tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-47115230446849020842012-01-10T23:34:39.959-05:00<b><i>labor nurse has been reborn and shares her experiences as a new nurse-midwife, woman, and blogger</i></b>Labor Nurse, CNMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15238921141380296441noreply@blogger.comBlogger2081100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4711523044684902084.post-84027591833697629572010-09-20T14:15:00.002-04:002010-09-20T14:15:00.623-04:00

I've been contemplating whether or not to continue this blog- I took the hiatus for an undetermined amount of time, and found that about once a month I'd think- "Hey! This would make for great blog fodder!" but never really end up putting anything together.Am I still burnt?Yes.Have I become jaded?Well, yes...but I wasn't exactly sure I was going to enter midwifery feeling like I was going to

Labor Nurse, CNMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15238921141380296441noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4711523044684902084.post-2053645785098610962009-12-15T22:03:00.000-05:002009-12-15T22:03:00.253-05:00

I'm done.My blogging days are coming to an end here, at least for now. I won't say that I am done for good, but I can't see myself returning to it for a long while.For those who have read this blog for a while, perhaps even the original blog I began over 3 years ago that eventually morphed into Rebirth, have probably noticed that my writing has been fewer and less, well...interesting.I am no less

Labor Nurse, CNMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15238921141380296441noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4711523044684902084.post-20911016136649529832009-11-22T18:36:00.003-05:002009-11-22T18:36:00.447-05:00

This morning I get an email from an old friend who is pregnant with her fourth child. This pregnancy was more challenging than her others, with more aches and pains, preterm contractions, questionable blood pressure issues, and then a few episodes of premature rupture of membranes. Everything has always turned out fine whenever she went in for an evaluation, whether at her doctor's office or

Labor Nurse, CNMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15238921141380296441noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4711523044684902084.post-23336030207165842792009-11-08T16:35:00.002-05:002009-11-08T16:35:00.480-05:00

I have been finding my days off, be it a true day off or post call day, go by so quickly that they aren't enough. I feel the need to sleep in late, yet if I do I feel like I've cut off so much of my time off. I dread the sun going down and the need to start dinner because it means the day is coming to a close.I fantasize about having chosen a different path in life. Like, had I stuck to writing

Labor Nurse, CNMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15238921141380296441noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4711523044684902084.post-8199202193738271782009-10-29T13:02:00.000-04:002009-10-29T13:02:01.059-04:00

What I've been finding interesting now that I have been working a few months on the labor floor is the differences in nursing care. Now, having been that bedside labor nurse for many years, I clearly understand the value in a good nurse. I'd like to think I was good at bedside labor nursing care, but now I often wonder what the providers I worked with prior to becoming a midwife thought of my

Labor Nurse, CNMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15238921141380296441noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4711523044684902084.post-72947964200274048582009-10-14T14:50:00.004-04:002009-10-14T15:20:08.276-04:00

So have you seen the latest Angieslist.com commercial? I got a kick out of it, personally, but it got me thinking. Can we trust reviews of health care providers on websites? I know this question has come up plenty of times before on other sites and other forums, but...The commercial shows a couple in the hospital, the woman very pregnant. A female voice over narrates the scenes. It goes

Labor Nurse, CNMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15238921141380296441noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4711523044684902084.post-46885999483514474742009-10-11T14:59:00.002-04:002009-10-11T15:14:02.334-04:00

This has been one of the best posts I've read in a while. Thank you, Heather.My postings has been sparse of recent as life has thrown me some major schedule curve balls...but I've been keeping up as best I can on all my fave blogs. I really enjoy all the thoughtful posts on birth and maternity care, but Heather really got me thinking.We are such frickin hypocrites, aren't we? I mean, we (I speak

Labor Nurse, CNMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15238921141380296441noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4711523044684902084.post-78137499747647687122009-10-04T13:44:00.002-04:002009-10-04T14:19:09.719-04:00

Well, folks, life has been crazy- good and bad- and had seriously delayed the carnival and my blogging capabilities.... but alas! Finally, here is the third edition of Rebirth Carnival, which focuses on first births.Many women find themselves drawn to midwifery and childbirth care because of their own personal experiences. Ciarin shares how her personal births led her to midwifery path.Molly

Labor Nurse, CNMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15238921141380296441noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4711523044684902084.post-67052329687310152702009-09-08T19:04:00.003-04:002009-09-08T19:05:29.618-04:00

...in many areas in relation to childbirth....Or, in my case, totally overlook the fact that I was on call over the Labor Day weekend and couldn't put together the Rebirth Carnival.I will be putting it up later this week....

Labor Nurse, CNMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15238921141380296441noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4711523044684902084.post-42887424607547697992009-08-31T19:25:00.002-04:002009-08-31T19:30:09.970-04:00

Rixa has posted her interview with Dr. Fischbein on her blog- it's an interesting read. I cried out, Amen, Brother! when coming across this quote:Again, they use the idea of the 24-hour anesthesia as a reason not to allowVBACs. Most emergency c-sections, the ones that occur suddenly, have nothing todo with a uterine rupture. They are for placental abruption, prolapsed cord, orprolonged fetal

Labor Nurse, CNMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15238921141380296441noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4711523044684902084.post-14569752276994043582009-08-29T15:55:00.001-04:002009-08-29T15:55:00.952-04:00

For the research minded folk out there, I have to pick your brain. When I was in school, I loved performing research queries and reading the articles my school's search engine would provide(which was extremely user friendly, unlike my current hospital library...). I would frequently end up with thousands of pages of research articles, meta-analysis, and the like. I would even hope that I would be

Labor Nurse, CNMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15238921141380296441noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4711523044684902084.post-42662518746183385912009-08-23T22:09:00.000-04:002009-08-23T22:09:00.565-04:00

Wow, what an awesome response for the second edition of the Rebirth Carnival. I've asked for what not to say to a pregnant woman, and did I get boatloads....Christina is an independent childbirth educator (you all know how I love those!!!) who reminds us of how long the wrong choice of words can stay with you and making assumptions about other women's choices is just not cool.Molly's personal

Labor Nurse, CNMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15238921141380296441noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4711523044684902084.post-61595082300330734922009-08-20T14:50:00.001-04:002009-08-20T14:50:00.110-04:00

Recently I was having a discussion with a woman who was 2 week postpartum. She had an elective repeat c-section for her sixth child. The fifth was her unplanned primary c-section for fetal distress. The first four were vaginal deliveries that went smoothly (this is how she describes them, and her chart would support this as she had uncomplicated pregnancies and births with normal postpartum

Labor Nurse, CNMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15238921141380296441noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4711523044684902084.post-3742736682916877802009-08-14T19:34:00.002-04:002009-08-14T19:36:42.512-04:00

A little reminder that I am looking for blog carnival submissions for the second edition of the Rebirth Carnival for August 23. Topic theme for the upcoming edition is what not to say to a pregnant or laboring woman.Please email links to your post (it can be an older post) to knitting-fool AT hotmail DOT com.Pass the word!

Labor Nurse, CNMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15238921141380296441noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4711523044684902084.post-5615204274582111302009-08-09T15:23:00.003-04:002009-08-09T16:26:01.640-04:00

Well, here we are! The first edition of the Rebirth Carnival. I asked what drew you to midwifery, either as a career or as a client. So without further ado....Reality Rounds tells us why she landed with midwives after her first pregnancy for "run of the mill" gynecological care and ended up with a wonderful VBAC.Tiffany, of Bethany Women's Healthcare in Arizona (oh, I so want to visit Arizona!),

Labor Nurse, CNMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15238921141380296441noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4711523044684902084.post-58316675709473204212009-08-05T16:17:00.000-04:002009-08-05T16:17:00.391-04:00

There have been several themes among the comments of my most recent post on a pregnancy care center's tactics that I have been thinking about. I have been pleasantly surprised that overall the comments have been very civil and respectful, so thank you.But I want to follow up on some questions. First of all, I did end up investigating this particular center. They even have a website that I read

Labor Nurse, CNMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15238921141380296441noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4711523044684902084.post-74846735345414473292009-07-29T07:57:00.003-04:002009-07-29T07:57:00.782-04:00

Ok, I know these places are nothing new, but it was my first experience as a health care provider being faced with the major moral and ethical issues I have with it when it is intersected with caring for a woman. You know the places- anti-choice centers masquerading as "pregnancy care" centers.So here is the scenario. 18 year old girl comes in for her first prenatal appointment. It's an unplanned

Labor Nurse, CNMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15238921141380296441noreply@blogger.com39tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4711523044684902084.post-35268758372089877432009-07-25T15:26:00.003-04:002009-07-25T15:35:02.892-04:00

When I first started blogging, I really enjoyed reading blog carnivals covering different nursing topics. But with school, and now a "real" job, I've gotten away from really reading or contributing to them.So, I was thinking that I would start up one! My unofficial blog carnivals will be posted here, twice monthly. The carnival will be called The Rebirth Carnival (how original, I know, I know..

Labor Nurse, CNMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15238921141380296441noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4711523044684902084.post-25601859290821597792009-07-24T18:03:00.002-04:002009-07-24T18:03:00.168-04:00

I had a very stimulating conversation with a patient today that really got me thinking. I've thought about this before, but it was so refreshing to have the discussion with a pregnant woman who is looking forward to a midwifery attended birth. She's in her third trimester and taking childbirth education classes and just completed the section that reviews comfort measures, medications, and

Labor Nurse, CNMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15238921141380296441noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4711523044684902084.post-75850233374845083242009-07-13T13:25:00.001-04:002009-07-13T13:25:00.756-04:00

I've said this before, in other posts, how I get asked very frequently if I have children. People I care for are trying to feel out if I qualify in knowing what to do with a pregnant or laboring woman by having experienced it first hand. I am sure that most of the times they are just trying to connect with me on a more personal level while still having confidence in my care. But what some are

Labor Nurse, CNMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15238921141380296441noreply@blogger.com42tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4711523044684902084.post-37781064251932452882009-07-08T20:27:00.002-04:002009-07-08T20:52:44.777-04:00

Wow. This one has me shaking my head....pit to distress is a saying I've heard kicked around, but not in the sense that is being discussed in the blogosphere. Let me explain:-Pit to distress is being discussed as a method of pushing the IV pitocin to a point of fetal distress, thus giving a reason for a c-section.-Pit to distress has never been anything I have ever seen as a nurse or midwife as

Labor Nurse, CNMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15238921141380296441noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4711523044684902084.post-10239945997593819512009-07-06T18:12:00.002-04:002009-07-06T18:17:47.107-04:00

I love students.If being a student could be a profession, I'd have more PhDs, DNPs, and other degrees that people would think humanly possible.So I thought I'd share two blogs by student nurse midwives.Reflections of an Aspiring Nurse Midwife is brand new....I'm waiting to hear her stories and thoughts on midwifery school.Hands Are For Catching: Life of a Nurse-Midwife in Training has some very

Labor Nurse, CNMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15238921141380296441noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4711523044684902084.post-76096543817000743642009-06-23T18:42:00.002-04:002009-06-23T18:42:00.800-04:00

I have an overwhelming feeling that I have a way to go before I feel remotely comfortable in my new role. Working as a nurse midwife has been awesome and scary all at once. And tiring.I hope to find the energy soon to elaborate.

Labor Nurse, CNMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15238921141380296441noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4711523044684902084.post-25199814951767121862009-06-18T20:52:00.000-04:002009-06-18T20:52:00.295-04:00

Oh!! I am very excited about this- which I will just simply give you the link to Rixa's post on vaginal breech birth in Canada.I guess this begs the question: when will the US "authorities" stop being so stubborn and start looking at the research?

Labor Nurse, CNMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15238921141380296441noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4711523044684902084.post-19457630532464179162009-06-11T17:26:00.000-04:002009-06-11T17:26:01.262-04:00

Ok, this is a personal issue, but one that I think many of you would find themselves as irritated about it as I am.My husband has been on this tear of calling me the "Midwife Sorceress". I think that this comes from my recent career start (finally, I must say!) and that he's been on a wizards kick.It annoys me.Actually, it annoying the living fuck out of me.Now, I know my husband is just being

Labor Nurse, CNMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15238921141380296441noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4711523044684902084.post-1292149826738152612009-06-03T12:52:00.002-04:002009-06-03T12:52:00.576-04:00

....women would birth unencumbered by machines, IVs, and interventions that were not necessary........home birth would not be viewed as unsafe for low risk women........labor curves would be a vague guideline, not a rule........informed consent would really be informed........birth would be respected as a normal event........women would trust in their own strength and be empowered to have

Labor Nurse, CNMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15238921141380296441noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4711523044684902084.post-49862522470148153942009-05-30T18:17:00.000-04:002009-05-30T18:17:01.235-04:00

Oh, boy! I received my credentialing packet (read: 6 inch stack of papers) for the hospital my practice is affiliated with and have been working on that. I have to say it is the most daunting part of this process. Actually, it's horrible. The amount of information that is needed is ridiculous, some of it I wonder if I can even provide. I am kicking myself for not keeping better records on the

Labor Nurse, CNMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15238921141380296441noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4711523044684902084.post-48804856515975627942009-05-27T17:27:00.002-04:002009-05-27T17:27:00.783-04:00

My last shift as a labor nurse was today, and my last birth in this role was with a woman who was also a labor nurse. When I got report in the morning, and was told what she did, I thought it was an ironic way of ending my labor nurse career.This woman worked more years than I as a labor nurse but worked at a different hospital. The hospital she works at is known for some major old school

Labor Nurse, CNMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15238921141380296441noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4711523044684902084.post-25033813214355734132009-05-21T22:22:00.000-04:002009-05-21T22:22:01.297-04:00

I am asking for your recommendations on pregnancy and birth books. I am currently have two books in waiting that I want to review in hopes of coming up with a few recommendations for my soon to be patients/women.Also, anyone know how I can get my hands on a complementary copy of Our Bodies Ourselves: Pregnancy & Birth book? Yes, I am shameless...

Labor Nurse, CNMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15238921141380296441noreply@blogger.com22tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4711523044684902084.post-91978060223474076412009-05-19T12:29:00.002-04:002009-05-19T12:29:01.456-04:00

I've seen and heard this term quite a bit. I am sure most of the readers here have heard of it at some point, but for those wondering "what is a 'medwife'"- it is typically a derogatory term referred to nurse midwives who practice with a medical model. I've worked with a some at various points in my nursing career who were labelled as such, and have even heard some call any midwife who

Labor Nurse, CNMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15238921141380296441noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4711523044684902084.post-57229907652926149822009-05-17T16:11:00.002-04:002009-05-17T16:17:43.439-04:00

Today I am feeling very enthusiastic about my upcoming career in midwifery. I begin my new career in early June, which will start with office midwifery and well women gynecology. Once my hospital credentialing is completed (which, for those unfamiliar with this torturous process- is a lengthy paper trail that is completed and collected by said applicant, which is then scrutinized, verified, and

Labor Nurse, CNMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15238921141380296441noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4711523044684902084.post-79222803128812011222009-05-14T23:34:00.001-04:002009-05-14T23:34:01.029-04:00

I have to say, I never set out to be a midwife. Actually, I never really set out to be a nurse either. Growing up, all I ever really wanted to do was be a writer. I wrote a lot when I was a kid, and even as an adult began writing fiction seriously (although no one ever seems to take you seriously when you say you write fiction). But it was very clear during high school my writing was not

Labor Nurse, CNMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15238921141380296441noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4711523044684902084.post-8159371107869507462009-05-10T14:42:00.000-04:002009-05-10T14:42:02.246-04:00

I've never been one to feel religion should cross the lines into health care. Before I go on, let me just say that I am not talking about the birth where the woman prayed throughout or a blessing was done for the baby shortly after birth. Because in those cases, the people are doing what they believe and their faith has helped them through the experience without involving others into it who may

Labor Nurse, CNMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15238921141380296441noreply@blogger.com20tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4711523044684902084.post-23805815201766853342009-05-01T17:22:00.000-04:002009-05-01T17:22:00.465-04:00

Labor Nurse has a job!!!! Woo hoo... a jobby job for a new midwife has finally materialized!So, I guess the question is: do I keep writing here on this blog, or start anew? Because "Labor Nurse" doesn't exactly reveal what I will now be doing.Either way....Woo hoo!!!

Labor Nurse, CNMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15238921141380296441noreply@blogger.com30tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4711523044684902084.post-25078310906698880782009-04-26T15:35:00.000-04:002009-04-26T15:35:00.579-04:00

I have to say that one of my biggest pet peeves are ultrasounds. Not ultrasounds by themselves, but how many women demand them for non-medical reasons, or totally ignore the fact that the 20 week ultrasound is done for a medical indication (ie, fetal survey for abnormalities) and not just so you can plan your baby shower in the right colors. I've cared for women who demand another fetal survey,

Labor Nurse, CNMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15238921141380296441noreply@blogger.com41tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4711523044684902084.post-59970113740649540242009-04-20T17:33:00.000-04:002009-04-20T17:33:01.408-04:00

I've taken to keeping my mouth shut when family members and friends discuss their personal pregnancy goings-on. But its really difficult, particularly when I completely disagree with the management or decisions being made. I am very aware that many people may view anything I say in response to these things as being a radical moonbat. Even just telling some people that I am a midwife evokes

Labor Nurse, CNMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15238921141380296441noreply@blogger.com28tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4711523044684902084.post-90895013987734072162009-04-17T18:39:00.004-04:002009-04-17T22:51:00.746-04:00

I've been reading on a few blogs around the web that the British Journal of Obstetrics & Gynaecology has published a study from Holland that shows home birth is as safe as hospital birth in low risk women.I don't have access to the full article so I can't really comment much on it. But, I'll be obvious and say that I am very happy to see such a large study sample and the conclusion that home

Labor Nurse, CNMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15238921141380296441noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4711523044684902084.post-59674019506050378592009-04-12T13:45:00.002-04:002009-04-12T13:45:01.740-04:00

I don't remember who put out those commercials (I think maybe the March of Dimes) that shows this stork walking around an office and all the reactions of the various women that are there. The message is a good one: be prepared for pregnancy because you never know. Almost 50% of all pregnancies are unintended, and means that the women has unlikely been preparing her body for a healthy pregnancy.

Labor Nurse, CNMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15238921141380296441noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4711523044684902084.post-73078899917345937222009-04-07T15:08:00.000-04:002009-04-07T15:08:01.161-04:00

I have purposely avoided discussion of Octo*mom, but there have been some ethical dilemmas rolling around in my head that I thought I'd throw out there. The main one being: whose decision is it, ultimately, when it comes to how many children a woman has? What factors are taken into account? Who controls such things?Ultimately, I know that one question leads to another and arguments can be made

Labor Nurse, CNMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15238921141380296441noreply@blogger.com29tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4711523044684902084.post-77154770722122805992009-04-01T16:11:00.001-04:002009-04-01T16:11:01.335-04:00

....because shit happens. And it does happen in labor. So many women worry about pooping during labor and when they push. And I can't alleviate anyone's fear by saying it doesn't happen, because it does. But not one except the women tends to care about it.There are things that can be done to make it less anxiety provoking. One is the thought that if you were lucky enough to get the shits

Labor Nurse, CNMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15238921141380296441noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4711523044684902084.post-29516099540957246202009-03-27T18:24:00.001-04:002009-03-27T18:24:03.412-04:00

You know, I've heard so many women say they wouldn't go to a male ob/gyn or midwife because they "don't get it" or for the sheer fact of being male. I don't necessarily agree with this, but I certainly don't think people should go with someone they aren't comfortable with regardless of the reason.The reason I don't necessarily agree is because just being female does not make the provider a

Labor Nurse, CNMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15238921141380296441noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4711523044684902084.post-14418227506416508232009-03-20T18:26:00.000-04:002009-03-20T18:26:04.187-04:00

So last week's interview led to another one earlier this week, followed by a third at the hospital the following day. All interviews went very well, I felt very comfortable with all of the providers I met, and was impressed with their very low c-section rate. I was given some very nice compliments by those I met with, and told on several occasions by several different people that I would hear

Labor Nurse, CNMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15238921141380296441noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4711523044684902084.post-22089044798916660582009-03-16T17:53:00.001-04:002009-03-16T22:34:06.244-04:00

The editorial in the most recent Journal of Midwifery and Women's Health got me thinking: what can I do as your nurse midwife to make labor and birth as fearless event?So many women fear childbirth. And with good reason. We are told it is the worst pain ever, that it will feel like you are being ripped in half, that you can't do it unless you get boat loads of drugs or a dense epidural, that it

Labor Nurse, CNMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15238921141380296441noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4711523044684902084.post-77407522604829296872009-03-08T11:07:00.002-04:002009-03-08T11:07:01.087-04:00

I have another interview coming up this week; I am hoping it goes well but I'd be lying if I said that I had high hopes. I have gone into every interview with a positive attitude, did my best to portray the CNM I would be and what I would add to their practice. I've walked out of each one thinking I had it in the bag. And then.... nothing.I've reviewed everything about these interviews to see

Labor Nurse, CNMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15238921141380296441noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4711523044684902084.post-17842705013709189662009-02-27T17:55:00.002-05:002009-02-27T17:55:00.436-05:00

You may have noticed that whenever you have a health care encounter- an office visit, your gyn exam, an emergency room visit, when you birth in a hospital- you are asked if you are safe in your relationship. This is typically asked by your nurse, and (hopefully) asked in private. It has become a standard question on the admission process in hospitals, regardless of your age or gender or why you

Labor Nurse, CNMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15238921141380296441noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4711523044684902084.post-73598406970006325732009-02-20T17:13:00.003-05:002009-02-20T17:19:50.641-05:00

Want to know if you area hospital "bans" VBAC? Here is an awesome list from ICAN. Also poke around their site for more info on VBAC and the ridiculous things that hospital talking heads say why VBAC is "banned".You can also submit info about VBACs at your hospital to ICAN, or if they missed one you can tell them.

Labor Nurse, CNMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15238921141380296441noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4711523044684902084.post-36758316080421731862009-02-17T21:00:00.000-05:002009-02-17T21:00:09.180-05:00

So another nurse I work with started discussing how a woman she was caring for insisted on being naked throughout her labor, and even after when she first got up to go to the bathroom after she gave birth. The nurse was bothered about "where to put her hands", and that this woman seemed to have a complete lack of modesty.I argued why not be naked? Who cares? And why exactly do your hands have

Labor Nurse, CNMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15238921141380296441noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4711523044684902084.post-9139514346085400662009-02-12T10:17:00.002-05:002009-02-12T10:17:29.107-05:00

Ya know, as much as I bitch and complain, and how much I hate that where I work as a labor nurse is close minded to midwifery (well, the docs, for the most part), I will really miss working there. There is something about the place that feels right. It feels like home away from home. Disaster could strike, a major emergency, anything and everything bad to the nth degree...it feels ok no matter

Labor Nurse, CNMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15238921141380296441noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4711523044684902084.post-20272640234200804662009-02-06T13:49:00.001-05:002009-02-06T13:49:00.304-05:00

Thought I would share this editoral, found in a recent issue of JOGGN- the obstetrical & women's health nursing journal. I don' t think it states anything that people who read my blog would be surprised to learn, but keeps the discussion going.

Labor Nurse, CNMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15238921141380296441noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4711523044684902084.post-14085772025099903552009-02-02T11:08:00.000-05:002009-02-02T11:08:00.538-05:00

I think there is a common misconception about midwives and epidurals or IV medications during labor. I think many people believe that midwives want (and perhaps force upon) women to go completely unmedicated and stay away from epidurals. Or that women who go to midwives have to go unmedicated. Neither is true in most cases. Of all the midwives I've met or worked with, I can't think of anyone

Labor Nurse, CNMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15238921141380296441noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4711523044684902084.post-27613752496078771672009-01-29T11:02:00.000-05:002009-01-29T11:02:00.757-05:00

What would you think if you interviewed with a practice where you felt things went well, you liked everyone you met, discussion was smooth and comfortable, and even had a quick response to your thank you emails from the people you met with, including the director of the practice saying that they were all currently trying to come up with a plan to properly precept you........and they re-advertise

Labor Nurse, CNMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15238921141380296441noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4711523044684902084.post-69840051298736973302009-01-27T16:46:00.000-05:002009-01-27T16:46:00.753-05:00

This one had steam coming out my ears....Young woman, first time mother, in early labor. Well, more like prodromal labor because her cervix was not changing, or could have been false labor, but at this point we didn't know. She was just beside herself with her contractions so she stayed for some IV medication and sleep, and then was reevaluated several hours later. The resident did the exam

Labor Nurse, CNMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15238921141380296441noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4711523044684902084.post-36908628169790446112009-01-19T20:50:00.002-05:002009-01-19T21:07:47.345-05:00

A comment from the previous post:Now you have my curiosity piqued, since I have two clients who may have Cesareans in the near future.So, what ARE your tricks for the first time getting out of bed?Thanks! SarahSo here are my tips for getting out of bed for the first time after a Cesarean birth- this can be applied to anyone with abdominal surgery- that hopefully will make it much easier!No matter

Labor Nurse, CNMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15238921141380296441noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4711523044684902084.post-37503755468208468662009-01-12T18:01:00.004-05:002009-01-12T18:23:05.361-05:00

The other day at the gym I was pedaling my ass off on a recumbent bike listening to my iPod (I finally got up with the times) and looked up to towards the half dozen tv monitors that hang above the equipment. I could not hear them because you have to tune in to whatever radio frequency they correlate with, but one of the tvs had a new J&J nurse campaign commercial. What I was surprised about,

Labor Nurse, CNMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15238921141380296441noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4711523044684902084.post-81467705798587920432008-12-26T13:38:00.002-05:002008-12-26T13:55:28.843-05:00

....that was a search query in google that lead someone to my blog.Really.There was also a google search query "I'm 13 and want to grab some boobs". I think that is likely the same person, what do you bet?Here are some others, which make much more sense:Mucous plugOh...the mucous plug never dies, does it? There is nothing magical about it, people. Well, perhaps there is- but not for reasons

Labor Nurse, CNMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15238921141380296441noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4711523044684902084.post-52017224660282245882008-12-18T18:59:00.002-05:002008-12-18T19:35:07.887-05:00

I am sure some of you have already heard the lawsuit against an obstetrician who treated a woman in labor having her 5th baby horribly, so badly in fact that it caused her emotional trauma. I've written about rude and condescending things I've personally witnessed or heard about, but nothing compares to what is alleged in this particular suit.The original story broke in the Chicago Tribune. The

Labor Nurse, CNMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15238921141380296441noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4711523044684902084.post-68386854727327679502008-12-13T09:01:00.003-05:002008-12-13T09:35:27.757-05:00

Several posts back I wrote about a doctor asked me for my assessment on whether a woman was fully dilated or had an anterior lip. I found it ironic that I was trusted enough as a CNM who happens to still work as an RN by the doctors that I work with yet none want to actually work with a CNM, let alone hire one.This post got the following comment that I have been thinking about since:Sounds like

Labor Nurse, CNMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15238921141380296441noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4711523044684902084.post-45054713638026603812008-12-09T11:07:00.003-05:002008-12-09T11:17:57.416-05:00

A woman I was caring for on the postpartum floor had an enormous amount of anxiety about breastfeeding. She was a first time mom, and just had herself wound so tight about whether breastfeeding was going to be successful or not. And of course, Murphy's Law was in full gear. Her baby would not latch. So we got her started with a breast pump, and I was very excited after a long explanation of

Labor Nurse, CNMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15238921141380296441noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4711523044684902084.post-79340726183630694142008-11-26T15:09:00.003-05:002008-11-26T15:18:24.800-05:00

Does this make any sense?Everyone at work knows I am now a CNM. I've approached each and every provider and asked if they wanted to add a midwife to their roster. Each has said no. One even laughed.So...clearly they don't want midwives...or me...or both...But why is it then, that when I called a doctor to the room to check a woman who was clearly fully dilated (an exam is rarely needed for

Labor Nurse, CNMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15238921141380296441noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4711523044684902084.post-66150054025055706462008-11-17T14:11:00.003-05:002008-11-17T14:11:00.816-05:00

I was talking with a woman who told me that she was never going to have anymore children because her last birth experience was so horrifying that she can't even fathom putting herself through such anxiety again. Her second child was born by c-section and in a different hospital than her first. It was an unplanned emergent c-section that sounds like it was a true stat situation. She had come to

Labor Nurse, CNMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15238921141380296441noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4711523044684902084.post-78962506577544916092008-11-13T16:12:00.002-05:002008-11-13T16:18:53.018-05:00

Because, that's the only place I can practice midwifery at this point. Hopefully this will change in the very near future, but it's not looking hopeful. So my dreams are littered in midwifery. Many times I find myself breastfeeding babies- either my own or some random little one I find awfully cute. One of the most recent was a dream where I was in an office that looked very similar to an

Labor Nurse, CNMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15238921141380296441noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4711523044684902084.post-67331800662712701232008-10-26T15:41:00.002-04:002008-10-26T15:41:00.337-04:00

On line with my previous post regarding knowledge of the birth process in the hospital, and just knowledge of normal birth in general, or even knowledge of what specific events have occurred during their own birth- I'm amazed at how little people know.When I meet people, my profession frequently comes up in conversation. And this leads into various birth stories, doctor stories, nurse stories,

Labor Nurse, CNMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15238921141380296441noreply@blogger.com22tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4711523044684902084.post-48754297439125111982008-10-19T17:43:00.000-04:002008-10-19T18:19:34.280-04:00

Oh...birth plans. Frankly, I am not sure how I feel about them. I think they can be very useful in making sure your needs and wishes are communicated to those who care for you. But, on the other hand, they can be a barrier for those who care for you because they have this preconceived notion that birth plans=hippie, crunchy women who are resistive to medical care and think that you will

Labor Nurse, CNMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15238921141380296441noreply@blogger.com27tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4711523044684902084.post-70175352871761833302008-10-13T08:17:00.003-04:002008-10-13T08:17:00.803-04:00

Imagine all our surprise when the baby is pulled from the mother's abdomen from a vertex position during a c-section for breech.First of all, I'd be pissed if I were that woman.During my most recent shift at work (remember, I am still working as an RN) I was assigned to care for the scheduled c-section patient. Things during the prep were going along just smoothly, the woman and her husband were

Labor Nurse, CNMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15238921141380296441noreply@blogger.com36tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4711523044684902084.post-22239599120731505822008-10-10T20:07:00.000-04:002008-10-10T20:10:44.542-04:00

....you may now call me Labor Nurse, CNM.

Labor Nurse, CNMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15238921141380296441noreply@blogger.com23tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4711523044684902084.post-33700671706286933452008-09-25T19:08:00.001-04:002008-09-25T19:08:00.514-04:00

An anonymous commenter left a comment about something that she was shocked and quite bothered by during her c-section. Here is the portion of the comment that I'd like to share:After my husband and baby left the room and they took down the sheet, I lookeddown and saw that my legs were in "frog" position and people were pushing on mystomach and looking between my legs. I was so upset that no one

Labor Nurse, CNMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15238921141380296441noreply@blogger.com45tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4711523044684902084.post-8350656074196555742008-09-23T20:48:00.002-04:002008-09-23T21:00:31.964-04:00

Hello, everyone.Labor Nurse is very, very tired....I thought that graduating would free me up, which in some sense it has, but instead of clinical and tests and papers and the like, I have work, work, and a little more work in between studying for the boards. Which, by the way, is coming up very soon. Like next week.I am also interviewing, which is an equally tiring process. There is so much

Labor Nurse, CNMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15238921141380296441noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4711523044684902084.post-9010600499055070522008-09-18T12:00:00.001-04:002008-09-18T12:00:00.294-04:00

It's weird how things just pop into your head; random thoughts of things long forgotten. The other day I suddenly found myself remembering this scene:Me, a nursing student in the mid-1990's, in a corner of a labor room. A woman pushing, her husband at her side looking very nervous and unsure. And the labor nurse and doctor at the foot of the bed, their arms crossed, discussing the woman's

Labor Nurse, CNMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15238921141380296441noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4711523044684902084.post-22356196929404401782008-09-13T10:40:00.001-04:002008-09-13T10:40:00.609-04:00

I wonder if I am imagining this, but I think that some of my fellow RNs view me differently now that I've graduated. Fortunately, not all of them are like this, but they seem to resent my education. They have progressively been less and less interested in having a conversation with me about anything, even non-work related stuff, and have not even acknowledged that I've finished.Now, I would

Labor Nurse, CNMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15238921141380296441noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4711523044684902084.post-83223056153305468202008-09-09T12:16:00.001-04:002008-09-09T12:16:07.581-04:00

I know you all read the celebrity gossip mags at the checkout lines at the grocery store...so the one that caught my eye today: Angelina is feared to be suffering from postpartum. Oh, really? Because she certainly is postpartum, given that she had twins not too long ago. So why is she suffering from it?Here is a display of one of the many things that annoy me. Now, I know that what they mean

Labor Nurse, CNMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15238921141380296441noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4711523044684902084.post-23009835185671299032008-09-06T09:34:00.000-04:002008-09-06T09:34:00.903-04:00

For some reason this announcement feels very anticlimatic- but I am officially done. Graduated. Ready to take the boards.It feels really good to not have to worry about any assignments, waking early for clinical, not sleeping for more than 24 hours at a time.Sigh....

Labor Nurse, CNMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15238921141380296441noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4711523044684902084.post-66411952309832405842008-08-30T13:28:00.000-04:002008-08-30T13:28:00.768-04:00

Fortunately I haven't seen this too often, but it is something that really annoys me. It's the whole second baby syndrome. Symptoms include:Over-compensating with an unusual amount of attention to the first bornA significant amount of gifts for the first bornAnxiety so thick you can slice the air with a knife when the first born comes to the hospital to meet second bornFirst born flailing and

Labor Nurse, CNMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15238921141380296441noreply@blogger.com20tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4711523044684902084.post-10884212840209634462008-08-25T19:01:00.003-04:002008-08-25T19:04:08.945-04:00

Not sure if theifery is even a word, but it should be.So how is it that a woman coming in for her regular prenatal visit thinks it's totally fine to permanently borrow a $700 doptone? Like, you know, we might not notice it missing?What balls.

Labor Nurse, CNMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15238921141380296441noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4711523044684902084.post-57023515054597839732008-08-22T13:47:00.001-04:002008-08-22T13:47:00.392-04:00

Actual conversation with a patient:Patient (just turned 16 year old, 34 weeks pregnant with first baby): Do you have any children?Me: No.Patient: Why not?Me: Because life has kept me very busy...you know, school and stuff.Patient: Are you going to have children?Me: Yes, someday.Patient: Well, how old are you?Me: How old do you think I am? (I always ask this when asked being I've been

Labor Nurse, CNMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15238921141380296441noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4711523044684902084.post-57875114354581284382008-08-18T09:00:00.000-04:002008-08-18T09:00:00.174-04:00

Yesterday my preceptor told me that I should not have opinions. I have to laugh at this now, because clearly she hasn't really learned who I am. But at the time I couldn't believe that she said this.The context of the conversation was about my own midwifery practice; she felt that only experienced midwives should have opinions about how they practice. I nodded and went along with this

Labor Nurse, CNMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15238921141380296441noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4711523044684902084.post-17502131637116679792008-08-12T15:31:00.000-04:002008-08-12T15:31:00.735-04:00

One of the coolest things, in my opinion, is amniotic ferning. Amniotic fluid, when dried, creates a fern leaf like pattern that can be seen microscopically. The presence of ferns are a strong indicator that the bag of waters has broken. Two others are looked for: pooling of water in the vagina seen on speculum exam or visualizing fluid coming from the opening of the cervix and a positive

Labor Nurse, CNMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15238921141380296441noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4711523044684902084.post-62538032022024104752008-08-03T15:32:00.000-04:002008-08-03T15:32:00.408-04:00

As it appears right now, there will be no midwifery jobs out there when I graduate. Sure, there are jobs available, but I'm not moving. I live where I want to live for the rest of my life and want to provide midwifery care to the women in this area. Midwifery is limited in my area, mainly because there have been administrative cuts to midwifery practices or physicians do not want to cover CNMs

Labor Nurse, CNMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15238921141380296441noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4711523044684902084.post-15819099696390308242008-07-29T20:17:00.003-04:002008-07-29T20:32:35.528-04:00

Did anyone see the segment on GMA this morning about women who didn't know they were pregnant until they were giving birth? I didn't catch much of it, other than a clip of a woman who was explaining how she went to an emergency room with the complaint of terrible stomach cramping from what she contributed to the flu.Let me just start by saying I don't get it at all. I really don't. Now, I can

Labor Nurse, CNMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15238921141380296441noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4711523044684902084.post-50077706688584618092008-07-22T12:27:00.002-04:002008-07-22T12:39:33.327-04:00

When I started my obstetrical nursing career, I found the beloved Dansko. I bought my first pair in 2000; grey nubuck clogs. The cured my lower back pain. They let my feet breathe. And they worked well with jeans and such.I loved my Dansko clogs so much that my feet would reject any other shoe. So I had to buy more Danskos in various styles. Sandals, sport clogs, dress clogs, you name it.

Labor Nurse, CNMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15238921141380296441noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4711523044684902084.post-41706393190110072512008-07-18T10:19:00.003-04:002008-07-18T10:45:30.671-04:00

I've been fortunate for most of my student clinical career to have preceptors who don't subscribe to the philosophy, or at least strongly, of "I suffered and so should you". It is not unique to midwifery; I've seen it in nursing and medicine. For instance, when I was in nursing school we often heard that new grads would just have to accept night shift jobs on over-worked med-surg units because

Labor Nurse, CNMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15238921141380296441noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4711523044684902084.post-73429562747255666462008-07-10T20:54:00.003-04:002008-07-10T21:00:35.732-04:00

Do you remember when you were a senior and high school and you finally saw the light at the end of that long, tortuous tunnel? And you like stopped caring about school and homework, and even skipped to hang out at your friend's house to watch daytime talk shows and eat ice cream and fast food? You know, the senior slide?Well, I am experiencing this as we speak. Type.Except the cutting school

Labor Nurse, CNMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15238921141380296441noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4711523044684902084.post-19070869021329089542008-07-05T10:35:00.003-04:002008-07-05T10:42:45.549-04:00

My final clinical rotation is underway, and boy is it tiring. I've had several births, all very nice. They were all first babies for the mothers and all were unknown sex. I love that. Where else in life do you get a surprise like that? I can't think of any.I had asked a couple who had decided not to find out the sex of their baby why they chose to do this. So many people find out (and often

Labor Nurse, CNMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15238921141380296441noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4711523044684902084.post-43658007362226003772008-06-30T18:52:00.002-04:002008-06-30T18:55:01.719-04:00

I know that the internet childbirth world is all abuzz about the AMA's resolution to "outlaw" homebirth, so I wanted to share this link with you. I found it very uplifting, and hope that a reply is posted someplace.

Labor Nurse, CNMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15238921141380296441noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4711523044684902084.post-6722288379392080682008-06-23T21:17:00.004-04:002008-06-23T21:25:08.954-04:00

My husband came up with a very good point about perineal manipulation during the pushing stage of labor. I was talking about how the doctors and residents, and even some nurses, can't seem to keep their hands out of a woman's vagina while she pushes. They stretch the tissues out, push posteriorly on the perineal muscles, and generally create a very swollen perineal and labial mess. I hate it.

Labor Nurse, CNMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15238921141380296441noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4711523044684902084.post-54629724435366932462008-06-21T13:05:00.000-04:002008-06-21T13:09:04.201-04:00

My most recent shift I actually was coughing and gagging at a smell worse than P.O. I was working postpartum again and was attending to my final rounds of catheter bag emptying and general patient upkeep when I entered my patient's room for the ump-teenth time. But this time there was something pretty ripe about the room. I had caught the woman and her boyfriend napping and tried my best to be

Labor Nurse, CNMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15238921141380296441noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4711523044684902084.post-29289964176049486202008-06-17T12:53:00.002-04:002008-06-17T13:04:46.491-04:00

Well, people, I have said this before but I will say it again. I hate working postpartum. This is the official complaint.My "summer break" (if you want to call it that) is being spent on 12 hour shifts at work so that I can try to fill the hole of a bank account before heading back to clinical. And each and every time I go to work I end up on postpartum! My most recent response when I saw

Labor Nurse, CNMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15238921141380296441noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4711523044684902084.post-36251706987435461482008-06-13T21:02:00.001-04:002008-06-13T21:19:20.192-04:00

So I've been reading this book called Cunt: A Declaration of Independence by Inga Muscio. First off, don't read it on public transportation if there are stuffy suburban mother's with their kids near by. They don't like that, presumably because they think you might whip out porn or something. I find the book amusing. I haven't read the entire thing yet, and perhaps I shouldn't make a full

Labor Nurse, CNMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15238921141380296441noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4711523044684902084.post-61161541283392351122008-06-12T18:24:00.003-04:002008-12-10T12:14:36.148-05:00

I received this picture via email from someone at school, and it took me about 3 months to see the baby. I have never been able to see the hidden pictures in those magic eye posters years ago, so I guess it's no surprise that it took me as long as it did. I hope I am not the only one!

Labor Nurse, CNMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15238921141380296441noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4711523044684902084.post-22202959443179061152008-06-10T08:40:00.000-04:002008-06-10T08:40:56.834-04:00

If there is one thing that I absolutely fear in my line of work, it's vomiting. Not vomiting while in labor, because most women in labor who puke have little in their bellies so it's not chunky, but vomiting from a virus. I absolutely dread such a thing. When we get women in triage who need IV hydration for nausea and vomiting, I pray I do not get assigned to them. As soon as I hear that such

Labor Nurse, CNMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15238921141380296441noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4711523044684902084.post-80493526192840359532008-06-07T18:50:00.002-04:002008-06-07T18:57:44.996-04:00

You know, it really irritates me when my fellow students course work completely sucks but they get decent grades. We have been finishing up the semester and have several presentations to make. I put a lot of work into my presentations, spent hours just on research alone- making sure that I use current references from respected sources, assuring that typos and grammar is correct, and my APA

Labor Nurse, CNMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15238921141380296441noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4711523044684902084.post-14799782861757458142008-06-03T11:54:00.003-04:002008-06-03T12:21:12.215-04:00

I recently learned that the Commonwealth of Massachusetts has legislation underway that would create a Board of Midwifery. I had no idea that this was something that was in the state legislature, and was happy to hear about it. I have not done much research on it, but from what I understand this Board would regulate all midwives in the state. This includes CNMs, CMs, and CPMs. Currently, only

Labor Nurse, CNMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15238921141380296441noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4711523044684902084.post-66537538283534638572008-05-31T08:39:00.000-04:002008-05-31T08:39:01.204-04:00

Woman at 37 weeks with herpes virus: "I don't really like the Valtrex."Valtrex is frequently used for HSV suppression in pregnant women so that they hopefully they will not have any herpes lesions at the time of labor.Me: "Are you having any reactions? Do you feel it's not working?"Woman: "I keep having outbreaks, I wasn't having outbreaks with my other medication."Me: "Do you currently have an

Labor Nurse, CNMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15238921141380296441noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4711523044684902084.post-20556745027056078832008-05-30T16:16:00.002-04:002008-05-30T16:18:20.412-04:00

If the fetus you save is gay, will you still fight for its rights?Just some food for thought.I can not take credit for this quote...I came across it somewhere on cafepress.com

Labor Nurse, CNMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15238921141380296441noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4711523044684902084.post-26064267426357425142008-05-28T17:18:00.003-04:002008-05-28T17:39:38.552-04:00

She was 17 years old, but seemed to have the mental capacity of a 6 year old. She had hid her pregnancy until she went into labor; she knew she was pregnant the entire time but was able to conceal it because of her size. I met her at her postpartum follow up appointment. The conversation went in circles, and I was having a hard time understanding exactly what she was describing to me. Her

Labor Nurse, CNMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15238921141380296441noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4711523044684902084.post-41205532613908231992008-05-23T18:01:00.000-04:002008-05-23T18:01:01.558-04:00

I have found it very frustrating trying to explain to people what a midwife is, and why a woman would chose one. When I meet people and they learn I am a student midwife, I often get questioned why am I doing it. Aren't midwives old-fashioned? Aren't they illegal? And they only do homebirth without any medications or anything, right?ugh....Today I went to a new electrologist (because I'm a

Labor Nurse, CNMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15238921141380296441noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4711523044684902084.post-42625730350083722372008-05-21T12:25:00.000-04:002008-05-21T12:25:00.953-04:00

My most recent clinical shift was a nightmare. I don't even know where to begin, but there is one thing that sticks out above the rest, and it is so innocuous that it makes no sense. Between multiple laboring women with so many compounding issues (like untreated STIs or domestic violence or multiple substance abuse issues) that were overwhelming, the pushy physicians who kept making their way

Labor Nurse, CNMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15238921141380296441noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4711523044684902084.post-70714926059526457712008-05-18T16:25:00.000-04:002008-05-18T16:25:00.982-04:00

Imagine my surprise at how the "midwife problem" of the early 20th century crept into the popular socialist novel The Jungle. For those of you not familiar with the novel, it was written in 1904 by Upton Sinclair, a socialist newspaper reporter. He did some investigative work in the meat-packing industry in Chicago at the turn of the century and was horrified by what he saw. Sinclair first

Labor Nurse, CNMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15238921141380296441noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4711523044684902084.post-83717919707876393912008-05-14T20:58:00.001-04:002008-05-14T20:58:00.670-04:00

Today I was disgusted with some of the things that were coming out of this doctor's mouth. I was caring for a woman who came in to the unit at 9 centimeters; she was huffing and puffing, screaming on occasion that this wasn't supposed to be so fast because she needed an epidural, and generally having a hard time with the fury in which her labor was taking. But after the whirlwind of her

Labor Nurse, CNMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15238921141380296441noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4711523044684902084.post-27382455493913621692008-05-14T13:06:00.002-04:002008-05-14T13:07:39.100-04:00

I thought I would bring your attention to an excellent post over at Our Bodies, Our Blog. It discusses the use of nitrous oxide in labor, something that is not an option for women giving birth in America.

Labor Nurse, CNMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15238921141380296441noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4711523044684902084.post-7242476051097822442008-05-09T08:32:00.001-04:002008-05-09T08:32:00.229-04:00

I think it's nurse's week, or nurse's day, or some such hokey celebratory crack pot. If you haven't gathered by now, I don't like nurse's day. This is what I used to think, courtesy of Life & Times: Did you know that this week is National Nurse Week? May 6th is the official Nurse's Day but it is now a full week. I've always wondered the history of Nurse's Day. Did it come from Hallmark much

Labor Nurse, CNMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15238921141380296441noreply@blogger.com6