to move the baby through the birth canal. Throughout my 2.5 hours of pushing, she was one of my biggest supporters. She encouraged me and pushed me when I was not sure that I could keep going. Luckily I continued to make progress while pushing and had a successful vaginal birth (about 10 minutes after the shift change). Both my husband and my mother also commented on how wonderful Brooke was. We are so thankful for her expertise and knowledge during my difficult labor. I want her to know how thankful I am for her.