Please accept my gratitude for all of the nurses in Newton Medical Center's Maternity Unit. In particular, I want to nominate Kim Reilly for the DAISY Award. We welcomed our first baby in January 2021, and not knowing what to expect Kim went above and beyond to support us throughout the labor and delivery process. Kim admitted us at the start of labor and stayed with us overnight, ensuring that she checked in every few hours like clockwork. Her knowledge and support helped to ease any worry we had, taking us through the steps and decisions being made - from pain relief, breathing and positioning through contractions, and what to expect as labor progressed.
When Kim's shift ended that morning, she made sure that we were comfortable with the next nurse, and knowing that she would be back that night she gave us a 'see you later on' that was reassuring. The day felt long, but we welcomed our little girl just a few hours before Kim's shift started again. Kim was sure to stay with us through the first night with our new baby - again checking in every few hours. She helped me as a new mom get cleaned up after labor, helped me out of bed, and gave us every possible demonstration on how to care for our newborn - from diaper changes to feedings and anything in between.
There is no baby book that could have given us the amount of support and knowledge that Kim provided in those first few hours and days with our newborn. Above all, it was so incredibly comforting for Kim to walk in the door. I was truly blown away by the nursing staff, especially Kim, for being there for us when we needed it the most. Our little girl is six weeks old now, and I still think of Kim often throughout the day and am so truly grateful for the support she provided our family. She is an incredible nurse, and I will be forever grateful that she was a part of this moment in our lives.