Labor Support Techniques

[somedayCNM, CNM]

Hello all! I've been out of nursing school for two years and I finally landed a job in L&D. I'm thrilled, but also nervous. Does any one have advice/resources for me, particularly around labor support? I'm a little worried about how I'll handle frequent repeats of this scene from my practicum: Laboring patient comes in the door, wants her epidural NOW, has no coping skills for the pain of early labor, and I have to get her through triage, admit, and an IV start before I can give her what she wants. I watched my preceptor handle this with a remarkable "take charge routine". Any other advice for this situation? I've gotten this far mostly on reading books, so if someone knows of a great nurses handbook to labor support let me know.

Really, any advice in general would be awesome. I'm so excited to be joining the ranks of LD RN's at last!!

[MamaCJRN]

Congratulations! I know how excited you must be even though it's been 16 years since I walked into my orientation on OB.

There are many great resources out there for labor support techniques. From breathing techniques to massage and relaxation. You can find resources on the internet. If your hospital offers childbirth classes, see if you could attend as an observer to learn what is taught or if they have videos or books you could study for ideas.

One of the best things you can do is keep your patient informed. Calmly explain what will be happening during admission and the requirements that must be met prior to getting an epidural (IV fluid bolus, lab results, how far she must be dilated, etc).

Best wishes and enjoy your new area of practice :)

[cindyloowho]

Let them stand and walk as much as possible! When you are in labor, you want to MOVE. Being made to sit still is excruciating and so standing, walking, pacing, and rocking helps make the pain tolerable.