Sara Gilbert
What drew us to Nicki in the first place was her warm and nurturing demeanor. When we interviewed she showed genuine interest in how my pregnancy was going and how I was feeling. I felt very at ease talking with her and I could tell that hers the type of presence I I would want at our birth.
She was always available by text or by phone before and after delivery. My labor progressed very quickly and she met us at the hospital right when we arrived. She stayed with us for the whole labor process. She helped me feel grounded and in control of my labor and was a huge help as we started to learn to breastfeed.
I would highly recommend her if you looking for a calming, grounded presence during your delivery and we are so thankful to have had her along for the ride.
Caitlin Placek
Initially I wasn't sure if I was set on hiring a Doula and my husband was somewhat skeptical of spending the money. Now after the fact it was the best money we could have spent. Meeting with Nicki, my husband and I knew that she would be the perfect choice to support us during pregnancy and then the labor.
She was such a wonderful resource and support to have when I went into labor. When my water broke at home but my labor wasn't progressing she gave me great suggestions and support to try and get my labor going. I was then admitted to the hosptial and needed to be induced. She met us in the hospital when my labor was finally starting to progress and I needed more support. She massaged my back and gave me suggestions of different positions. She was the perfect calm but strong support person that I needed, especially when nursing was not always as supportive. I was a little worried that my husband would feel replaced, but that was definitley not the case.
She checked on me multiple times postpartum when I returned home. I was having a few issues breastfeeding. She answered a bunch of questions and gave me suggestions that helped make breastfeeding easier the first few weeks.
I also hired Nicki for prenatal massages during the last few months of my pregnancy. I felt amazing after each massage!!!
My husband and I would highly recommend Nicki for her Doula services and if we get pregnant again we would not hesitiate to hire her again. I also would highly recommend her for her prenatal massage services!
Carrie Potts
Nicki was my doula for my 2nd birth and she was fabulous! She showed up right when we were ready for her, and she was on the phone with me up until then checking in and encouraging me and my husband. Throughout my pregnancy she was a wonderful emotional support and her prenatal massages kept me sane while dealing with severe sciatica. During the labor she was a confident leader, particularly when I hit the point where I didn't know what position I wanted to be in, or how to get into the next, she gently but firmly guided me, so I could just follow her lead and focus on the present contraction. She never replaced my husband, but rather directed him as needed and was the invisible support that just did what needed to be done without being asked. Her massage technique was so helpful and she helped me listen to my body and trust myself to work through labor as I needed. Post-partum she was a great support and encourager, as she came to my house and asssisted with breastfeeding and navigating post-partum depression. She is a woman with a heart to encourage and support families in whatever birth setting and birth plan works for them. I highly recommend her to everyone looking for a doula.
Pamela Bredemeyer
When my husband and I found out we were pregnant, finding the right Doula for us was a top priority. We were encouraged to interview 2 to 3 different Doulas - which we did. Nicki Worden stood out during our initial meet and greet for several reasons: 1) she had a calm demeanor, 2) she had certifications as a Doula & massage therapist, and 3) she has attended over a hundred births!
Nicki met with us prior to the birth of our son. During that time we discussed our birth plan and brushed up on labor. Due to Nicki’s experience in the field, she has a personal relationship with each of the midwives that could have delivered our son. She also knew and shared the hospital’s policies/procedures with us.
In addition to meeting prior to our birth, Nicki was there for me via text or email. I was able to ask questions and get a reply quickly. I asked anything and everything - Did my water break? Do you cloth diaper? How should I sleep at night to relieve the pain I was feeling? Etc. Etc.
When I went into labor we kept Nicki informed through text message, and called her when we knew things were quite active. Nicki arrived promptly at our home and coached us through the next steps. When at the hospital, Nicki was a tremendous encouragement to me. She helped me find my ideal pushing position and even helped me hone in on what was an effective push. It was truly a joint effort between Nicki and our midwife.
During my second week of postpartum, she paid a visit to the three of us. She probably answered 20+ questions we had about parenting, breastfeeding, cloth diapering, my postpartum body, and more!
My husband will tell you that Nicki gave him the confidence he needed to help me through the most amazing experience of our lives with great ease and success. Without a doubt, we would recommend Nicki Worden as a Doula. We will certainly use her for future children.
BRITTANY HOLMEN
Nicki was fantastic throughout my entire pregnancy and homebirth. She checked in with me to chat and see how everything was going. She answered my questions and provided great insight about my doctor. She also made sure that she knew how best to support me throughout labor.
When I went into labor, my husband called Nicki and she came right away. My labor progressed quickly (3 hours total), so her speed in arriving was huge! Her support during this time was immensely helpful. My contractions were very intense. Nicki was able to find the right spots to massage/apply pressure to in order to lessen the intensity of the contraction. She was very open to me telling her what helped and what didn’t – she would adjust accordingly. She also provided very sound advice about my breathing and relaxation. She was also a great encourager – boosting my confidence! This allowed my husband to hold my hands and provide emotional support throughout contractions. It was a perfect combination! Once the doctor arrived, Nicki was able to give him useful details about how my labor was progressing (details I couldn’t verbalize in the midst of labor and that my husband wouldn’t have known). She worked alongside the doctor very well.
After my baby was born, Nicki stayed and helped a ton! She basically cleaned up all of the mess from the birth. She started laundry, took out trash, made our bed, helped get me cleaned up, got me something to drink, and I could go on and on! This was so helpful because it allowed my husband and I to enjoy the precious first few hours after birth with our new baby. Those moments are some of the best memories of my life and Nicki helped to make it that way! Even my family members that were there commented on how wonderful it was to have Nicki there. I hope she’s still a doula when we have our next child because I can’t imagine our next birth without her! I highly recommend her!!
MEGAN BUCHHOLZ
I was on the fence about hiring a doula for my first birth, and my husband was even more skeptical, but hiring Nicki was the best decision we could have made. I really wanted to have a natural birth, and was delivering at a hospital with an OB, so knew having a doula would be instrumental in helping me achieve that goal. In the end, I had to be induced at 41 weeks and 4 days, and had a 36 hour labor that ended in a c-section. Baby just did not want to come out, and was also a big baby.. 9 pounds, 12 oz and 22 inches long. It was a pretty tramatic labor/birth, and having Nicki there made it manageable, and even though I had a c-section, I am at peace with my decision because I know we did everything we could do. Nicki was so great the entire labor, and kept suggesting different positions, and would help explain things to my husband when the doctor came into the room. My husband 100% agreed we needed her after the birth, and was so happy to have her there. He was able to sleep for 30-45 minutes at at time, and also leave the room a few times, which he wouldn’t have been able to do without Nicki there with me. She was also so positive, encouraging, and made me feel safe when things weren’t going so well. She is amazing at what she does, and has the most calming demeanor. I would recommend her to anyone, and will be calling her again when #2 comes along.
KRISSA HOLMES
We have nothing but amazing things to say about my experience with Nicki! My husband and I first met Nicki when she came to talk to our Bradley method birth class. We had thought about the possibility of using a doula for our birth, but had not come to a final decision. After hearing what Nicki had to offer and feeling connected to her personality we decided to meet with her and discuss the possibility of using her as our doula. We met with her and felt very comfortable with her. We decided to hire her and from the beginning she was available for questions. When I first started going into active labor we called Nicki and she came to our house at 3 in the morning and slept on our couch so my husband was able to get a couple hours of sleep while I worked through contractions. She masssaged my back for hours as i worked through back labor. She worked with my husband for a large portion of the day before we headed to the hospital. Once at the hospital she worked with me through an incredibly difficult labor process which resulted in a c-section after attempting every possible avenue for a natural vaginal birth. She was calm, informative, and such a support through the entire process and we will definitely be using her for our next birth. Nicki is wonderful and we highly recommend her!
JESSICA TUCCI
My husband and I had a difficult experience with the birth of our daughter in 2013, which ended in an eight day NICU stay. After much research, taking a Bradley method class, and educating ourselves, we decided having a doula would only benefit us in ensuring we had the birth experience we were looking to have. We met with a few doulas, and after meeting with Nicki, we knew we had to hire her. When speaking with her, we just felt a sense of calm come over us, and we wanted that during our delivery. Nicki had her own difficult birth experience, so I knew that she understood how important it was for me to have a different experience and I knew she would work as hard as possible to help us advocate for ourselves. When my water broke, Nicki and I were in constant contact. She let me take the lead, and came over when I asked, helping massage my back, and helping me to relax. She offered up many different suggestions for ways to speed labor up. She helped us to decide when it was best to head to the hospital, to avoid an infection, and gave us her opinion only when asked, which helped us to work together first. I was admitted to the hospital at 8 PM on a Monday, and our son wasn’t born until almost 2 PM on Tuesday, and she was our rock during that long and difficult night. She kept suggesting different positions to try, and different techniques, which all helped to get things moving. She was very supportive when I made the difficult decision to request pain relief and again when I requested an epidural. When I felt like giving up, she gave me tough love that I needed to keep going. She gave me a boost of confidence to tell the nurses and midwife that I was ready to push after two hours of being told to wait. Without a doubt, I know that hiring Nicki allowed us to have a natural, though not unmedicated, vaginal birth, despite the fact that our son was 10.5 lbs!
KATIE ONEILL
Nicki is wonderful! We had planned for a natural birth. We took a Bradley method class, I ate all the right foods, did our labor exercises each night before bed, pretty much everything we are supposed to do to have labor go smoothly. At my 41 week checkup I had an ultrasound to check the levels of amniotic fluid. The ultrasound tech informed me my baby was breech. My midwife wanted me to have an emergency c-section right away. I was frantic, yet I knew that my baby was fine having passed the stress test and there was plenty of fluid so what was the emergency? Nicki immediately informed me of my options for inversion techniques. I told the midwife I was not consenting to a c-section until we had tried everything. Nicki scheduled me a chiropracter apt. to attempt the webster technique. She arranged for an acupuncturist to come to my home to perform acupunture and moxibustion techiques to help baby turn. She provided daily consultation to make sure we were well informed when debating on what to do, if/when to schedule c-section, the risks/benefits of waiting/not waiting for baby to flip. Every day the midwife would call trying to get me to come in for a c-section. Nicki provided us with the information we needed to ensure we were doing things on our terms, not the hospitals. The week was a rollercoaster of emotions but Nicki was there every step of the way. Through her guidance my husband and I were able to make the decision to schedule a c-section having known we tried everything we could. Nicki there before the surgery and after for support. She prepped me on everything that was going to happen as well as the recovery phase and stayed with us at the hospital until we had successfully got my beautiful daughter to nurse. My husband and I are eternally grateful for everything she did for us. Although we were not able to have the birth experience we planned, her support and encouragement was worth every penny!
EMILY OBRECHT
Nicki came highly recommended by two other moms that have used her services. She was a huge asset to our birth team. Her presence is very supportive and calming. She’s so easy to be around and intuitively knows how to offer help and support. I’m so glad she was a part of our special day. She really helped us have the natural, drug-free birth that we wanted. I’m not sure I could’ve done it without her. I would hire her again when we are ready to have baby number two. I would also highly recommend her to others that are looking for a Doula. Additionally she is a wealth of information and has lots of experience with numerous midwives, obs, and hospitals in the Chicagoland area.
KELLY TURNER
When I first met Nicki I knew she would be a great support to have in the birth of our son. Prior to my due date, Nicki was always available to answer questions in a very timely manner. She checked in frequently as my due date approached. When I knew it was finally time for our little guy to make his appearance, Nicki was with another client for a scheduled c-section. Nicki alerted me of this prior so I was not surprised. Inconveniently, my water broke before labor really got going. Nicki made herself available as much as she could during that time and also had her backup doula contact me. Once she was finished assisting her other client, Nicki talked us through our options since things were already not going as planned. We ended up heading to the hospital as that was our practices protocol. Nicki stayed in contact with my husband as I was still in early, fairly comfortable labor. Once things picked up, Nicki was there right by my side, massaging my back and offering position suggestions. As labor continued, Nicki was extremely encouraging and calming. Unfortunately, labor went on and on with little progress. Despite having planned a natural birth, it was time to consider pitocin. After 15 hours of natural labor and sleep deprivation, I decided on the pitocin and an epidural. Nicki assured me that I had given my all and supported my decision. We thought it would be smooth sailing at this point, but fast forward about 12 hours on pitocin plus 5 hours of pushing, Nicki was still right by my side! She was an awesome motivation during my pushing when I didn’t think I could work any harder. Without Nicki, I would have probably opted for interventions much sooner and I would have always wondered if I could have done more. Even though my labor was far from what I planned, I have no regrets thanks to Nicki and my husband. Nicki feels like part of our family now! I would highly recommend her!!
KRISTEN HUGHES
We had planned for a natural birth, but our baby had other plans. My water broke without labor starting, and 24 hours later I had to be induced. We were also a meconium delivery, and there were some concerns about the baby’s wellbeing. Nicki was available to us throughout everything, helped us to make calm and informed decisions, and to choose a path that ultimately led to a healthy baby, which was our goal above all other things. While it wasn’t exactly the birth experience we had planned on, we got great comfort in knowing that we made every effort to respect our wishes and to keep the baby safe. I truly believe that had we not had Nicki to talk to, offer advice and experience, and later to be there with us at the hospital, the outcome may have been much different. I can’t say enough good things about her and her calm reassurance. I really can’t imagine having gone through this experience without her!!
EMILY ANN TAYLOR
Nicki is amazing and so dedicated to her clients!
What initially appealed to me is that she has had a range of personal experience with her own 3 kids- I wanted to have a natural birth, but you never know what to expect and I felt Nicki would be able to walk me through my options during any chaotic decision making times. She also seemed open to any requests I had and didn’t asign to a particular birthing style or philosophy.
At first I had been a little hestitant with her living about a 45min drive away, but it did not inhibit her service at all. We had just had our first official session then I went into labor (4 weeks early) a few hours later. She must have just gotten home but drove right back into the city to the hospital to meet me. My husband hadn’t yet arrived, so it was great to have her there during that time and she stayed by my side through the early morning hours when my daugher was born.
Though I have been a little slow getting this review up here, I would definitly recommend Nick to have by your side.
RACHEL WILWERDING
Nicki is a wonderful support resource for expecting families. I didn’t know much about the role of a Doula prior to hiring Nicki, but I’m so glad I did! She is full of great information prior to labor and delivery. I was looking for a person with experience to help cut down on the noise from everything I was reading online. She helped me focus and act on the information that I really cared about. Nicki provided example birth plans and discussed how to personlize it per our needs. I felt much more informed going into labor.
Having Nicki there in person was great. She’s warm and friendly, very easy to be around. I had a difficult labor and appreciated that I was able to consult with her and my husband as each decision had to be made. I fully believe due to Nicki’s support and coaching in the last hour, I avoided a C-Section. Overall, I was really happy to have Nicki on my support team and would recommend her to other expecting moms without hesitation.
DANIELLE SOBOTKA-MUÑOZ
Nicki is awesome! Right away, I felt incredibly comfortable with her. She met with me a few times before the birth of our daughter to go over my birth plan and gave me some really helpful ideas. When I found out I was going to be induced, she really helped calm my nerves and because she’s had personal and professional experinece with my OB, explained he wouldn’t be scheduling me for an induction unless he felt it necessary. The day of delivery, Nicki was there every step of the way. When I wanted to quit (yeah, right) and was begging for drugs, she reminded me over and over again that I was doing it and doing a fantastic job at that. She helped suggest different positions to labor in and because she’s a LMT, she was able to apply counter-pressure for relief. After 3 hours of pushing (and some choice words from me), my daughter was finally born! Nicki’s support never wavered- not even for an instant. She stayed with us after the birth to help me get the baby breastfeeding which was an awesome help! Nicki was an amazing asset to my birth team; I couldn’t have done it without her. I wouldn’t hesitate to hire her again for baby #2!
MIKE, SERENA AND BABY KAYDEN KLEINSTUB
I can only hope that sometime in your life you get the chance to meet Nicki. As the father I was not sure I really understood what a Doula did. I have a clear vision of it now. The decision to have a Doula was brought up by my wife and after a little research it was clear we wanted one. It helped me, the father, be at ease knowing someone would be there as a back-up and to tell us when it was “really” time to head to the hospital. My wife wanted a natural birth and Nick helped with the birth plan. labor and delivery. She was my rock when I was scared and unsure of what was going on the during the nervous times. She put my wife at ease and made it clear every step things would be OK…
Before labor she provided massage to my wife who was in need of relief… and once labor started she made sure we knew we had someone who was there for us. Once labor started and we were at the hospital it was clear we had made a smart decision. Nicki’s experience made every scaring moment “calm” She gave me the confidence that all was going to ok and made my wife at ease… well as muich as ease as Labor can provide lol.
We love Nicki, we consider her family and even after the birth Nick came to visit and has kept it touch. This is more than a job to Nicki. Its a labor of Love..
Thank you Nick we look forward to you being a part of Kaydens life and any future kids we have
KAREN KULZER
I encourage anyone thinking about using a doula to consider Nicki as part of their birth experience. For the birth of our daughter, we had a long labor period and worked at home with Nicki before heading to the hospital. Nicki was fabulous in helping our labor move along, offering many suggestions to progress labor and providing encouragement and emotional support for both me and my husband. Upon arrival at the hospital, Nicki worked wonderfully with our midwife, the nurse on staff, and my husband to establish a great “birth team”. We were able to have the natural childbirth experience we wanted, due in no small part to Nicki’s help and support. This was our first birth experience, and Nicki was essential in helping us where we were at all stages of labor and helping us know when to labor at home longer or travel to the hospital. I believe had we not had her help and expertise, especially early on, I would have been pressured to have a C-section for our delivery….so in this aspect (among others) Nicki was indispensible.
SUSAN WI
Absolutely incredible!! If you are looking for a strong, supportive, naturally caring, responsible, dependable and loving doula, who has experience with VBAC and HBAC, look no further! I was pregnant with my second child when I was introduced to Nicki. Something about her really resonated and I knew she had to be part of my birth team. I wanted a home birth after cesarean and believed my best chance for that were to have strong, loving, encouraging people, who had personal VBAC experience like Nicki. And I was right. Nicki was thrilled to be a part of my team from the moment I hired her. Nicki, (unlike other doulas I tried to contact and interview), was very responsive and eager to get to know me and my family and was excited about my upcoming birth, (and not giving me reasons why she might not show up like the other doula was giving me). I ALWAYS knew I could call or text Nicki and she would respond ASAP. Nicki was always checking in on me – every day for several days before my due date. When this labor started, (just before 1am), I waited to call Nicki until I knew labor had really started. I called her at 2:19am and she answered immediately. I told her what was going on and that I was going to get in the shower. I never had a chance to call her again but Nicki came right over to help. She helped by massaging my lower back initially then she sat with my toddler as we waited for friends to get her. Nicki immediately came back to my side and was there helping my husband and midwife the entire time. Everytime I looked up, I knew I would see Nicki’s confident face or hear strong, encouraging words from her…and it made all the difference in the world. I know my successful HBAC would never have been possible without Nicki’s help. Highly recommend!!
ANNA LENA EDSON
Coming from Europe, the idea of having a doula was as natural as childbirth it self to me. We knew right after our first meeting with Nicki that we would like her to be a part of our birth team. During the following pre natal visits Nicki provided us with great information regarding natural birth and gave us even more confidence. She put me at ease with answering my many questions either quickly through text message or more in detail via email. She helped us with creating a birthplan which met my husband and my ideas, without giving her own opinion to influence our decisionmaking. She informed us about new born procedures after I had asked abiut them. These visits were of great value to my husband and I. My labor was anything but usual, very fast with an equally fast delivery. Being surprised as we were by my fast progress, Nicki rushed to meet us in the hospital but made it for the birth of our daughter. She contributed to a calm and supportive environment and made sure our wishes were met. She helped me getting comfortable with the first attempts of breastfeeding and gave great advice of different positions of the baby. Before the post natal visit, Nicki again was always avalable through text message or email even in the middle of the night. If you want a carring, supportive and attentive doula, I can highly recomment Nicki. I will make sure to reserve her time with our second child. I’m greatful to have had her being a part of my first pregnancy and child birth.
MARGARET THOMPSON-CHOI
Nicki was a wealth of information before the birth. Since I was a first-time mom, Nicki helped me to start thinking about the type of birth I wanted. She directed me to a number of books and DVDs and suggested the name of home-birth midwives in the area. My research helped me decide that a home birth with midwives was the best fit for me. I wouldn’t have known where to begin without her guidance. During my 35-hour natural home birth labor, Nicki gave a number of suggestions to try to keep my unusually erratic, slow-moving labor going when things would slow down. Right after the baby was born, she helped by diapering and dressing him while the midwife was taking care of me. Nicki also gave me hands-on tips about how to hold and position the baby for a good latch for his first feed.
SARAH COLLYER
Nicki was an excellent doula. Very attentive to details that helped provide caring and useful support for me while in labor. Nicki is adaptable and non-instrusive – present when she’s needed and helpful and quietly holding space when active support is not needed at the moment. I was grateful to have Nicki at my child’s birth and would highly recommend her to others. I would certainly hire Nicki again.
AMY CONGDON
After moving to the Chicago area from New Jersey, it was essential that I find a doula who could support me before, during, and after the birth of my daughter. This was my second birth, and I knew that I wanted a doula to be there for me during the process. I was so happy to find Nicki!
She immediately put me at ease from our first meeting and was extremely attentive to my desires and wishes. She made sure that she understood exactly what I wanted in my birthing process.
Nicki was always available to answer questions, including when I suspected that I was leaking amniotic fluid at 37.5 weeks. I had no problem getting a hold of her that morning, or in the middle of the night two days later when the suspicion was confirmed.
Nicki was extremely flexible and met me at the hospital when I asked her to arrive. I knew immediately that she would be my advocate as my labor began. She kept me talking when I needed a distraction, and kept me focused when I needed to be. Her skill as a massage therapist was also invaluable. When my labor did not progress as easily as I thought it might, she was there to give encouragement. There wasn’t a moment during my labor that I was not grateful for her presence.
After the birth of my daughter, Nicki knew just how much space we needed as a family, but she always made sure that I had her support when needed. I was very grateful for her visit to our home a few weeks later.
I would highly recommend Nicki Worden if you are searching for a doula who will be gentle, attentive, and supportive. I cannot imagine my birth story without her.
AMY L.
My husband and I really enjoyed having Nicki as our doula for the birth of our first child. We chose to work with Nicki because of her calm demeanor and her experience. One of the things I most appreciated about working with her was her accessibility and her knowledge. Nicki was always accessible to us and I found it really helpful to have someone to ask some basic questions to both before and after the birth. Nicki was great during labor; my husband appreciated having someone who had a lot of experience to help us determine what stage of labor I was in and what we should expect next. She was always encouraging and I always felt very comfortable with her. We had the natural, unmediated birth that we wanted and it was such a wonderful experience. Immediately after the birth Nicki attended to me while everyone else was focused on the baby. She helped get breastfeeding started but has also been a valuable resource in the weeks after the birth answering questions ranging from how to starting pumping, to how to deal with mastitis, to how to get rid of diaper rash. Her knowledge of breastfeeding was extremely helpful as that is something I did not feel terribly prepared for and found to be challenging. I greatly appreciated working with Nicki; she was never judgemental, always made me feel calm and important, and helped us achieve the birth we wanted. When it comes time to have a second baby we hope to work with her again.
NICOLE ALBANESE
Nicki’s doula services are invaluable. You really cannot put a price tag on someone that is going to emotionally support and educate you before, during, and after the birth of your child in ways you never thought you needed. I walk away with having a positive birth experience thanks to my support team especially after original plans changed. It was nice to have someone in my corner rooting for me and my baby every minute of the experience. If it weren’t for all of her relaxation techniques, i do not know how I could have managed. Nicki has a calming effect on you after just minutes of meeting her, and it was clear she only wanted me to have the birth that I wanted for our baby. Just the moment you want to give up, she will help you find the place you really want to be. It was also nice to know that she had three totally different births so that she personally could comment on what I needed to be prepared for. I am thankful for her extensive knowledge of breastfeeding as well; with some guidance, we are still going strong. I have a four month old now, but as soon as we are ready for #2, I will be promptly be reserving Nicki for her glorious doula services.
DARINA CAMMAY
My husband and I give a lot of the credit for being able to have a natural birth of our daughter to our doula, Nicki Worden. She was a great support to us long before my first contraction – from helping us decide the type of birth experience we wanted, to connecting us with an OB and a chiropractor. I saw Nicki weekly for a massage to help with my back pain. During the massages, we had weekly chats about how my pregnancy was progressing, any concerns/anxieties I had, etc. Nicki was also always very responsive and helpful when I called her or e-mailed her with any questions.When the time came to have the baby, Nicki was supporting me from the minute my contractions started – first over the phone, then at our house, and eventually at the hospital. Nicki didn’t replace my husband, but her presence made my husband feel more comfortable, which empowered him to be a great support for me. Nicki didn’t get to rest, though – she was with us through my entire loooooooooooong labor, putting heat packs on and massaging my back, getting me cold washcloths, water, etc. She also pushed me to walk, change positions, use the birthing ball, shower, etc. to help me progress. The nurses we had were very impressed with the support that Nicki provided and agreed with us that we were very lucky to have her on our team!