Interview with a Labor and Delivery Nurse

Most women can honestly say that their first delivery in a hospital was different from what they expected. Maybe they wished for something they forgot to bring – or took pain medications during childbirth that didn’t work as they expected. We at Beginner Baby decided to go straight to the source. We interviewed Kaitlin, a labor and delivery nurse, to find out the real scoop on how to make your childbirth a little easier in a hospital setting.

Interview

Kaitlin, many women go to the hospital expecting to have a drug-free delivery – only to ask for something when labor pains become more intense. What do you find is the most common roadblock they faced?

Their biggest roadblock? CONFIDENCE. During labor, women often say the famous words, “I can’t do it.” Walk into the hospital knowing that you CAN DO IT. What did women do many years ago? All this medication wasn’t around then. Do whatever works – breathing, blowing, guided imagery, music, etc.

Have you seen women bringing doula’s into the labor and delivery room? If so, what are the benefits?

I have seen some. They are your wingman. They are your support, especially if you don’t have a partner, and they have the confidence in you when you have lost it. Unfortunately, the labor and delivery nurse cannot be there by your side most of the time. With staffing shortages and increased numbers in patients, it is unlikely. You will probably not be their only patient unless you are delivering in a small community hospital. Doulas make up for a lot of the support that nurses cannot be there for.

Do women use midwives? What are the benefits?

Midwives are there from the beginning to the end. They see you from the beginning of your pregnancy through your delivery. They tend to use alternative methods at delivery, such as mineral oil and warm compresses on the perineum to avoid tearing.

What are the most efficient birthing positions you have seen? Are positions that use gravity helpful?

Positions that use gravity are good – but the best thing to do is to labor as much as you can at home. When you do go into labor, wait until the last possible moment your OB/GYN says is safe before heading to the hospital. (Of course, if you have had previous fast labors, talk to your doctor about what is safest during labor.) You will be most comfortable at home. You can walk, drink and eat. When you come to the hospital, most of those luxuries are taken away. Many women get sent home because they are not in active labor. Most hospitals will not admit you until you are 3-4 centimeters. That can take hours to days. In the end, it really doesn’t matter what position you are in when you deliver.

What are the best things you have seen women bring with them to the delivery room?

Their own pillow. Most hospitals usually only have one per room. Most laboring women need more, and especially if you are going to breastfeed, pillows come in handy.

What things have women brought that were not helpful in the labor and delivery room?

Ladies, bring the bare minimum…you do not need the car seat in the hospital room!

What do you think surprises women the most about delivering in a hospital?

If it your first delivery, or if you are trying to VBAC (vaginal birth after Cesarean) and you come to the hospital for induction of labor, delivery does not happen within a few hours. It takes several hours. So, don’t ask, “So how long do you think it will be?” We just don’t know. If it is your second or third delivery and you come in for induction of labor, it should be much shorter than your first. Technically, your first “paved the way” for all the rest.

What is the best way to deliver your baby without being tied down to a hospital bed?

WAIT to come to the hospital! When you come to the hospital the baby must be monitored. If you are laboring on your own without any medication (i.e. Pitocin), the physician may allow intermittent monitoring. However, if you come in for induction, more than likely you will be tied down. Again the best way is to go into labor on your own and wait to the very last possible minute your OB/GYN has allowed before coming to the hospital. If you are on a Pitocin drip, or if they are inducing you with cervical ripening agent, you MUST be monitored. It is only for the safety of mom and baby. These medications work differently with each person, so it is important that the medical staff is doing what is the safest for the mom and baby.

What procedures do women receive when they deliver in the hospital that they can refuse?

The patient, the mom, can refuse anything. For example, an IV. This can be refused. However, if you start bleeding out after delivery and you need IV fluids, medication or God forbid a blood transfusion, it becomes necessary. It helps the medical staff and the patient if it is already there. If you don’t want continuous fluids going in, just ask for a saline lock. That means the IV is in place, but there isn’t continuous infusion of fluids.

What can Dad do to help the most?

Dads are best for support – this is when “Yes, dear, ” will be used a lot.

Have you had any incidents in the delivery room that involved Dad?

A dad passed out at delivery. Dads, if you don’t think you can’t handle it, sit down! If you fall, you will be down in the ER when you should enjoying your new baby!

What makes things harder on YOU to do your job?

Just be cooperative. Everyone knows that it hurts like the dickens. We are not there to be on the opposite team. We are on the same side and are there to help you.

What would you want your best friend to know about delivering in a hospital?

The same thing I have said before. WAIT, WAIT and then WAIT some more before heading to the hospital. But again, only as long as your OB/GYN says it is safe.

What do you see women do during labor that just hurts rather than helps them give birth?

Tensing up. Just try your best to relax. You will actually dilate more if you stay focused and relax. Tensing up can actually impede dilation.

Are there pain medications that you see women try that don’t do what they thought? What do you see as working the best?

IV pain medication is best in early labor (before 4 centimeters). It tends not to work at all (or for a little amount of time) when you are in active labor. In early labor it can last anywhere from 1 to 3 hours.

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