I spent 4 days on the postpartum floor after delivering my son 4 weeks early. Early on, we learned that my son needed phototherapy to treat jaundice. He spent about 17 hours in an incubator under light therapy for two days. The sight of the incubator and seeing my newborn in it was terrifying for my husband and me. We didn't fully understand the treatment, the risks, the benefits, and as first-time parents, we were scared. Also, our son did not adjust to the incubator, inconsolable as soon as he started his treatment. We felt helpless, confused, and heartbroken watching our son be so vulnerable and upset and out of our reach for so many hours. We stood at the side of his incubator, trying to soothe him through the holes while we cried. It was the hardest moment in my parenthood thus far.Bridie was not my full-time nurse that day, but she was on the postpartum floor and came in to check on our son at the start of his treatment. She recognized immediately how upset I was and comforted me by taking the time to acknowledge my emotions and normalize them. She explained the importance of the treatment, but also assured us that we were not helpless in assisting our son with getting through the treatment. She gave us ideas on how to help calm him and with her guidance, we were able to get him settled for the night in the incubator. She was patient and so kind to us, taking the time to really show how much she understood what we were feeling. I could see the compassion in her eyes when she was talking with us and her calming presence made our long overnight bearable. I cannot put into words how comforted I felt after she took the time to talk with us.
She checked in with us the following day before we left as well. I tried to explain to her how much her words had helped me get through that scary moment, but as I stated above, the comfort I felt is hard to put into words. She told us to trust our instincts, encouraging us to be confident in our parental decisions. IfBridie can touch other new moms who are nervous or scared the way she did me that night, then she is in the right place. It takes special nurses to work that floor and handle all the struggles that new parents have.Bridie was a lifesaver that night and we are so thankful that she was there to give us genuine support. We wouldn't have made it through that night without her. Thank you for your compassion for your work Birdie!