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1st Trimester
Just a few thoughts as an L&D nurse.
The post I saw earlier about home birthing alone got me thinking about some of the things people were posting. I know that we get a bad rap that we will MAKE you do things you don't want us to do at the hospital. But really I want you to have the birth you want however I want it to be safe for you and your baby and have seen lots of emergency situations. We want and IV because it's easier if we have to crash c-section you to already have access instead of trying to find a vein and start one while running the bed down the hall. If you have a bleed after birth, again easier to give you blood if you have the IV. But I think for the most part you have to think about reality, everyone sues everyone. If that monitor wasn't on you all the time because you were walking around and it was sliding and then something happens to the baby it looks like I wasn't doing my job. It's hard to do what the patient wants and to be liable for everything. But in the end it's your choice, nobody can force you to do anything that is also a crime so while we can tell you what is best you don't have to do it. They will just document that you refused the IV or the fetal monitor, or whatever. They still have to take care of you, the goal is still the same a healthy mom and baby. So just be reasonable with your L&D nurses and Doctors and they will try to stick to what your happy with. I know nobody asked my opinion but there it is...lol!
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Re: Just a few thoughts as an L&D nurse.
Well said! I loved my L&D nurses with baby #1... you people are saints!!
I think this is excellent input! As a mom of one and a non-medical person, I came to a whole new level of respect for nurses after being in the hospital for the birth of our son. I trusted my doctor and the nurses who were taking care of us and took their advice when they gave it. Everyone was incredibly friendly, sincere, and helpful and I was thankful for every nurse I encountered. (My husband tells me I wasn't so friendly to my L&D nurse pre-epidural but that is another story - ha ha).
Anyway, just wanted to chime in that I think this is a great point to make. Go nurses !
Thanks for posting this. I have to ask, can a patient ask for a different nurse?
I had a TERRIBLE nurse when I was being induced with DD. She put a monitor on me and had me walk. So I did, all around the maternity wing (I volunteered there so I knew the place). When I got back to my room she yelled at me for going too far...how was I supposed to know? I had a foley catheter in as apart of my induction and when standing, talking to DH, I felt a pop and went into the bathroom. The little hat urine collector filled with pink tinged liquid. I told the nurse, she looked at it and rudely told me that it was just pee (FYI, I was a nursing student at the time and know that pink tinged pee is a cause for alarm) and told me that I was being sent home because I was not progressing and shouldnt even be there. Really? Are you my MW? No. It was right then that I hit active labor and could have ripped her head off. Then, when DH was trying to calm me through labor he was saying things like "Sweetie, don't tense up, relax" etc. She yelled at him for talking negatively to me. Really? It still makes me mad to think about it. If "Heidi" walks into my room this next time, I'm going to tell her to leave and not come back. Sorry for the long rant
Steal my kids picture or pretend they are yours, I will find where you live and ship all of their dirty diapers to your doorstep. Promise.
I'm one of those mamas that would MUCH prefer a homebirth but medically know its not feasible for me since I'm high-risk.
starting IVs during a crisis is the worst. IMO they are much easier to have BEFORE a crisis arrives in general when it comes to hospitalizations. I'm one of those 'hard sticks' where it literally takes an hour + to get a line (which is bad, especially in heart failure). I now have a PowerPort implanted for quick access (I had the triple lumen before).
I think it's much safer to have it incase a line is needed. even for those afraid of needles, IMO it's far easier then I expect childbirth to be. it doesn't mean an IV needs to be running (fluids etc) just that access is there for an emergency.
my two cents. :]
you should have a right to selectively refuse providers - be it nurses, doctors, CNAs etc... especially if others are available. I worked in a hospital and it's not uncommon for patients and providers not to "mix" well. in an emergency it might be hard to work around but in general, it's to be expected.
I'm also inpatient a lot and often request at shift change who I want since I'm typically on the same few units. :]
Hey I'm happy with access, a heplock not hooked up to fluids is all you need! I don't wanna stap you down I'd just like to be able to save your life if necessary
I agree with ya!
Thanks. Actually, my DH was telling me he was surprised how nice I was. He says I was WAY too nice and going with her little games. I think thats why I'm so irked about it still, I should have taken care of it and got a new nurse right then. She was training a new nurse that day and that poor girl even came to me a whispered that she was sorry for how "Heidi" was acting.
Steal my kids picture or pretend they are yours, I will find where you live and ship all of their dirty diapers to your doorstep. Promise.
I cannot stop telling people how much I love the L&D nurses at my hospital. I have been admitted to L&D twice and both times (also the L&D nurse who monitored baby during my surgery) were the kindest, most caring nurses I have ever encountered. I felt as though their #1 goal in life was to make me comfortable- not their patient, but ME- are real person with a name and feelings.
You can absolutely ask for a different nurse- if you're having a rough time make sure that DH can be your voice and advocate for you when you can't. Just from my experiences with L&D I firmly believe that your nursing staff can make or break your delivery experience.
Why wouldn't someone want a fetel monitor during labour? I know that sounds snarky, but it's meant to be an honest question.
Through that monitor my doctor was able to tell that DD's heart was decelrating too fast during contractions and a decison was made to get her out sooner rather than later (I ended up with an episiotomy and we had to use a vaccumto help her along).
Because if you are hooked up to a machine you can't move around and labor in the positions that are best for you to make it through labor without pain meds. I'm great with occasional monitoring, but do not strap me down on my back in bed. My sister had that pushed on her with her first and it was so bad for her. Her second she was allowed to walk and offered a birthing ball, etc and had a much easier labor and less drugs.
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Ahh, gotcha. I had an epi with my DD and hope to have another one with this LO, so that never even crossed my mind.