In the early hours, I went into labor with my third child. Marianne was my childbirth nurse at the change of shift. I had a history of precipitous labor with my last child, and this was another precipitous labor. Marianne helped me breathe through difficult contractions and put me at ease. Suddenly after 20 minutes in the labor and delivery suite, I had an intense urge to push and there was no time to get my midwife into the room.
Our daughter came so quickly that Marianne stepped into action and delivered the baby herself. She coached me to breathe during this time and put me at ease when I was feeling intense pain. She assured me it would be okay when I felt panicky. She remained calm and showed much expertise in knowing what to do in this unanticipated situation. I felt secure that we were in good hands. It is hard to know exactly what to say to explain how much it meant to me that she was my nurse that day. I want to honor her for the difference she made to me and our family in helping our little girl into the world.