Delivered

One thing I believe Lance wishes I was LESS open about would be anatomy- especially reproductive anatomy.

I am not quite sure what fascinates and excites me so much about using the appropriate jargon when talking about "how to make a baby," but the thought of it just has be giddy (I know. I'm weird).

So this semester in school we are learning OB/Peds and Psych.  I had my first clinical rotation yesterday at the University of Utah on their Labor and Delivery unit.  I've spoken with a lot of my friends and fellow nurses/nursing students and many told me they thought they would LOVE labor and delivery a lot more than they actually did after seeing a live birth.  For the past year, however, I have been "set" in my mind that I want to be a Labor and Delivery nurse after I graduate.  Obviously since I had never seen a live birth until yesterday it was hard to set my future goal in concrete... until NOW!

So I arrived at the U at 5:45 am (as instructed by my teacher the nght before via text) only to find out that I wasn't actually supposed to be there until 6:45... man did I MISS that hour of sleep.

After sitting, and waiting (and wishing I'd be on l&d).. 0645 came and I finally got my assignment for the day. YAY!!!!!!!!! YAHOO!!!!!!!!!!! L&D HERE I COME!!!!!!!!!

We got our surgical scrubs for the day (I'm confused why the U has blue scrubs instead of red, or black, or white...) and next was report.  Apparently the night before they had a TON of deliveries, but at 0700 there was only 2 mommies on the board.  I jumped at the opportunity to work the twins thinking how AWESOME it would be to see twins being delivered.  I spent the next 11 hours waiting and waiting for this mommy's cervix to do work and kept hoping for her to be ripe enough to deliver.  With only 1 hour left in my shift and ZERO deliveries in the entire unit I was getting super emotional.  I did not just wait 12 hours to see a delivery and NOT see one.. Especially since this is my ONLY day on L&D. Just as I was about to get extremely upset a nurse stood up and said "well my gal wants to start pushing" I quickly said "CAN I PLEASE PLEASE COME!?"  Thank heavens this new-mom-to-be was so kind as to allow me to be there for her delivery.  I was IN the action, holding and supporting her leg as I counted and she pushed.  The pushing went on for 45 minutes before the doctors decided it would be best if they helped guide out the little one with forceps.  With a quick stick of the forceps they were ready to rock and on the next contraction bing bang boom the baby was out... it looked almost identical to this...

As soon as the baby was free Dad cut the cord and I was on the verge of crying (but stopped as to not embarrass myself).

What an addreneline rush, amazing, once in a life time experience to witness the birth of this beautiful little present from heaven.  I was just in awe at how calm and peaceful the delivery process was and how on the ball and great the team of doctors and nurses were.  Having witnessed such a miracle come to pass I KNOW I want to deliver babies!!!!