I met Marta for the first time in the middle of the night while I was in labor with my first baby. It was an unusual labor, and her warm smile and calm confidence immediately put me at ease. She helped me labor at home for hours, suggesting new positions, and providing tireless support. She told me her own birth stories, and told me about her children. By morning my labor patterns were still very unusual, and she helped me make the decision to go to the hospital when I was a bit panicky and indecisive, informing me of my options.
What I will always remember most, however, was her incredible help at the hospital (NUMC). I had originally hoped for a totally natural birth, but it was becoming clear that an intervention-free birth was not going to happen. She talked me through interventions such as nipple stimulation, rounds of Cytotec, a cervical balloon catheter, Pitocin, and eventually an epidural after. She had my back the whole time.
After the epidural and Pitocin, things took a scary turn, as my body started shaking uncontrollably, and my baby’s heart rate started to slow. At this point, I had been awake and in labor for nearly 48 hours, and was exhausted. Marta immediately jumped into action, turning the heart rate monitor screen away from me so I could not see it. She held my hand, did everything she could to keep me awake, and took control of coaching my breathing every time my baby’s heart rate started to drop, keeping me calm, and more importantly, helping my baby get oxygen. It was a moment where I needed someone to take charge, and she sensed that and did it without hesitation.
The doctors soon raced in declaring the need for an emergency c-section. Marta was my solid rock as the surgical team wheeled me out of the labor room. She gave me the confidence I needed to get through it. I will never forget her amazing care on my son’s birth day, and am forever grateful to her.