I felt like I couldn’t breathe. I was shaking so hard that I wouldn’t hold my baby alone without another person helping support me because I was afraid I’d drop her. I was also vomiting, and my arms were weak from the epidural. I told my husband that something was wrong and he needed to take the baby, so I didn’t drop her. I logically knew the shaking and symptoms were from the hormones and epidural, but I was still in a panic.

Rachel did an incredible job of being direct and clear while still being incredibly compassionate and supportive. She listed all of my vitals that she was checking and said that if everything was normal, it meant I was okay. Despite being firm and direct to calm me, she also still provided warm blankets and a supportive demeanor. When I started vomiting, she also took my husband and baby to the other side of the room to check my baby’s vitals.

It seemed this was to give me a minute to recover because of my birth plan, and what I kept repeating was that my husband had to stay with the baby if something went wrong.  Her continued support and assurance, while still reassuring me that I was medically okay, was invaluable, and I am so grateful she was there with my family and me during that terrifying time.

Thank you to Nurse Rachel and the entire staff at Northwestern Medicine Labor and Delivery. I was truly taken aback by every person we interacted with and felt the support of everyone in the building.