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LIVE FROM THE DELIVERY ROOM
Live from the
Delivery Room... it's Childbirth Realities, with Lizabeth
Baker-Wade, RN Labor and Delivery Nurse!
Let’s be honest, we all want the best possible birth experience, an
easy labor and delivery with a healthy newborn and mother, right?
That’s not too much to ask is it? But how do new parents begin to
navigate their way through the maze of Birth Education choices? And
the pressure to do it “right”.
LAPregnancy has asked Liz to help our readers work through this maze
and help answer some of these questions.
Liz
runs Birth And Beyond along with Cheryl Baker of Birth Partners in
Santa Monica and is a practicing labor and delivery nurse in a
well-known community hospital in Santa Monica.
Liz
was trained at UCLA Medical Center in Norman and High Risk Labor and
delivery back in 1989. After a couple of years as a labor nurse she
started to become acutely aware of how new mothers were grappling
with the birth experience in the very first few hours after birth of
their babies. Dealing with the fatigue alone can bring a woman to
tears at the time when she should be rejoiceful. But Liz was
noticing a disturbing trend. The Birth Experience Letdown (BEL), and
its impact on the new family. Why would a woman feel so very sad,
disappointed and dejected while holding on to a perfectly healthy,
gorgeous baby? The BEL and all the expectation of how it was
supposed to be. Our Birth Plan, our strategy, our dream……… how
did it all go wrong? Or did it?
Liz
teaches parents how to focus on realistic outcomes by trying to help
her clients understand the policies, procedures and responsibilities
of the hospital, doctors and nursing staff. Liz says “ Most new
parents to be have no idea that we must work within a “standard of
care” in order to maintain the best possible quality of care”. But
the bigger picture is that labor is an ever changing scenario“ .Liz
is concerned that many of our mothers are so focused on the “Birth
Plan” that they have great difficulty accepting any change in that
“Plan”. Also “is a labor that has a wonderful outcome i.e., healthy
mom and healthy baby, to be considered a personal failure because it
didn’t follow the “Plan” exactly”? Liz poses the question “ can we
as labor nurses, and Doulas help support our clients in a way that
they can feel positive about the birth experience no matter what
road it has taken”? Liz says “yeas we can”!
Check in again next month when Liz continues her series “Live from
the Delivery Room” with topics such as:·
“Hospital births: what you should know about the labor and
delivery policy and procedure at most hospitals.
“Your nurses role in your birth”, “Being heard: how to communicate
your needs and desires for birth without throwing up barriers."
“Gotta Getta Doula”: interview techniques that can help you
find the right birth attendant for you.
“Why won’t my Doctor support my decision to have a Doula?: What
you can do to help your doctor get behind this important and
necessary part of the birth team.
“The epidural: Using them wisely.
Want More
Information Now?
www.BirthandBeyond.net
Birth and Beyond is
located at
1750 Ocean Park Blvd. Suite 206
Santa Monica, CA 90405
310-458-7678
Liz
Baker-Wade is a registered nurse who has been practicing labor and
delivery nursing for 14 years. She was trained at UCLA Medical
Center in Westwood, CA. Liz's training and practice include all
areas of normal and high risk labor and delivery. Since
Liz continues to practice labor and delivery nursing, she is able
to stay current with ever changing standards and practices.
This also
allows her to apply her own unique style of childbirth education. As
founder of Birth and Beyond, her curriculum enables new parents to
successfully navigate their way through their labor and delivery
experience. |
