Mother /Baby/Postpartum/Home Health Nursing

[pirap]

Well I am approaching my first full year of nursing and with other peoples advice I went the Med/Surg route to get some good hands on nitty gritty experience(some days I just shake my head and wonder why?). We are a medical floor, surgical floor and a step down floor for the Surgical Trauma Intensive Care. I have been exposed to almost everything and done everything I can imagine atleast once and although I am not an expert at everything I feel as though I could do anything in this realm.

My question is this. I went to nursing school to pursue a nursing career in a field related to women and childrens health and more in particular Labor/Delivery or Mother/Baby. I have the opportunity right now to possibly do either one(where I am they are separate so you don't get floated or crossed trained-except L&D and Antepartum are trained together). Each one sounds exciting so I am having a difficult time deciding. I can think of nothing greater than helping a new mommy bond with her infant, teaching her infant care, helping her to breastfeed, helping her with her emotional health after a baby, etc etc and the other part of me can't help to wonder the "what ifs" of not pursing the other avenue of L&D. I know there are sadnesses related to loss, etc so I am not overlooking that in either situation.

I work well as a team and alone so does anyone know what other opportunities outside the hospital exist after I train and become skilled at either job position? I am currently trying to become a certified lactation consultant and looking into postpartum doula training. Does anyone know what type of home health opportunities exist?

[SmilingBluEyes]

I know there are nurses who do follow-up post partum home visits for patients who are at risk for one reason or another. You could look into that. But be aware, often such community health positions require a BSN or higher as a baseline of education. Check around and talk to people to see what may be available around you in the way of such work!