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Tuesday, December 8, 2009

So maybe OB/Gyn isn't all that bad...

Yesterday, my first day on day float, I messed up before the shift even started. I was terrified that this week was going to be horrible from that point on. Despite my worst fears, these past two days have been awesome! Yesterday I scrubbed in on a C-section then watched a vaginal delivery. After the baby was delivered I got to deliver the placenta - kinda gross and kinda cool all at the same time! Then today I came in crazy early because I had to round on my two postpartum patients. After sign-out we had a couple patients to see and one to prep for a scheduled c-section. I was lucky enough to scrub into the c-section again and do a bit of suture cutting (nothing too exciting, but watching is lots of fun). Then immediately after we finished closing the c-section patient, we headed to our next laboring patient's room because she was feeling the need to push. I'm not really sure how it came about but it was decided that I was going to get to deliver the baby. So I quickly got my sterile booties, gown and gloves on and sat in the stool between the patient's legs. The chief resident stood over my shoulder and quietly gave me a rundown of what I needed to do and when. Less than 2 minutes after I sat down the baby crowned, the head was delivered then I got to do my part. I grasped the head between my two hands and exerted downward pressure in an attempt to deliver the anterior shoulder. We discovered the baby had what's called a nuchal cord (when the umbilical cord is wrapped around the baby's neck). Once that was fixed and we finished delivering the anterior shoulder I pulled up on the baby's head to deliver the posterior shoulder. Once both shoulders were out, all he needed was a quick tug, I grabbed his head and leg and held on for dear life. We clamped and cut the umbilical cord then I got to deliver the placenta (which just entails massaging the uterus, applying suprapubic pressure then tugging gently on the remaining umbilical cord which is still attached to the placenta).

I cannot explain the rush that came along with the delivery! I was jittery for a good 30 minutes after we had finished everything. Does this mean OB is for me? Definitely not! But I had an experience I will never forget!

2 comments:

  1. Sounds exciting for you....I would never want to do it but way to go Jodi!!

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