OBRN2011

Mine also hurt like crazy the first fewtimes I wore them. Just wear them a few hours and gradually work up to the whole shift. Once you break them in, they shouldn't hurt and your legs and back will thank you!

You are preaching to the choir! We watched a documentary in nursing school regarding the outrageous numbers of scheduled c-sections in the U.S. as opposed to other industrialized nations. Over in Europe, they embrace natural childbirth, home births, and midwives. One thing we tend to forget is that birth is a normal process and a majority of mothers are healthy, not sick so why do major surgery? I agree that OB nursing is not for everyone. When it's good, it's great. When it's bad, it's the worst day of your life. It is frustrating to deal with physicians who practice based on convenience whether it be their own or the parents. However, there are some wonderful OBs out there and CNMs are becoming more and more popular. I love OB, I love taking care of mom and baby, witnessing miracles every day. Having a baby is a momentous occasion in people's lives and getting to be part of that is an amazing feeling. I love watching new parents together with their newborn, witnessing private moments between new families. That makes up for the bad. Despite it all, these are not the reasons I wanted to be an L&D nurse. When I took my OB rotation, I saw that many of these women were not very well informed as to their options. I think that if women were better informed, many would stand up for themselves and opt for a more natural way. This is the reason I wanted to be an L&D nurse. I want to educate my patients, to help them achieve what they want, to support and advocate. Afterall, isn't that what nursing is really about?

You can try the AWHONN website. This is the resource for all ob nursing. I know they offer educational materials including multimedia.