laboring down?

babyktchr, BSN, RN · Feb 16, 2007

Laboring down is waiting until there is an urge to push. Just because you are fully, doesn't mean mommy has an urge to push. Now, there are some that want to push before they are fully. You can't help that. Most of the time you hear "laboring down" when mom has an epidural. Most of the time, they are quite comfortable, and you use that comfort, paired with adequate contractions to move the baby down, passively. That way, mom has less time pushing because her body has already done most of the work. It is a phenomenal practice, if you can get practitioners to allow it to happen.

flytern · Feb 17, 2007

Unfortunately, when patients here the words "you're complete" they think they have to start pushing, urge or not. If they have an effective epidural, no urge, and are -3/-2, sometimes I tell a little white lie ans say they're an anterior lip. And explain that it's not time to push yet.

15 years ago I worked with a wonderful OB who truly believed in laboring down. Heck, mom is exhausted whether she pushes for 15minutes or 2 hours. And usually after about 1 hour, they aren't the best pushers.

:nuke: