New to mother/baby nursing

[alarn84]

I was recently offered a job on a mother/baby floor after working a year on a med surg floor. Can anyone offer any advice on how to transition to this completely different field of nursing? This is my dream job and I don't want to mess it up. Are there any reference books I should read?? We were only given one semester of maternal child nursing in school and only one clinical and I don't remember very much about it. It was given during the summer and we rushed through it. ANY help would be appreciated!

Thanks!!

[DoeRN]

Congrats! I've been pulled to this area and I really enjoyed it. If you still have your OB book I would pull it out and start skimming through it.

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[studentnurse9806]

Hi! I have no advice to offer as I am starting a preceptorship on mother/baby next week (im a student), but am interested in the replies. Good luck at your new job and congratulations!

[M/B-RN]

I got a job as a new grad there. It really helped me to re-read some of my old OB notes. I reviewed mother and baby head-to-toe assessments, common postpartum medications, medications used for a hemorrhage, postpartum complications, and basic care for the newborn. My floor also takes some antepartums so I reviewed some of that too, like pyelo, hyperemesis, gestational diabetes.

Also, my floor gives handouts and booklets to moms for education purposes, I took those and read them myself. I asked the breastfeeding consultant if I could follow her around during rounds to learn how to assist people with breastfeeding. I asked a lot of questions to my preceptor and took notes. Good luck!