I wanted to thank some of the labor and delivery nurses who were involved in the birth of our daughter N. We were in the hospital for five days, so we met a number of them! Unfortunately, I don't know any of their last names but they may remember us as the Kaiser family doctor and the engineer. 
Cher- Thank you for the three days you took care of us, especially when you didn't get to be there for the delivery. We got to know you the best of all our nurses and we will never forget you! Your compassion was so evident and you made us feel so safe and cared for. It really felt like you were on our side, validating our concerns and advocating for us the entire time. You are really an exemplary nurse. Also, we were so impressed with your conscientiousness; we never saw you take off your mask the entire three days! 
Jesslyn- Thank you for taking such wonderful care of us and taking the time to get to know us, even though it was only for one shift. You were attentive and authentic. We felt like we were in good hands. 
Bianca- Thank you for the two nights you took care of us! Even though I was sleeping for most of the time, you made us feel so safe. You were quiet as a mouse, allowing us to get much better rest. You were a real professional! 
Kate- Thank you for being there for us when we needed the most attention during our stay. We only learned later that was during a shift when the unit was very busy and L&D was on divert, but we never would have known it by the care you gave us. You impressed us right away with your authenticity, kindness, and energetic advocacy. It's clear that nursing is a calling for you; you are a credit to the field! 
Lisa- We absolutely loved you from the moment you walked into the room to take care of us on N's birthday. You were so cheerful and energetic, taking care of business like you truly enjoyed doing your job. When it was looking less and less likely that I would have a vaginal delivery, you encouraged us and made us hopeful. Having an epidural made me feel very dependent and vulnerable, but you gained my trust so quickly when you checked in on me frequently and anticipated my needs. You repositioned me like clockwork, so I never had to worry about pressure points or being too numb on one side. You had such good intuition to check my cervix when you did. It was music to my ears to hear you say that I was completely dilated and ready to push! We are so glad you were there when N was finally born. You helped crown with the mirror you brought in and my pain was manageable because you had empowered me to speak up if my epidural wasn't strong enough. That first golden hour with N was so joyful and peaceful; you were a wonderful presence and we'll never forget you! 
Mary- You were our first nurse after N was born and you were like a fairy godmother bringing every kind of supply and snack I could possibly need! Within minutes you had me stocked up with witch hazel and a million "postpartum diaper" supplies and tons of snacks to keep me energized through nighttime breastfeeding. You could tell from a sound that N made that she needed to be burped and you gave me several pieces of incredibly useful advice before you disappeared to let us rest. I was so glad to hear that you have taught nursing because you were so thorough and efficient- the perfect nurse! 
Kyleen- Thank you for taking such great care of us on our final day at the hospital. After five days we were so ready to go home, so it meant a lot that you were so organized and had all of N's newborn screens done as soon as she was 24hrs old. You made sure we had everything we needed- from ibuprofen to phone numbers to lanolin- and we appreciated how you never acted like it was work for you to take care of us. You were so cheerful and energetic; we really appreciated your care. 
There was another nurse whose name I'm embarrassed to say I completely forget, but I think she took care of us one night (and was the charge nurse?). She was blonde and quiet and we loved her. All we wanted to do was rest and she was quiet as a mouse, making sure the strip paper was filed and the monitors were turned down. She seemed so kind and we trusted her right away. 
Thank you to all the L&D nurses if I've forgotten any! As a healthcare provider, it was a strange experience to be a patient for the first time in my life. The kind, competent, and compassionate nursing care we received transformed a grueling five-day labor induction process into a beautiful memory. I am so grateful and appreciative that we had such consistently excellent care; EVERY nurse we had was spectacular.