Helping a woman navigate the birthing journey must be an incredibly rewarding job for labor and delivery nurses. To watch a new life be born and enter the world has to be amazing.
But it also can be heartbreaking.
Labor and delivery nurse Caty Nixon shares joyful birthing stories with a smile on her face. But then the Texan’s smile quickly disappears when she recalls the sadness involved with her job that no one really likes to talk about.
“The good times are so good, and the bad times are heartbreaking. I’m here for all of it.”
At the end of her shift that day, she had helped deliver a stillborn baby.
“I was overwhelmed and exhausted. I just needed that release.”
Her twin sister Laura McIntyre quickly snapped a photo of Caty and shared it on Facebook where it has since gone viral. She wanted people to see what happens when a labor and delivery nurse leaves the hospital floor and hasn’t had the best shift.
The twins have always shared a special bond, but seeing her sister like this really hurt Laura.
“She is so good at what she does she often forgets how to take care of herself while she’s taking care of her patients. Have you guys ever really thought about what a labor and delivery nurse sees? They see great joy in smooth deliveries and healthy moms and babies. They see panic and anxiety when a new mom is scared. They see fear when a stat c-section is called. They see peace when the mom has support from her family – because not all new moms do. They see teenagers giving birth. They see an addicted mom give birth to a baby who is withdrawing. They see CPS come. They see funeral homes come.”
Moms who have been blessed with Caty’s presence in their delivery room commented on Laura’s photo. One woman said Caty danced with her two-year-old daughter while she focused on birthing her baby. Thousands of people thanked her for all that she had done, like Joyce Brosius.
“You are all special and we all thank you for you and all the God-given ability you have for doing your job.”
One woman commented that Caty unnecessarily stayed two hours after her shift ended to stay with her while she finished delivering the baby. Laura couldn’t believe how many people responded, but she was glad they did so Caty and other nurses could see how amazing they truly area.
“Labor and delivery nurses are physically, mentally and emotionally there for their patients every single day. The amount of love coming from this post is outrageous. Caty (and all other nurses) you are special. You bless your patients and their families more than you will ever know. Thank you for all that you do.”
It’s true that nurses like Caty have both an exhilarating and soul-crushing job. Thank goodness for all that they do to help through the highs and lows of their profession!
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