The beautiful Brett Gentile with her son Miles (11 months). Brett had a healthy pregnancy but her water broke 5.5 weeks early, on the evening of her baby shower. She had planned to deliver naturally in hospital under the care of midwives, but when she called to tell them what was going on was told that she was too early for them to be the ones to attend her birth and she needed to go to the hospital right away. She checked into the ER, was admitted and given Pitocin to get things going. She didn't feel a connection to any of the OBs or any of the nurses and didn't enjoy the way she felt treated. At some point, the midwife who had been on call came to check in with Brett, and it was the first time she felt listened to. Even though she'd just met her, she felt like she actually cared about her as a person. While Brett attempted to push Miles out vaginally, she was told there was rotational arrest and he was stuck, they needed to perform a cesarean. She was scared and alone as they strapped her down to the table, shaking from all of the medications. Her husband hadn't been allowed to come into the room yet but she soon realized that the midwife had scrubbed in and was there to hold her hand. With the midwife on one side and her husband holding her other hand, Miles was born. No sooner was he out that Brett was given more drugs and fell asleep. Miles was taken to NICU and Brett was taken back to the room she had been laboring in. She woke up alone, with no one around, confused and uncertain what had happened. Miles spent three weeks in NICU before coming home which was a difficult transition for Brett. She had planned to breastfeed but he had trouble latching so she had to pump around the clock. They have since been able to establish a wonderful nursing relationship and still going strong.
