I’m reaching out to you today regarding my recent birthing experience at Central DuPage Hospital. We were very excited to add to our growing family, but very skeptical of the entire process because of our previous birthing experience with my daughter in 2020. Fortunately, this time around, our experience was nothing short of exceptional and it was all thanks to your amazing clinical staff. I’ve never in my life had such a positive encounter with such a supportive group of people, and it truly shaped the bond I was able to form with my son. 

I wanted to specifically speak on a few key people involved with my experience because without them, it might have changed my outcome. First, I’d like to recognize Colby, who was our nurse upon arrival. She was personable, kind, and genuinely listened to what I wanted out of my birth plan. We joked and just planned to have a “boring” birth because of how much trauma I had previously experienced. She really was responsible for setting the tone and truly set me and my husband up for success at the beginning, during, and end of our procedure. I was very lucky to have had her as our nurse through the surgical portion. 

Secondly, I wanted to recognize my anesthesiologist, Dr. Dalia Garunas. She single-handedly eased my anxiety and worries about my surgical cesarean section, both inside and outside the operating room. I’ve never met a doctor who was willing to do deep breathing exercises with their patient to ease their worries. She physically and figuratively got on my level during the procedure to make it as easy and painless as possible. She was informative, up front, and talked through everything. I never questioned what was happening, and she was honestly the reason I was able to make it through without getting ill.

Lastly but certainly not least, I’d like to recognize two extraordinary nurses in the mother and baby unit. Emily and Brooke single handedly made my postpartum stay phenomenally positive. It’s very rare to come across individuals like them who truly embody bedside manner and keep the patient at the forefront of the care they provide.

Emily was our night nurse and taught us so much about breastfeeding and reading the cues the baby was giving. It had been three years since having our first, but she made us feel empowered that we had the right intuition, which was so reassuring. She literally made us feel like she was a professional friend of the family, which truly helped put my mind at ease, especially when we struggled with my son not latching. She encouraged us to ask her questions, utilize the nursery if we needed, and to do what was right in the moment for our family. She was a wealth of knowledge and someone I could turn to as an expert resource. 

Brooke was our day nurse and made us feel like we were the center of her care. She was one of the most responsive, attentive, and accommodating staff members I have ever encountered at CDH. We appreciated her professionalism with a hint of humor because it can get very tense when new parents are functioning on less than three hours of sleep. She had great suggestions and shared her wisdom while being conscientious to our wants and needs, all with a huge smile on her face. 

I truly hope that these individuals get recognized for everything that they do. Their efforts, awareness, know-how, and kindness make a huge difference. I will absolutely be nominating Colby, Emily, and Brooke for the DAISY Award. I wanted to reach out to you directly to make sure they’re recognized for truly making my birth experience something to remember. Thank you again.