Today's first-time moms may feel overwhelmed when learning about the process of childbirth. There's a great deal to prepare for. Considering how much the field of healthcare has learned about labor and delivery over the years, there are certain details and procedures you may want to look into ahead of time.
If you're a first-time mom prepping for labor, diving into the basics—like who and what will be in the room with you—is a great place to start. You may be in your labor, delivery, and recovery room (LDR) for a day as the average first labor is 24+ hours, so you'll likely feel more comfortable and better prepared if you familiarize yourself with the room's features.
Read on as GE Healthcare engineer Michelle Dowell, CHFP, explains what to expect in the LDR.
Labor and Delivery Staff
The care team for a laboring woman can be quite expansive depending on the mom's or baby's needs, Dowell says. Midwives or doctors may filter in and out of the LDR throughout the laboring process, but labor and delivery nurses will stay close to your bedside. Other specialists may only make a one-time appearance, such as anesthesiologists, obstetrics technicians, or other clinicians. For example:
- When you arrive, you'll meet your nursing team as they prepare your pain management plan, outfit you with monitoring tools, and initiate IVs or other needed interventions. Your obstetrician will also stop by.
- As your labor progresses, you may see an anesthesiologist come in to insert an epidural if you've chosen to have one.
- When the baby is born, you'll see your obstetrician along with labor and delivery nurses who provide your doctor with the supplies and tools they need to deliver your baby.
After birth, the flow of people, and their objectives, will be different. Expect nurses to periodically check on your vitals, the pediatrician to check on your baby's health, and administrators to manage paperwork (such as applying for the baby's social security number). If you're breastfeeding, there may also be a lactation consultant along with your nurse who are available to help.
Monitoring Devices and Technology
Labor and delivery care teams use a variety of machines and monitoring tools on laboring patients.
The one you may have heard the most about is the fetal monitor, which is most commonly in the form of two belts that go around your belly.1 These belts help hold the ultrasound and Toco transducers in place to ensure accurate readings. The ultrasound transducer monitors the fetal heart rate, while the Toco transducer monitors your contractions. Knowing both of these measurements helps track your baby's progress toward delivery, Dowell explains.
Other machines and tools will include a blood pressure cuff, an IV for fluids, a pulse oximeter sensor to monitor your O2 levels, and, in rare occasions, an oxygen mask. These machines help the care team monitor your health as well as your baby's. For example, blood pressure is a crucial vital sign continuously monitored throughout labor. If it gets too high, it can present dangerous complications, such as preeclampsia, reports the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.2 On the other hand, according to a study in BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth, low blood pressure can also lead to complications, such as stillbirth.3
With all these hoses and cables hooked up to different areas of your body, you might be imagining yourself strapped down to your bed. But while most people who receive an epidural will likely need to stay put, others can move around the LDR—which can be good for you and your baby.
According to a 2014 evidence-based review in The Journal of Perinatal Education, women who are active during labor spend less time in labor at an average of 1 hour and 22 minutes shorter. They also have decreased pain and higher satisfaction with their overall birthing experience.4
If you'd like to remain active during labor, ask your care team what they can do to accommodate. Some hospitals may have wireless fetal monitors, such as the Novii Wireless Patch System or the Mini Telemetry System that allow for easier mobility.
"Devices like these are great ways to work in the movement you want or need without feeling hooked up to a hospital bed for hours on end," Dowell said.
Knowing That You Don't Know
Prepping for labor should start long before your due date. Read up, familiarize yourself with the labor technology at your hospital, and ask your doctors questions—but know that you can't (and won't) know everything beforehand. Even the most ardent preppers and planners can be caught off guard during childbirth.
Dowell explained that despite her professional experience engineering medical devices for pregnant women, she didn't fully foresee her actual birth experience. "I'm a planner, so while pregnant, I mentally prepared for all the pathways that my delivery could potentially take. And yet, some things still didn't go according to my plan," she said.
As such, Dowell highlights the importance of flexibility, emphasizing that moms can prep for ideal conditions, but everything is subject to change once labor has started. So, learn as much as you can about the sights and sounds of the LDR, but above all, give yourself and your team the freedom to adjust as needed for the health of you and your baby.
References:
- The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. FAQs: Fetal heart rate monitoring during labor. https://www.acog.org/womens-health/faqs/fetal-heart-rate-monitoring-during-labor. Accessed November 10, 2022.
- The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. FAQs: Preeclampsia and high blood pressure during pregnancy. https://www.acog.org/womens-health/faqs/preeclampsia-and-high-blood-pressure-during-pregnancy. Accessed November 10, 2022.
- Warland J. Low blood pressure. BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth. 2012;12(S1). doi:10.1186/1471-2393-12-s1-a9
- Ondeck M. Healthy birth practice #2: Walk, move around, and change positions throughout labor. The Journal of Perinatal Education. 2014;23(4):188-193. doi:10.1891/1058-1243.23.4.188
