Dads holding Moms during epidural placement?!?!

Specialties Ob/Gyn

Published

Hi all,

What is your hospital policy and/or your preference and rationale for allowing the husband or family member to stand infront of the mom, supporting her or "hugging" her, as she is receiving her epidural?

I have heard of a case where the husband was holding his wife during the procedure, fainted and hit his head and died!! (i believe this was a Kaiser case in california, dont know the exact details but this is the base of the story).The family then sued (GO FIGURE!) the hospital for negligence in using him as staff in supporting his wife during the procedure. As a CRNA, im very concerned about this as my new job allows the husband to hold the wife, and of course my last job did not! What is going on at your facility? Thanks in advance!

Milo

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Specializes in Education, FP, LNC, Forensics, ED, OB.

Just FYI, here is the thread about that incident:

https://allnurses.com/forums/f35/man-holding-wife-still-during-epidural-dies-111192.html

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Specializes in Maternal - Child Health.

I share your concern and question the appropriateness of this practice. If the laboring mom wishes to have her partner present during epidural placement, and he is able to be of comfort to her without getting in the way or compromising the sterile field, then I think that is fine. But to have him physically hold her is not safe, in my opinion.

We certainly would never ask a parent to hold a child for a LP, and I don't think we ought to ask a father (or allow) to hold his partner during an epidural.

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I think it's a shame we're unable to trust our patients anymore. We can't let dad hug mom or hold her hand because he might pass out and sue? If that's the case we better start banning dads from the delivery room altogether lest they pass out at the birth.

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Specializes in labor & delivery.

We generally stand in front of our moms and hold them by the shoulders, while they hug a pillow. If dad wants to hold her hands thats fine... if he wants to watch the placement of the epidural, he has to sit in a chair.

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Specializes in NICU Someday, I Hope.

I held my wife while she received her epidural.

Maybe you should require 'em to wear helmets...:wink2:

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Specializes in Maternal - Child Health.
I think it's a shame we're unable to trust our patients anymore. We can't let dad hug mom or hold her hand because he might pass out and sue? If that's the case we better start banning dads from the delivery room altogether lest they pass out at the birth.

I think there is a big difference between letting dad hold mom's hand for comfort and having him physically support her in proper position for the placement of an epidural.

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I think there is a big difference between letting dad hold mom's hand for comfort and having him physically support her in proper position for the placement of an epidural.

They aren't doing anything to ensure proper positioning. They are there for emotional support. Even as the nurse "holding" the mom, I wasn't holding her to ensure she stayed in position. I was just supporting her. Me being there wasn't going to stop her from moving. She was the one who had to listen to us and respond when we said "Bend your back out like a cat", I couldn't make her do it.

We also let dads hold moms' legs up when they were pushing. It doesn't require an RN license.

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Specializes in Cardiology, Oncology, Medsurge.

i can't imagine having that scenario happen to me when my daughter was arriving into this world. the anesthesiologist was upstairs doing an epidural on a c section..so, he was unavailable. we had our daughter at alta bates in berkeley, i wonder if they have their fathers to be hold the mother during an epidural?! you know i think going through the birthing sequence helped me to understand that being a nurse wouldn't be so bad and i wowed myself by not fainting when the afterbirth was being delivered into a stainless steal bowl (yuck!)...i'm sure there must be some men who faint when they see that!

[color=#556b2f]ps. please don't ban dads from this business just have them sign a release and wear a helmet!

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I helped my daughter hold position while the epidural was placed; dad wouldn't have passed out, he was just too sorry to be in the room for most of the labor (and tried to leave during delivery because he was "hungry").

:angryfire

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I think it's a shame we're unable to trust our patients anymore. We can't let dad hug mom or hold her hand because he might pass out and sue? If that's the case we better start banning dads from the delivery room altogether lest they pass out at the birth.

I agree - People can faint for all kinds of reasons . . . . I had a student start to faint after learning to do blood sugars on herself last week in Vietnam . . . . as she was squeezing her finger, a spurt of blood came out. She turned white and felt "funny" . . . I had her put her head down and we waited it out. She was surprised by her reaction.

The problem, as I see it, is allowing people to sue for stupid things.

Our laboring moms can have their partners hold them, with the partners sitting in a chair.

I have many things to do at that point - it is nice to have Daddy get involved.

Emmanuel - sorry about your daughter's FOB. :o

steph

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Specializes in nursery, L and D.

The problem, as I see it, is allowing people to sue for stupid things.

That is the main problem, you hit it right on the head Steph!

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