Katy suggested that I get a tub room at the hospital, and that made all the difference in the world. I spent all of my time in the tub until it was time to push, and during this time Katy talked casually with my husband and me in between contractions, which was a nice distraction. Once the pushing stage started and I transitioned to the bed, she worked with the midwife offering various positions and movements to make me as comfortable as possible. Knowing that she was there and had experience, as well as my best interest in mind, made me feel like I didn’t have to worry about anything happening to me or my daughter that I would have regretted later on and I could just be present and be in labor without fear of the unknown. She also made it much easier for my husband to be supportive through offering suggestions and taking care of the things we didn’t have to worry about.
Having someone to talk to nursing staff as my advocate was the most important thing for me. It allowed me to stay focused on birth and not have to think about next steps or the various questions I was asked. I felt the suggestions for positions, fans, heat or cold compresses, etc. helped so much.