male labor and delivery nurses

allnurses Guide · Jun 25, 2005

Miranda - your post about your grandmother was very moving. My grandmother ended up in a nursing home and had the same experience but it was mostly due to her private nature. You lose all semblance of privacy in a nursing home and it was very hard for her as she was an independent soul who lived alone and took care of her home and yard all by herself. She too was won over by some kind and caring people, male and female.

I think your attitude is smart and also caring. Don't initially take umbrage at what you perceive to be bias . .. wait it out, win them over, take your time. Love wins in the end.

steph

PhoenixGirl · Jun 25, 2005

Hi I'm a pediatric nurse from the bay area. I've been working here about six years and am concidering trying labor and delivery. I loved it in school, and I loved it when my wife gave birth. I was wondering if anyone knew any male LD nurses. I posted a similar question not long ago, but I got only one reply from a man, and he said he could not get a LD job. I got some positive and some not-so-positive replies from women. I would love any input!
Thanks,
T.

I think you should go for it if you want to! There are male ob/gyns so why shouldn't there be male l&d nurses? And male nurses can take care of women and babies all over the hospital so again, why not l&d. I had a male nurse when I was going through a stillbirth in l&d. I found him to be no different than any other nurse I've had.

Rebecca

plc19 · Jun 25, 2005

I think it is a wonderful place I support male nurses 110 percent My best friend is the wonderful male nurse!!!

MsScarletRN · Jun 25, 2005

This is my first reply to anything on here so I am not quite sure how it works but here it goes. I love L&D and I can't see where a male nurse in L&D would be a bad thing. We had a surgical tech in our L&D and when there was not surgery going on he played the role of a patient care tech in L&D and most of the ladies loved him and actually thought he was a nurse. He never told them any different and or course he did not do anything that a nurse would do for them but usually the women did not mind him.

Hi I'm a pediatric nurse from the bay area. I've been working here about six years and am concidering trying labor and delivery. I loved it in school, and I loved it when my wife gave birth. I was wondering if anyone knew any male LD nurses. I posted a similar question not long ago, but I got only one reply from a man, and he said he could not get a LD job. I got some positive and some not-so-positive replies from women. I would love any input!
Thanks,
T.

FrumDoula · Jun 27, 2005

It's interesting ... most of us who are responding are female and are pretty comfortable with male L&D nurses.

When I asked my husband the other day about how he would feel about a male L&D nurse, he looked at me as if I had gone absolutely wacko and said, "No flippin' way!". I think there are many husbands who might share his belief. Women in general are often more accepting of alternative ideas than men, especially at first, and many men are deeply uncomfortable with another man seeing their wife in such an intimate way. It's one more perspective, anyway.

Interestingly, my hubby is a respiratory therapist and medical student who will have to do time on L&D. He really believes in the idea of women supporting other women through labor and birth, and that the male presence in obstetrics was, from a historical perspective, WAY more about money than caring for women and babies.

And yes, if I were to risk out to an OB/GYN for our birth (lots of you know that I'm the freaky gal who's having a homebirth in a few weeks :) ), he would prefer a female OB.

Still, I don't always believe women are better care providers. With my son, I started with a female midwife who was wretched and switched to a family practice doc who I believe should be made into an Honorary Girlfriend. He was just THAT sensitive. So I'm aware of the ideal versus the reality.

Alison

NursePamela · Jun 28, 2005

I have no problem with male nurses but call me old fashioned or too conservative or whatever, I would not want a male nurse for any female thing. That being said I also prefer women doctors for female things. I wont be as honest with a man as I would a woman. Sorry, that is just the way I feel. On a further note I also prefer my ob nurse to have had kids herself so she can relate somewhat on a personal level as well as professional.

mwbeah · Jun 29, 2005

Hey All,

Just wanted to add that men can excel in the labor and delivery arena. I worked from 1996-2000 at the New York Hospital. I had a great time and had no problems with patients. There were only three occasions (over 4 years) that I did not "take" a patient. Those women were very conservative Islamic women who were in the traditional dress.

I came extremely close to entering a midwivery program at Down State. I have read the postings and am saddened by the bias towards men in this field. My take on this is that men in this field understand that it is unorthodox and with that, men "go out of their way" if you will in caring for the laboring mother and staying current with AWHONN standards and practices. Now I have taken my experience as a labor nurse and have incorporated it into my anesthesia practice. Wow! what a great place to be, providing comfort and care for the laboring woman.

Have a great day,

Mike

TweetiePieRN · Jun 30, 2005

I prefer to have female drs/nurses for female issues like OB-GYN. My only real reason is that I just feel more comfortable discussing sexual issues/female concerns with another woman. If I am discussing something like menstrual cramping or whatever, usually the female RN or MD I am talking to has experienced it firsthand. I know not everyone thinks like that, so I think it is fine to have a male RN working OB.

Peaches N L&D · Jul 2, 2005

i learned a lot of my tricks from a male nurse he was very smart and an asset to our unit.i miss our male nurse very much, he never did ve's and i respected that.....i think male nurse's in l&d are great as long as they respect their patients/profession

nurseunderwater · Jul 2, 2005

It's not like women don't expect a strange man to see their cootchies at some point during a pregnancy.
Hee, hee. But honestly, I don't expect strange men to see my cootchie during pregnancy!!! I will either have a woman OB or midwife. Just my preference.

Me too: 3 kids, homebirth, midwife - I controlled who saw my cootchie and when.

There was a reaaaaaaaaaaaaaaally hot debate on this a couple of years ago on the board. A male LD nurse was part of the discussion. Look through the archives and see if you can't pull it up.

Good luck daddy-o

Kate

GrnHonu99, RN · Jul 2, 2005

I don't have any children so maybe I can't really comment..but I don't think when that time comes that I would mind at all...I mean it's all professional, it's not like anyone gets pleasure out of lady partsl exams and what not...I used to see a female GYN and I felt more uncomfortable than I did with my male GYN so I switched back.

I say go for it, there isnt a reason not too, youll never know until you try! GOod Luck:):)

Dayray, RN · Jul 5, 2005

Someone mentioned a post a few years ago reguarding this topic. Several years back this topic was disscussed quite offten. Looking back threw the posts I realise how much this board helped me threw my first year in OB. There were allot of people who encouraged me (SMBE's and otehrs) and there were also those that openly attacked me forcing me to explore my motivations and really pissing me off just enough to keep me going. Anyway here are 2 of many of the disscussions we had back then. have fun...

https://allnurses.com/forums/showthread.php?t=19819

https://allnurses.com/forums/showthread.php?t=25956

LOL I kinda feel like a kid, lighting up a fire craker and running away.