When I went in for my induction at 41 weeks, we learned that our baby girl was gone. The entire labor process was exhausting, but Stephanie stayed by my side with every tear, every question, and every contraction.

She cared so much for not only me but my family that was with me. She laughed with us, she talked to us like we were people and didn’t just come in, get vitals and leave. While that’s what nurses are expected to do, Stephanie did more for us than we would have ever expected. She kept me calm and relaxed when it was time to push and she just ooo’d and awww’d over my daughter when she was born. She gave us our time as a family and congratulated us the same way she would with any other birth. She brought us a bassinet to keep our daughter in so she could be with us and brought us a memory box and outfits for her. She took pictures and even talked to her and told her how beautiful she was. She prayed for us, and every time she walked into the room, she made sure to stop at the bassinet and say, “Hi, sweet girl.” She didn’t make this situation seem like such a sensitive topic; she made us feel like a normal family even in our most devastating time. Before the end of her shift, she made sure to come to my room, give me a hug, give her condolences, and say her final goodbye to my baby girl.

We kept in touch, and I even got to announce to her my pregnancy with my rainbow baby months later. She made me feel heard and seen when others didn’t during my pregnancy, and I’ll never forget her.