I heard from friends that your labor and delivery nurse greatly influences the quality of your L&D experience, and I feel beyond lucky to have had Nurse Lucy as mine. Due to preeclampsia, I was induced the exact day my baby reached 37 weeks of gestational age and delivered my daughter, S, the next day. As a first-time mom, I expected a long induction and delivery process, but S arrived about 17 hours after induction and so quickly that she was a nurse-delivered baby. Throughout the entire experience, Nurse Lucy made me feel heard and seen. She explained each step along the way in a manner that I, as a non-medical professional, could easily understand. She was very attentive to my needs and answered every question thoughtfully. I especially appreciated how she adjusted her communication style to match mine. For example, as an analytical person who appreciates numbers and visuals, she pulled up a fetal positioning chart to explain the numbers the nurses were using. I think she intuitively knew it would resonate with me, and I deeply appreciated it.

Nurse Lucy also made sure I was as comfortable as possible and helped put me at ease as we chatted about Grey's Anatomy and raising daughters. When I mentioned I had a headache from carrying tension in my shoulders, she gave me a shoulder and neck massage that genuinely made the headache go away. During active labor, she was encouraging without being pushy. She listened to my preference on positioning and helped keep me focused by counting, which was incredibly helpful. S arrived very quickly, and Nurse Lucy delivered her. I watched in awe as Nurse Lucy navigated the situation with clear expertise and appropriate urgency, remaining calm while tending to our newborn baby and keeping my husband and me focused until support arrived. Nurse Lucy was thoughtful, kind, and professional throughout the entire experience. She truly went above and beyond to ensure I was comfortable, informed, and supported. I feel honored to one day tell S about the day she was born and the amazing nurse who delivered her. I hope others are fortunate enough to have the same experience with their L&D nurse as I had with Nurse Lucy.