We received high-quality care at SWG and Caitlin stood out to us as an excellent nurse during my labor & C-Section. I was a little nervous going to the hospital- this was my first delivery and first time staying overnight at the hospital. Caitlin had a calm, positive demeanor and asked about our birth plan and goals when she took over on night shift. When we had questions about the labor process she explained things in an easy to understand way. Caitlin encouraged me during labor and provided suggestions on how to work with contractions to help the baby descend. When I expressed that I was scared and unfamiliar with the epidural procedure, Caitlin answered my questions thoroughly, giving me the confidence to make the right decision. After the epidural, she worked with me by putting me in different positions to get the baby to move. She coached us through at least six different pushing positions and after three hours the baby was not making any progress and I began to feel like I was doing something wrong. Caitlin assured me that I was doing everything that I could.

When it came to the doctor's recommendation to deliver by C-section I had a very emotional reaction. Caitlin gave me such an empathetic response. After giving my partner and me privacy she reassured me without invalidating my feelings about being disappointed about having the C-section. She reframed the conversation to focus on things that could still go to plan, such as breastfeeding. Attempting breastfeeding early was especially important when I learned that traditional kangaroo care is not possible after a C-section. I was impressed when I arrived home and saw the baby was born at 4:08 and he was breastfeeding by 5:00. I believe that having Caitlin as our nurse, having her expertise and compassionate care made our experience a really good one.

The next evening we had the privilege of being under Caitlin's postpartum care. She was thoughtful and spent time helping me understand better some of the cues I could listen to or look for when breastfeeding. She also gave us a tip on how to help baby be alert when switching breasts. Caitlin was an excellent nurse and we believe she went above and beyond for our care while in L&D. We want to thank Caitlin for how she supported us during our hospital stay.