Leigh Durlacher was my primary nurse during the induction and delivery of my daughter. I am certain I would have had a C-section if it were not for the empathy, support, and guidance of Leigh. I have type 1 diabetes, which made my pregnancy and delivery complex. Additionally, I have a history of SA and PTSD, which I knew would make cervical exams difficult for me, both physically and emotionally. I was nervous about communicating this with my medical team as I tend to be a "people pleaser" and don't want to ask for "too much," but from the moment I met Leigh, I felt safe that I could trust them, and that they would be my advocate. I shared that it was important to me to maintain as much control as possible during delivery, and because of this, I wanted to avoid narcotics and hold off on an epidural for as long as I could. Other medical professionals I'd shared this with had made me feel that this wasn't a viable choice, but Leigh was immediately supportive, nonjudgmental, and had a wealth of knowledge for movement and stress reduction techniques to support my birth plan. My induction lasted three days and involved six doses of cytoses, a balloon, and AROM. The cervical exams and each of these procedures were incredibly painful as well as emotionally triggering. Leigh stayed by my side, breathed with me, recommended positioning to reduce pain, and spoke up for me when an MD who was performing a particularly painful exam did not behave in the most kind or empathetic way. When I tearfully told them I felt uncomfortable having that doctor perform future exams but didn't know how to tell them that, Leigh went and did it and then commended me for asking for what I needed. I was offered an epidural many times during the first 48 hours of induction and offered a C-section multiple times as well due to the pain and duration of my labor.
Leigh was my sounding board in all these decisions. They didn't steer me one way or the other but offered support throughout, answering every question my husband and I had. When the time finally came to push 50 hours after my first contractions started, Leigh was by my side, teaching me how to breathe, push, and bring a human into the world. They stayed with me for four hours of active labor until my daughter came into the world. When I had to be taken to the OR after delivery for a cervical lac repair, they made sure my husband and daughter were able to do skin-to-skin, explained what was happening to my terrified husband, and came into the OR to keep me updated on how my newborn daughter was doing. Leigh was not just my nurse that day. They were my advocate, educator, ally, and friend. They spent three back-to-back shifts helping me bring a daughter into the world - a tremendous feat that I did not think would ever be possible for me. I owe so much to this incredible human and can never thank them enough.