Jen was our nurse for the last two days of our hospital stay after our son was born via Cesarean section. I was struggling with breastfeeding, I was also struggling with the recovery process for an emergency C-section I hadn't ever imagined I'd have to have. My son wasn't latching, not because we hadn't tried for hours or worked with multiple lactation consultants but because he was a C-section baby who had swallowed amniotic fluid and was beside himself nauseous; failed two glucose tests and had two occasions while during our stay that he had choked so badly he needed suction.
I wanted to support him, feed him through breastfeeding, and it just wasn't working. Jen helped me numerous times express colostrum and hand fed him herself, cheering me on all the while.
Jen truly has a passion for what she does, she is warm and kind, she's personable and "on your team"; you just know she loves what she does for a living. She was attentive to mine and my son's needs, concerns, and overall wellbeing. Her sincere attention to detail of our time together and conversations we shared made our recovery journey a great partnership of healing and learning.
After feeling like a failure through the lack of a vaginal birth and then again with the breastfeeding struggles we encountered, Jen gave me back so much of my confidence, not only as a mom but also as a woman; to trust my body to not only heal itself from the surgery but also to trust it to provide for my baby.
Thank you for being an example of true, sincere humanity and making the hospital environment a little warmer.