I went to Gove County Medical Center to be induced to have my first baby. I had never been seen at this facility, as I had elected to have a home birth. I was almost a week overdue and decided to seek medical attention to ensure the health and safety of my baby. From the moment I entered the door, I was treated with the utmost kindness, consideration, and support.

Amber took great care to explain all of the paperwork I needed to fill out, listened intently to my birth plan, outlined what I should expect for my birth, and took great care to include my husband in the discussion. The day after I had my baby, the hospital was quite full, which meant that the nurses were spread a bit thin. Amber took the time out of her busy day to apologize for what she perceived as a “lack of care.” We never waited more than 5 minutes for any request, and even the most uncomfortable and unexpected moments postpartum were met with great care. In all honesty, I wish I could nominate the entire staff that helped me immediately postpartum.

M took great care to make me feel like a human during a particularly nasty GI episode, and A advocated and supported me during my initial struggles with breastfeeding. The world needs more nurses like these women! They turned an experience that many would describe as traumatic and turned it into something beautiful. I couldn’t have asked for a better group of individuals to help welcome me into motherhood. The first picture of our family, taken by Amber, sits on our nightstand, and it’s the most precious gift. Lots of love.