Advice to new or soon to be New Mothers

[Flames9_RN 358]

This semester we start off with obstetrics! Past few weeks have been with postpartum! But this past week I was in Delivery!! Witnessed 3 cesareans!! WOW, was amazing.

Just like to state ALL 3 doctors and staff were great, very safe, professional! BUT one dr was superb! Was very careful on his "cuts" talked the parents as he went along. The atmosphere was awesome, a true professional! But the other two were fine, but very little communication between DR and mom/dad!! And he/she worked extremely fast! Which some may say thats a good thing, (and in some instances a MUST, but not in these 2) BUT if ya have never witnessed a Cesarean, maybe not. I would bet the Dr that took his time ( no tug of war,if ya have witnesses one ) the mom heals faster!!

So whats my point of this post? If you can talk to a labor/delivery RN or a scrub tech, ask them who a great DR would be to deliver your baby!! They are NOT all the same! As well you could consider a Nurse Practitioner or a mid wife (if the pregnancy is without complications!!) As well if you goto what is called a birthing center (not a hospital) Ensure they have all the proper medical equipment in case the birthing doesn't go as planned!

I could go on and on, birth is truly a wonderful event, I may even consider (if i pass,lol) a career in NICU. One professor I have stated that ALL women of birth giving range should be taking a Folic Acid supplement, which helps prevent tube defects. I recall that nearly 40% of women are surprised to find out they are pregnant!! Not sure on the actual #,but it is very high!! Another fact, by 8 weeks after fertilization, ALL major organs have been developed! Of course they have not matured, but they are there!! So one can see why the 1st trimester is extremely important!

Yes I have blabbed long enough!! And I am a proponent for mothers. Insurance or no insurance, mothers are to be treated as queens at the hospital and out in public! They have gone through sooo much!!

**** the above is my opinion and my opinion only*** Always got to cover one's butt!!

[Flames9_RN 358]

As well I should add. Many mothers at first deny they are pregnant! Nothing wrong with that, hormones are kicking in and its a huge lifestyle change!! But please if you do think your pregnant, go get prenatal care!! People that get prenatal care, well the #'s just go up and up in their favor!! Especially important for the very young (teen) mothers, as they are most likely to be lacking in the proper nutrients!!

Not a sermon, just throwing that out there!! Get that prenatal care started as early as possible. Many hospitals offer a "tour" for the new mom/dad!! And of course their is early child birth classes, etc etc! And If one went the maternity ward and said" Im a new soon to be mom, or considering to be a mom, I would like to talk to a labor/delivery nurse for a few minutes" it could be easily arranged! Ok off my thrown,lol Cheers

[IR5FORMUMSIE 850]

This semester we start off with obstetrics! Past few weeks have been with postpartum! But this past week I was in Delivery!! Witnessed 3 cesareans!! WOW, was amazing.

Just like to state ALL 3 doctors and staff were great, very safe, professional! BUT one dr was superb! Was very careful on his "cuts" talked the parents as he went along. The atmosphere was awesome, a true professional! But the other two were fine, but very little communication between DR and mom/dad!! And he/she worked extremely fast! Which some may say thats a good thing, (and in some instances a MUST, but not in these 2) BUT if ya have never witnessed a Cesarean, maybe not. I would bet the Dr that took his time ( no tug of war,if ya have witnesses one ) the mom heals faster!!

So whats my point of this post? If you can talk to a labor/delivery RN or a scrub tech, ask them who a great DR would be to deliver your baby!! They are NOT all the same! As well you could consider a Nurse Practitioner or a mid wife (if the pregnancy is without complications!!) As well if you goto what is called a birthing center (not a hospital) Ensure they have all the proper medical equipment in case the birthing doesn't go as planned!

I could go on and on, birth is truly a wonderful event, I may even consider (if i pass,lol) a career in NICU. One professor I have stated that ALL women of birth giving range should be taking a Folic Acid supplement, which helps prevent tube defects. I recall that nearly 40% of women are surprised to find out they are pregnant!! Not sure on the actual #,but it is very high!! Another fact, by 8 weeks after fertilization, ALL major organs have been developed! Of course they have not matured, but they are there!! So one can see why the 1st trimester is extremely important!

Yes I have blabbed long enough!! And I am a proponent for mothers. Insurance or no insurance, mothers are to be treated as queens at the hospital and out in public! They have gone through sooo much!!

**** the above is my opinion and my opinion only*** Always got to cover one's butt!!

Not half as much as the baby daddy I'll bet. I'm glad you posted this because if even one mother (or father) reads this, then you've done a great thing. Sounds like you are a changed man (not that you were necessarily a monster before). A most edifying experience no doubt. My brother loved doing deliveries. He once took 48 hours to deliver a baby (a nasty placenta previa, potentially serious complications for mom with all the blood loss) but mother and baby are just fine now.

Just remember Dads to be, heaven walks under the feet of a pregnant mother. So cut Mom some slack.

[Marilyn. 340]

I would think working in the NICU would be a hard job.... at least it would be for me.. seeing all those helpless little babies

[Flames9_RN 358]

Yes NICU would not be easy, and probably not my initial job after school---would like to get some surgical time to build up my skills--but NICU can be very rewarding! Yes some very sad times, but some very rewarding times! At the current hospital I'm at, they try and keep the nurses/families paired together, so some great bonding!! I really enjoyed watching the team work between the nurses and dr

[Marilyn. 340]

our first child was in the NICU for about 12 days...

they told us that we could have our choice of nurses but they never got around to actually going through with that...

he seemed to have a different nurses everyday.. I didn't much like that... he was very sensitive to certain things and each day the nurse would have to find that out.. if he would have had the same nurses they would have already known...

I think it was because he was an unusual case because he was so young about 22/23 weeks and everyone wanted to get a chance to work with him...

although the majority of the nurses that we had were awesome and his doctor was really nice...

they all got really attached to him...

[Flames9_RN 358]

Wow, not sure what to say Marilyn , 22 weeks as you know is extremely young. What i do know is that you were an excellent mom! Some parents believe that they are truly not parents until that have a child home with them. MY opinion is that a mom is a mom at the time of conception. I was told by a RN that has been a RN for nearly 50 yrs--that the best time of ones whole, life is in the belly of their mom!! Just suspended in amniotic fluid, chilling away. So even if it is not a successful birth, that baby had a GREAT time, no matter how long it was. Furthermore no one is to blame if it doesn't turned out as planned,the body is strange that way!! One can eat properly, do everything by the book and it doesn't go as planned! Meanwhile someone else does everything wrong, and they get a healthy baby! Is it fair no, but it is what it is!! Plus some mothers beigin in a bad situation, drugs, battery etc.

Even though I don't truly really know you Marilyn, i do know form your posts on VJ, your a great person and an excellent mom!!

[Aymerlu 3]

I would think working in the NICU would be a hard job.... at least it would be for me.. seeing all those helpless little babies

It definatly takes a special person to work in the NICU. I have a friend that's been an NICU nurse all her nursing career. I after losing a few babies, I couldn't do it though. Kudos to the NICU nurses!

[Autumnchik 6]

Wow Flames, what a wonderful post and such great advice. Sounds like you would make a great obstetrics nurse if you choose that career path.

[keltic 1]

Yes NICU would not be easy, and probably not my initial job after school---would like to get some surgical time to build up my skills--but NICU can be very rewarding! Yes some very sad times, but some very rewarding times! At the current hospital I'm at, they try and keep the nurses/families paired together, so some great bonding!! I really enjoyed watching the team work between the nurses and dr

i write this after coming home from a very long shift of work in the NICU...

working in the NICU is a calling... it is something that is very taxing on your emotions... it can be heartbreaking at times... but, it can be so incredibly rewarding when you see a baby that you would never have thought would make it doing well and going home... we love to see those babies come back to visit as they grow older... when babies are in the unit for long periods of time, they become like family... and most units have primary nursing, where a nurse can choose to take a baby as a primary and then will take care of that baby any shift that he/she works... right now, i am taking care of a 24wk baby with multiple health issues... and i have fallen in love with her... she is why i look forward to going to work... some days are better than others... but, im sticking with her thru thick and thin

the NICU will keep you on your toes and always keep you learning... i love it, and it sounds like you would too... though i have worked in a few other areas of nursing before i was able to move into a NICU, i couldnt imagine ever going back...

good luck with your classes and clinicals!!

[MissStacey 1]

Wow Flames, what a wonderful post and such great advice. Sounds like you would make a great obstetrics nurse if you choose that career path.

Agreed.

Flame- I have never seen you post in such an excited, enthusiastic way as that before- without mentioning hockey

[Marilyn. 340]

Wow, not sure what to say Marilyn , 22 weeks as you know is extremely young. What i do know is that you were an excellent mom! Some parents believe that they are truly not parents until that have a child home with them. MY opinion is that a mom is a mom at the time of conception. I was told by a RN that has been a RN for nearly 50 yrs--that the best time of ones whole, life is in the belly of their mom!! Just suspended in amniotic fluid, chilling away. So even if it is not a successful birth, that baby had a GREAT time, no matter how long it was. Furthermore no one is to blame if it doesn't turned out as planned,the body is strange that way!! One can eat properly, do everything by the book and it doesn't go as planned! Meanwhile someone else does everything wrong, and they get a healthy baby! Is it fair no, but it is what it is!! Plus some mothers beigin in a bad situation, drugs, battery etc.

Even though I don't truly really know you Marilyn, i do know form your posts on VJ, your a great person and an excellent mom!!

thanks...

my only regret is that I didn't spend more time with him... I guess I figured that he would be around for awhile.... also I was still recovering from giving birth and was really tired and sore for those first couple of weeks....

I would think working in the NICU would be a hard job.... at least it would be for me.. seeing all those helpless little babies

It definatly takes a special person to work in the NICU. I have a friend that's been an NICU nurse all her nursing career. I after losing a few babies, I couldn't do it though. Kudos to the NICU nurses!

yeah, me neither

[IR5FORMUMSIE 850]

Wow Flames, what a wonderful post and such great advice. Sounds like you would make a great obstetrics nurse if you choose that career path.

Agreed.

Flame- I have never seen you post in such an excited, enthusiastic way as that before- without mentioning hockey

I agree, Scott has never been this excited about any subject, maybe he finally realizes that the extreme cold that has gripped the continent could only mean one thing, Les Feuilles d'érable 2008 Stanley Cup Champions. Believe it, Flames9, believe it.

[Flames9_RN 358]

I wasnt really looking to forward to "baby" stuff this semester!!! We dont have kids and at this time don't foresee us having any. But I have found the reading very interesting, like half of pregnancies are not planned, how crucial the first trimester is, and how few women get prenatal care, which is soo important.

And was very cool to see that 34 week C-Section. It was an unplanned one (not sure what the complications were to do it, I never heard them say) And like i stated earlier was awesome watching the NICU nursing "swarm" the baby and how they worked like a well tuned "pitt" team,lol Maybe not a great way to explain it, but sort of resembles what they did. There were lie 3 or 4 nurses doing their task, was fascinating. And they were sooo open to a student nurse,lol I just stood back and watched of course,but they were like, watch this, see this, etc, man they were awesome,lol Of course the baby wasn't in that much of danger, just having some minor breathing problems, but he had a very good outlook!

Not sure where i will end up working, but NICU would be on my list,and ya they do take new nurses, but probably best to get down some basic skills and get some confidence. School just gives one the very basics.

And congratulations to the Leafs, they are now LAST in their division!! mayeb al that shovelling snow has tired them out!!

And thanks for your post Keltic, I may PM ya with some questions!! Both my sisters back in Canada are RN"s, but dont deal with babies!!

[CBR 0]

Your enthusiasm is going to take you far and I wish you loads of luck in your career! It's great to see someone with such gusto for nursing again.

I've been an RN for going on 15 years and would love to have just an ounce of that excitement back. Don't get me wrong, I love being a nurse. I've just been in a desk job and want to get back to patient care. I teach new hires at the clinic I work for and I do love teaching, it's just not enough for me though. Being a good nurse and caring for patients is sooooo much more rewarding!!