I gave birth to my first child recently. I came into the hospital the night before, had zero dilation with ruptured water, and had to be induced. I was terrified because this went against everything I had hoped for in my birth plan, I had hoped for no interventions and to try unmedicated, but that quickly went out the window. Luckily, the medication helped me dilate super quickly, but again, I was terrified of labor and terrified that I would end up with a c-section.

She came in the morning of my delivery and was ready to go, she listened to me and helped put me at ease that if I were up for it, she was up to trying any position or method that I wanted to in order to get our baby out. She helped create a positive environment- we put on the Taylor Swift Eras Tour concert movie and made our room the "party room." she talked me through every step, letting me know that I could do this, tapping into my competitive nature, and getting me in the right mindset. She and the doctor decided to give a little Pitocin to help baby descend further for labor and I would have been against this, but I had so much faith and trust in her, she knew to let me keep contracting as long as I could in order to help minimize the time I needed to push, her instincts were so natural.

When it was finally time to push she helped me get into various positions, talked me through everything and in less than 30 minutes, my baby was here. Although technically the doctor is who delivered my son, I tell people it was her, because without her there is no way I could have done this. I have never had a healthcare provider treat me with as much compassion as she did, she wasn't my "provider" or nurse, she was on my team. She was so professional but also hands on and fluid with my needs and wishes, my birth story is the positive and beautiful experience that it is purely because of her. I have a hard time putting into words the gratitude and love I feel for someone I hardly know, but I feel indebted to her for the love she showed me and my family that day. Our family is forever grateful for how wonderful she was and she is always going to be a part of our story of the day we met our son. If there is anyone who deserves this DAISY Award, it's her.