I was admitted after laboring at home for 15 hours. I continued laboring throughout the night with no support from the staff. The only suggestion they offered was that I take Pitocin and an epidural. I reiterated to them that I intended to stick with my birth plan and that I wanted to continue labor naturally. No other suggestions were given. I became very disheartened and thought that I may have to give up on my birth plan after laboring for 24 hours.
Once the morning shift came, everything turned around. Nurse Erin walked into my room and she said, "A, what are we missing with you and what can we do better?' I told her my thoughts and she said we needed a drastic shift in position and that she had the perfect thing in mind if I was up for the challenge. She brought in the "horse" and after a few minutes on it, I began to transition. Less than an hour later I was ready to push. Erin instructed me every step of the way. As she started setting up the room, she said, "I remember seeing on your birth plan you wanted a mirror." She ran out of the room and quickly returned with one. Honestly, after 29 hours of labor, the mirror was the last thing on my mind but I was so thankful she remembered! Moments later, my daughter was born.
Erin cleaned me up and offered to get me food, but I told her I just wanted orange juice. She returned with a full course meal, which I devoured. I was so thankful!
I'm not sure if these words encapsulate what Erin did for us. I want you to know that she turned our entire experience at Overlook around and she saved our birth story from one of defeat and disappointment to one of pure joy. We are forever grateful to her!