the phrase "breaking the bed"

Annony RN · Jun 19, 2008

I went to a midwifery meeting and the phrase came up a couple times. I didn't have the courage to ask what it meant. :smackingf

Assume they were referring to the point in labor where mom is getting ready to push and some facilites start taking the bottom of the bed off if she's in stirrups.

smallwonders07 · Jun 19, 2008

ah, thank you. what is the point of that? makes it easier for the doctors i'm assuming? not that they should do it but what is the downside for mom or baby if they do do it?

CEG · Jun 20, 2008

I don't know if there is a real down side but it certainly puts mom in the stranded beetle position. I like to lower the foot of the bed a little and sit there while I push with her. I HATE stirrups and breaking down the bed. What was the discussion in relation to?

hikernurse · Jun 20, 2008

Just from the position of a mom here. I've had babies in "broken" beds and I've had a couple in "unbroken" beds--only because I'm a very quick birther and there hasn't been time to break anything--and my guess would be it's convenient for those attending, rather than those actually giving birth. Giving birth on a regular bed is much more comfortable and immediate. I think there's a reason the beds are called broken...

lovingpecola · Jun 20, 2008

I am a student who prefers the bed to be broken down. The nurses do not like to break the beds though because there's a potential for a mess on the floor (which is harder to clean up than just changing the bed linen). Most of my classmates do not like to break the bed down because they are afraid they might drop the baby, and with the bed there you have a soft cushion and there's really nowhere for it to "fall" if it were ever to happen (highly, highly unlikely)

I don't like to lower and sit on the bottom of the bed because I weigh a lot and don't like how unsteady (ie weak) that little part of the bed feels under me. But I only say yes to breaking the bed if the woman is *already* in stirrups.

midwyf · Jun 21, 2008

I really cannot see any benefit in "breaking the bed". ??? What do you see as th benefit?

okchug · Jun 21, 2008

just my experience but with my delivery, the bed "broke" into a chair which allowed me to be more upright and gave my feet more stability. I have attended births as a doula that the bed broke out to provide a small space that had a biohazard bag attached so there wasn't as much mess on the floor. but these required mom to be more on her back.

smallwonders07 · Jun 21, 2008

thanks for the responses. the discussion was in relation to some of the practices that no longer exist in the hospitals where the cnm's who were speaking work. breaking the bed was one of a few.

beckinben, CNM · Jun 22, 2008

I am a student who prefers the bed to be broken down. The nurses do not like to break the beds though because there's a potential for a mess on the floor (which is harder to clean up than just changing the bed linen). Most of my classmates do not like to break the bed down because they are afraid they might drop the baby, and with the bed there you have a soft cushion and there's really nowhere for it to "fall" if it were ever to happen (highly, highly unlikely)
I don't like to lower and sit on the bottom of the bed because I weigh a lot and don't like how unsteady (ie weak) that little part of the bed feels under me. But I only say yes to breaking the bed if the woman is *already* in stirrups.

Interesting that the nurses have that preference. At my hospital, I (virtually) never break the bed. I've really had to get the nurses used to it. I think it's easier to keep the bed clean if you break it down, but the advantages of not breaking the bed are worth it to me. If you do break the bed down, the only realistic position that moms can do are being on their backs. If you don't break the bed down, it is much, much easier to get moms on their sides, or up on hands and knees, or up squatting. I will break the bed down, though, to do most repairs. It's much easier to really get a good look at what's going on with a laceration with the bed broken down.

I guess I've never thought of it as helping to not drop the baby. For me, babies almost always go straight to the mom, so I have an extra pair of hands to help hold onto them. :chuckle

I hear you , though, about the end of the bed. I broke one once. :imbar I still feel pretty strongly about doing what I can to keep birth as normal as possible. And breaking the bed just feels so medical to me.

lovingpecola · Jun 24, 2008

okchug- The biohazard bag was there, but not all of the fluids made it into it! I felt so bad

beckinben - I only do it if she's already in stirrups and not coming out of them. Unfortunately most of our patients do labor in the bed because they've been induced and put on pitocin and have epidurals... they aren't eligible to be in all of those positions anyway. We do put baby straight to belly...but there is that moment between getting a good hold of the shoulders and belly that's a little iffy, lmao, so I understand the fear. Did you hit the floor when the bed broke? I am so terrified of this, LOL!

snazzy-jazzy, BSN, RN · Jun 24, 2008

During my second labor my best friend was in with me and she took the bottom of the bed away. I didn't have my feet in stirups though (cringe). But I could put my feet on some kind of support that was there and use this to push against. It was like sitting upright, as the end of the bed was lifted up. I found it a great way to give birth. I also didn't get on the bed until I got that first pushing contraction.

Compared to my first birth which was 9yrs earlier and I wasn't even allowed off the bed, the second birth was much easier.