L&D lessons

Since starting medical school, I have been in over 24 deliveries. 12 of those have been over the past 5 nights! Of all these, I have seen a wide variety of births; from women with no meds to an epidural or c-sections, labors lasting 20 minutes to 6 hours, no physician intervention to a "vag hand" and a forearm up to the tip of the uterus for manual extraction of the placenta (vag hand = gloved hand pushing baby's head back up into the uterus for a c-section). I spend my spare time studying pelvic anatomy, pregnancy complications, and any pathology found in women's health. One thing that can't be taught and only experienced is the overpowering joy the fills the room after a new baby is born, usually starts with tears in the mom's eyes. My favorite part though are the new dads, whether he has been pacing outside the door during the whole delivery (cultural) or starts with singing to his new little creation while she's on PPV (positive pressure ventilation for a few minutes after an emergency c-section).


My time on the Labor and Delivery nights shift has quickly come to an end. I think there must be something to the theory that humans naturally tend to deliver at night or wee morning hours for evolutionary reasons (safety, quiet, less predators). For myself, I am only bummed that I didn't ultrasound myself with the portable machine. I knew JD would be disappointed not to be there to see the little pea doing flips in my tummy! Sure is temping though. Lately, my 2nd trimester has been overall better, except for the remaining bloating and intermittent nausea. At least I'm keeping down my prenatal vitamins now.


Have you ever craved fresh cool water with every inch of your being? I have been recently...and not to drink, but to swim in, like being at the beach or lake. Even standing outside on a rainy down pour sounds nice, except I never seem to make it out of the hospital for something like that. I cannot wait to have a weekend off! JD and I will soon be venturing off to Victoria with the grandparents for a relaxing vacation, celebrating our 3rd year anniversary, the end of my 3rd year, and finally getting excited/planning for our sweet pea's arrival.



Strangest advice thus far: "you should sandpaper your nipples to toughen them up before breastfeeding....and have your husband rub olive oil over your stomach every night to prevent stretch marks" - landlord as he was cleaning the gutters of our place



On that note, I should get back to studying/reading review articles/preparing a 5 minute talk for tomorrow.