This work belongs to Lulu it is provided purely as a guide to
other student nurses. It should in no way be copied or passed off as belonging to a 3rd party.
It is protected under the UK and international law of copyright.
This work belongs to Lulu it is provided purely as a guide to
other student nurses. It should in no way be copied or passed off as belonging to a 3rd party.
It is protected under the UK and international law of copyright.
Conducting a Delivery
Reflection
On Monday there was only one lady on labour ward and my mentor had already gone in to care for her, which was great because there was another student on duty so I was really pleased my mentor had gone in. That’s a bit mean of me but it sometimes can cause a bit of animosity between students all after the same women.
When I went into the room the lady was having a contraction so I just stood quietly till it was over and then introduced myself to her and her husband.
She said she didn’t really care who I was because she was too busy trying to cope with the pain, and she felt a wee bit disappointed with herself for having morphine as she had really wanted a natural delivery, but I reassured her she was doing really well, which she was.
My mentor said she noticed the woman was starting to get a bit pushy but I couldn’t see it at first, and felt a bit useless, but after a few more contractions I started to see what she meant. She was due for an internal examination and this indicated that she was fully dilated and hospital policy is to leave her for an hour and push if she wants to.
I tried to familiarise myself with the paperwork again as it had been a while since id actually completed any of it. During that hour we reassured mum and dad. And talked about what happens next, which was active pushing as per hospital policy.
My mentor told the woman just to concentrate on my voice and that I would be telling her exactly what to do and conducting the delivery. That I’d tell her when to push and then when to stop and pant I got really nervous when my mentor said this because I started to worry that I wouldn’t know when she was to pant.
However this lady was a natural she was pushing really well and when we started to see the head I got my gloves on so I was prepared this time.
The head was really advancing well, but then over 2 contractions seemed to stop and we called in the midwifery sister, however just as she walked in the woman did a really big push and things started moving again.
I continued to conduct the delivery and started to really understand what was happening and what I was doing it was almost like going in slow motion, and mum was so controlled too that it made it seem easy. The head seemed to go on for ever though but she pushed really well and when she got to the panting stage she coped so well, she didn’t even pant she just listened to my voice and did tiny wee pushes till the head was right out.
On the next contraction I tried to deliver the shoulders but they appeared a bit stuck but mum pulled her legs back and gave a big push and out came the whole baby girl, although she was a bit slow to take her first breath but then sustained breathing commenced.
Mum and dad were so proud and I felt great because mum had really helped me by being so focused and I really felt at this moment was the when I really got ‘it’.
The placenta got stuck though and took a bit of time to be delivered but it eventually appeared. Mum had no external lacerations even though her baby was over 10lbs but unfortunately had a few internal tears that needed suturing.
As labour ward was so quiet the family stayed with us, which was really nice, as although I didn’t know them so well before delivery I really got to know them well afterwards.
Mum went on to breastfeed her daughter and both were pure stars it was an excellent shift and I felt like I was a turning point for me.
last updated 05/06/07
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