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Childbirth Tips from a Labor & Delivery Nurse
May 4, 2009 at 6:35 AM by Cafe Melisa - Comments (11)
Photo by MamaMadge; Laura, back left, with her husband and their gang.
Laura (MamaMadge) is one busy CafeMom. She's got four kids (on view in the adorable photo, above), and she went back to school to become a labor and delivery nurse. I met her in the Pregnancy Questions and Concerns... Get Answers! group and thought, who better to give tips to first-time moms on labor and delivery?
Here's how she juggles the craziness of a busy family and work life. And -- yo, listen up! -- here are her best tips on getting through childbirth, regardless of how you deliver.
How long have you been a labor and delivery nurse, and how did you wind up choosing that as your profession?
I've been a nurse for four years. I always had a desire to be a nurse (I’m a nurturer by nature!). When I had my babies, I loved all my nurses and felt I would really love to help other women on the biggest occasion of their life.
You work full time and have four kids -- wow! How do you juggle the demands of home and work?
Very precariously! I try to meal plan and shop for the week ahead to cut down on trips to the store. My best trick from when I was in nursing school was, on Sunday night, I would put together five outfits for my little girl in kindergarten and hang them in her closet (with socks attached!). Then she just had to pick an outfit in the morning. That saved a LOT of time.
OK -- let's talk about labor. What's the most common mom concern or issue you see with women delivering in the hospital?
Many women come into the experience with a preconceived idea of how things will go with their labor and delivery. We all know that labor and birth are unpredictable, so women often feel their expectations weren’t met.
Communicate your needs and wishes. The team is there to make sure you have the best experience possible, within reason. Let your doctor or nurse know if you don’t understand something, ask them to explain everything to you.
Now for more specific tips....
Best tip for a woman who delivers vaginally in the hospital?
Accept the ice pack, or ask for one if it‘s not offered to you. It feels great and reduces swelling and inflammation, even if you don’t have an episiotomy or a laceration. Ask your nurse to put one on you immediately after delivery and ask for a fresh one each time you change pads.
Best tip for a woman who delivers via C-section?
Take your pain medication, then MOVE! Post-operative pain, inflammation, and abdominal discomforts usually compound if you don’t get up and get moving as soon as possible. Everything in moderation, though.
What should moms who get an epidural be aware of?
It can take a while to get an epidural going! The whole thing can take from 20 to 45 minutes, depending on how easily they can get it in. If you ask for an epidural when you are 8 or 9cm, it probably won’t work for you. Keep your options open and plan ahead.
What's your best advice for women who deliver without pain medication?
YOU CAN DO IT!!
Get educated about as MANY alternative pain management methods as possible (ie: meditation, breathing, chanting, guided imagery, hypnosis). The pain can be overwhelming, but your mind is stronger than the pain.
A fantastic resource for natural birthing is Birthing From Within, by Pam England and Rob Horowitz.
Given how many births you've seen, what's the most important piece of advice you'd give a woman preparing for labor?
Get educated, ask questions, and be pro-active. Don’t let the birth “happen” to you. You have choices and opinions. With that being said, you must remain flexible and have complete trust in your OB team.
How should moms prepare for it?
Read, go to classes, talk to other moms, and most of all, be flexible! We always try to respect and honor your wishes during labor and delivery. Remember, we (your OB team) are responsible for two lives, and are always striving to keep you and your baby happy and safe!
Thanks, Laura!
+++
Are you reading and taking classes on childbirth? How would you say you're educating yourself and, even if you do have specific ideas about how you'd like things to go, do you think you're ready to be "flexible" when you give birth?
FILED UNDER: delivery, labor & delivery
Comments:
I am so proud to have Laura as a friend I know her paitents are in qualified and loving hands
How awesome is it to have an "Insider" to share valuable advice! Thanks for sharing!
She sounds nice. Wish she could be in my hospital come July.
Most of the staff (with DD1) were very acomodating, a few were...Not very pleasant.
Laura was one of my nurses when i gave birth to my daughter in November 2008. She is an awesome nurse, woman, and friend. She really helped me through my contractions which i thought were unbearable. I hope she will be my nurse at my next delivery, i felt so comfortable with her. Thank you so much Laura!!!
Good job Laura im proud of you!! She was my best reasource while I was pregnant with my last baby and will be for any more that I have..please lord no more for at least 5 years!!!!
Education is probably the #1 most important thing... and also knowing when to tell your OB team NO.
Educate educate educate!!! I am the first person to admit that I am leery of *most* hospital personel on L&D floors, but after reading her answers I feel that we need more women like her!!! I honestly feel like if hospitals made it a point to hire women like Laura, who truely care about the patients, and are there to offer wholesome advice and support - more women would get the experience that they want. I am firmly of the belief that if there is time to fully explain why an emergency this or that is needed - then it is likey not an emergency. That's my opinion though, and I respect others who do not agree with me.
My jaw nearly dropped when I saw her mention "Birthing from Within." That book is IMO the MOST valuable tool a pregnant woman has. And this "The pain can be overwhelming, but your mind is stronger than the pain." That is so very true!!!!!!!!!!
I refuse to go into my labor being flexible. I think that's the worst thing one can do other than not try to get as much information as possible. I'm interested in classes. I've been trying to get my hands on Birthing From Within, among other great natural birthing books. I'm googling like crazy, though! I'm using the resources I have at hand to get information I need. (Mainly cafemom and some GREAT and INFORMATIVE moms on here and google.)
If I go into my labor being flexible, I'll likely end up with an unnecessary c-section. No thanks. I'm perfectly willing to be flexible in regards to what my body will do and how the labor will progress. I am absolutely NOT flexible when it comes to interventions. And complete faith in my OB team? No way. They're human, too, and most are way too inflexible about birth. It doesn't go exactly according to specs, and they're intervening trying to force the labor to go the way they like. Nice and fast, a pushed labor.
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Childbirth classes: no. Reading, A LOT. :) Birthing From Within is a fabulous book. I also read Ina May's Guide to Childbirth and a ton of resources online and natural birth stories.
I am prepared to be flexible, but am giving birth at home so there will be far less intervention forcing me to be flexible :) If a complication arises, we are prepared to deal, and if an emergency arises I know the fastest route to the hospital! We are prepared for both, but are not anticipating either.
celticreverie May. 4, 2009 at 8:49 AM