To all the nurses I've loved before

I think there was, for a while at least, a misconception that nurses weren't on "our" side.  ("Our side" being doulas, birthing parents, the natural birth community, VBACing parents, etc.)  At the same time, possibly, a misconception that doulas weren't on theirs.  That our jobs were somehow in opposition to each other. 

But, you guys.  Nothing is further from the truth. I could NOT possibly love our nurses any more than I do.  Over the years, I've gotten to know some of the most talented, overwhelmingly smart, caring people who are in this profession, specifically on the L&D units.  I have nurses who I trust to not only share my dear clients with but to share some of my joy, trauma, and my grief and hopefully, they can say the same. 

Nurses work hard to keep birthing families safe and healthy, but at the same time have a tremendous desire for their patients to have the birth they envisioned.  They think through every scenario, help put patients in wedges to get the baby in position, start IV's with a patient on the toilet, get birth or peanut balls just right, stack blankets and pillows, massage backs, reposition monitors 1,000 times. I have seen it break their hearts when my clients, their patients, have to have a drastic change in plans.  

They work tirelessly, hardly pausing to take care of themselves. Charting, taking care of patients, at times catching babies, consoling grieving families, then going home, exhausted, to take care of their own families, dealing with their own grief, their own losses. 

I don't really have a point to this blog post except to say that I appreciate you, my nurse friends, even if we've never met.  You are such an alley, a vault of information, protector, and confidant.  You are such a strong pillar for your patients.  You are caring and loving.  You are my friend!

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