OB Nurse's View on Natural Childbirth

tntrn, ASN, RN · Mar 25, 2012

I am all for it, but imbelievemthe docs push for epidurals more than nurses do. But I find that younger nurses with less experience with natural childbirth are sometimes more uncomfortable about it. Having an anesthesioligist pay a visit early in labor can be a pressuring thing too. I know of anesthesioligists who think all women should have epidurals and have little respect for those who don't.

serenity1 · Mar 26, 2012

Most of us in L&D at my facility are for it. The doctors are the ones that like to hurry things along and intervene, in my experience. Good luck!

cayenne06, MSN, CNM · Mar 26, 2012

I think that nurses in any specialty get used to doing things a certain way. The vast, overwhelming majority of women use some form of pain medication, and so nurses are used to caring for this type of patient. It desn't mean they don't support natural childbirth, it just means patients need to speak up for what they want, and nurses need to listen. In my experience, nurses and most doctors are supportive of natural childbirth. I am an RN and a CPM (someday a CNM!), so that is where my experience comes from.

babyktchr, BSN, RN · Mar 26, 2012

I LOVE LOVE LOVE it when a patient wants to do the natural thing, however many who have the aspirations rarely go thru with it. You really don't know until you experience it if you need interventions such as pain meds or an epidural. My standard routine is to always inform the patient there are ALWAYS options no matter what. I find that the provider is the one who interferes more with this process (deliver in the middle of the night?) more and anesthesia who makes a blanket get it now or never statement. I also think when you come into an unknown such as labor, you shouldn't have a "plan"...you are only setting yourself up for disappointment. Labor is unpredictable. The only thing that is really known is that a baby is coming out....the how and when are variable. Allow your 'dream' to have a free flow and roll with the punches. I think it just turns out better for the family. I will tell you this...in my experience, and many nurses will tell you this....if there is a 'birth plan' it rarely goes the way it is written, because you can't write what comes naturally....

Good luck to you!!!

LexiRN2 · Mar 26, 2012

Thanks for the input! The only components of my birth plan so far are to not get any pain meds or epidural and be able to walk around to cope with the pain. I've heard of stories where women want the same and the minute they're admit to the l&d unit they're put on a continuous fetal monitor and can't walk around freely so then they pretty much have to get an epidural because they have no other way to ease the pain. Sounds like I need to discuss it with my OB and make sure that her group supports natural labor and delivery!

Sun0408, ASN, RN · Mar 26, 2012

Sometimes you are fighting hospital policy. Have you thought about a birthing center instead of a hospital delivery.

Vespertinas · Mar 26, 2012

For the record, if you're into the idea of a natural childbirth, the lithotomy position (legs up in the stirrups) is nearly the farthest thing from "natural".

babyktchr, BSN, RN · Mar 26, 2012

Thanks for the input! The only components of my birth plan so far are to not get any pain meds or epidural and be able to walk around to cope with the pain. I've heard of stories where women want the same and the minute they're admit to the l&d unit they're put on a continuous fetal monitor and can't walk around freely so then they pretty much have to get an epidural because they have no other way to ease the pain. Sounds like I need to discuss it with my OB and make sure that her group supports natural labor and delivery!

You may want to look into a birth center with midwives as another poster said. You will certainly be fighting against policies especially if you are going to end up (or start with) pitocin. Birthing centers are excellent for very low risk pregnancies and allow for all the freedom. I know I have to fight some providers to allow women to walk and be intermittently monitored. I have had great outcomes and they are "coming around" but still have to plead my case each and every time. You certainly should talk to your provider about their "views" on what you want and find out how the hospital where you plan to deliver looks at the 'au naturale'...

Vespertinas · Mar 26, 2012

Please don't ask for a reference but I remember reading recently something about how constant fetal monitoring is now considered unnecessary in most cases and even harmful because it precipitates more interventions that should have been left undone

subee, MSN, CRNA · Mar 26, 2012

Epidurals are a big money-maker for anesthesia. They tend to keep the patients quieter and more docile. Now too long ago, the epidural was a rarity and was administered by the obstetrician and it was part of your MD care and they couldn't charge extra for it. And then an anesthesiologist figured - wait wait! This could become a separate billable procedure if anesthesia gave the block. All of a sudden a bunch of onerous requirements were added to the obstetrician's burdens and they just had to give it up and let anesthesia do all the blocks. Then labor pain suddenly became so onerous that it would be unethical not to "treat" it with the introduction of a garden hose into laboring women......preferably every single one of them. Labor pain is a perfectly normal experience - it serves a purpose in a society which has no initiation for girls into womanhood. Of course, there are times when epidurals are indicated but they are few and far between. This is what happens when you assign a normal body function to medicine instead of midwifery with MD back-up. Birthing is another industry specialty that generates more income for everybody when more invasive procedures are introduced. All of the intelligence and art that used to be required are quaint anachronisms today.

Vespertinas · Mar 26, 2012

Labor pain is a perfectly normal experience - it serves a purpose in a society which has no initiation for girls into womanhood.

My Bat-Mitzvah was great, thanks. Now where's that darn anesthesiologist?