Angelica provided us with the resources and perspective to help us develop a birth plan and make decisions that aligned with our philosophies and needs.

She was an invaluable resource and partner to us for our first baby throughout my pregnancy, but especially in the delivery room. 

Once she was in the labor and delivery room with us, she was an instant source of calm and comfort. In addition to providing practical and hands on support to me, alongside (not in lieu of!) my husband towards the final leg of my labor, having her regular commentary and perspective about how things were progressing and what we could expect at each step of the way, and knowing that there was someone on our “team” who had seen this all before, allowed both me and my husband to feel much more relaxed at the hospital.

We especially appreciated her guidance when we had to make some decisions that deviated from our original birth plan. She provided a balanced perspective, suggesting approaches at (what felt to us like) big decision points (e.g., deciding whether or not to get an epidural) that aligned with our preferences and considered the evolving circumstances — both the clinical and practical circumstances, but also humanistic (e.g., how physically and mentally exhausted I was). 

Ultimately, it was reassuring to know that there was someone who had our interests in mind in the delivery room with us and who we knew had no problem advocating for us if necessary. She was wonderful at interacting with all of the providers at the hospital, perfectly balancing being an advocate for us as patients and building a positive/constructive rapport with all the nurses and our delivering OB. Angelica was a critical and formative part of our first birth and I couldn’t have imagined doing it without her!

–S&S (10/08/23)