Men in L&D

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I'm contemplating what fields I'd prefer and I think L&D would be one of them. I've been through the birth of my 3 kids and think it would be one of the more rewarding areas that I could think of prior to starting school. However, my thoughts might change once I would start in the program.

What are your thoughts?

Around here it's nearly impossible to get an L&D job right out of school. Most hospitals want you to have a year of experience but it varies around the country. Quite frankly, I live in a state where 40% of the women deliver by c-section anyway. Who the heck cares if the nurse is male or female? That's one scenario. I think one problem some women have is that they expect their nurse to act as labor support. Of course that can happen when/if the nurse has time. But that doesn't always happen. I had a rotten nurse with my 1st birth and was not about to repeat that so I brought a doula in addition to my husband. My nurse was great the 2nd time but she wasn't my primary labor support. She looked after the medical side of things while my doula, midwife and dh helped me labor.

I'll be honest about a couple things though - I would not want a guy that hasn't been through this before with his spouse. I know there really isn't a way to know that up front but if a male nurse mentioned his own kids, I'd feel so much more comfortable. I had a nurse for a couple hours with my first birth that didn't have kids so I remember thinking 'so you haven't actually done this yourself.... " I also wouldn't want a male post partum nurse but that's because I breastfeed and I would feel strange about having my boobs on display when another male walks in the room. Also - sometimes the nurses really have to handle your boobs to help with breastfeeding and I would not want any male (nurse or doctor) helping with that. For some reason, the birth part doesn't bother me but its like people are pointing out with a male doctor: anything a male doctor would do during birth, I would be fine with a male nurse doing. It's the "after" stuff that I'd prefer to be surrounded by females. :)

I feel your pain about finances. I went from full time research scientist to full time student. I have kids so I'm not willing to work and take more time away from them so to make ends meet, I scout out food bargains, etc. Good luck!

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OK, I see the writing on the wall--I'm about to get shot down, LOL!

I personally would not want a male nurse as my primary OB nurse. I feel birthing is a woman thing, and the support given during labor can be very intimate. I prefer to share this with a woman, kinda a Sister of the Ya Ya Sisterhood type of thing. But to each their own, and with many women it would not be an issue at all.

Would I support a male working on the OB floor as a coworker? Yep! But let me pick a female nurse during birth.

funny how us ladies are so different huh? :up: i personally have had the worst females ob/gyns EVER. both of them when i had a female problem of some fashion, come in to the office, describe my symptoms the answer i get is "well, i've personally never experienced that so i doubt that's what is really going on." umm, yeah, well, my body woman, not yours. after twice dealing with that over 4 years i said forget it, got a male ob/gyn. problems suddenly became real & were fixed promptly as they occurred. asked for a male RN when i went to deliver but they're weren't any. :down: so i took a chance. first baby had a great great nurse. second baby nurse was nice enough but she never would get the doc to break my water (i was parked at 10cm with bulging membranes for over half an hour when my son was delivered he was bright blue all over) because "i've had kids & it's not time for you yet." umm yeah. I will never have another female in women's health if i can help it, too tired of them telling me what my body is doing...

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Wow. I'm shocked and surprised. I'm a first year nursing student and I have heard that the OB rotation in the second year of school can be really uncomfortable for males. Maybe its in certain regions, mine being Michigan.

Ive even been rejected by women a few times at my job as a sitter. When you don't deal with anything at all private. I already got rejected a few times in my med surg rotations as well.

But then again, I am 20 years old and maybe that has a lot to do with it, and like I said the region.

I respect their decisions though, but it is nice when the pts aren't like that because I am nothing but professional and wouldn't ever dream of anything innapropriate in any way. I guess I would say that its nice when you can just do your job and not worry about being suspected of being a creep while your at it. lol.

But also some of the women (usually older) can't help feeling uncomfortable and thats okay. Their usually nice women.

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I say go for it. But you have to find a unit that is cool with having a male on it. I am pretty sure the unit I work on would not be able to handle a male RN. I am totally cool with having a male RN in L&D. I am actually cool with anyone who will come to work and work. Good help is hard to find and if you are up for the job that is more than half the battle.

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As long as the students respect pt. privacy, I have no problems with male or female students. Some female students do their share of gawking at patients and need to be refocused. I think men bring their own perspective and way of supporting and comforting patients to ob. That is often a good thing, both for the moms and the young inexperienced males who often accompany them. Many young men don't know where they fit in with supporting mom and get bowled over by bossy moms and sisters. A positive male role model would be great. There is definitely a place for you. It is more important that you are a good nurse, than that you are male or female. If it's your passion, go for it!

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Specializes in Specializes in L/D, newborn, GYN, LTC, Dialysis.

I have had the distinct pleasure of working with amazing men in OB nursing. if that is your goal, go for it. Don't let anyone nay-say you out of it~!

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Specializes in OB.

I always hesistate to respond to such threads. But I will say this... I work at what is considered one of the best hospitals in the world, and I am a male L&D Nurse, that is also a Lactation Consultant, teaches Ob Preparation classes, and is a very sought after nruse. I am also a minority.... Good Nurses are Good Nurses, and patients just want someone that is a good care provider. That being said I have taken care of people that are very conservative (Muslim etc) and same sex couples.... Only had three patients in three years that didn't want a male OB Nurse.... Go FOR IT!

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Specializes in med-surg, rehab, oncology, ob, peds.

You go for it! I had the pleasure of going to a school with a male and working with that same male RN... He is a GREAT nurse...definitely far more caring than some of my female co-workers/ students. Maybe I'm waaaay off base with this comment (but mean it in a positive way): I think because there is such a stigma with a male being a nurse they tend to work harder in school, be more caring, and more attentive. I have yet to see a male RN in L&D but you'd better believe that I'd most likely request one for the afore mentioned theory. I have 2 kids already and the nurse I had with my 1st born was a female and she was absolutely snarky and uncaring! Good Luck Sir-----you will be a great asset to the nursing world in whatever unit you work in! :yeah:

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