Childbirth Workshop
September 24, 2008
The Childbirth Education Workshop definitely proved to be incredibly valuable to my education, and hopefully my lifelong career working as a nurse in labor and delivery. It will definitely prove invaluable when it comes time to assist a woman and support her during such a special time in her and her family’s life.
Although I have two children, I didn’t get any preparation through a childbirth class. Constant preterm labor with my first son kept me from attending every childbirth class I hoped to attend. When labor finally occurred at term, it was nothing but extreme pain and “counting the centimeters” until I qualified for an epidural. I was completely unprepared. After complications and reaching only 5 centimeters in two days an emergency cesarean section was performed. My second son was born at 35 weeks by cesarean section as well after a horrible experience with preeclampsia.
I described my personal experiences because although absolutely nothing went "according to plan" I still view the whole maternity experience in a very positive way. Why? Because there was always that one special nurse each time who had a real passion for her work and was full of wonderful information. Today in the workshop I also acquired some fantastic knowledge and hopefully someday I can make another woman’s experience positive no matter how non-traditional it becomes.
I was introduced to how the process of labor and delivery occur and how the nurse assists the mother, and entire family, to make it the best experience possible. I was especially interested in how the workshop focused on the mother's inner strength and how the nurse can educate and support her so that she can walk away with a positive experience. Pain can be managed and controlled, but the mother must first overcome fear of the unknown with knowledge. That's the first step.
Learning a history of the various childbirth practices was also fun to learn. It’s so interesting to see how far we have come, even in the last 10 years! Supplementing with the videos was also very informative. It showed the best methods of supporting the laboring mother, helping her not feel so alone in the experience, and showing ways to also teach the support person what they can do to help so they feel like they are a part of the process. Giving us the opportunity to experience a brief, yet effective demonstration of relaxation showed us how it felt for us. We, now, have more ideas of ways to assist the laboring mother.
Before today, I felt that I didn’t have great hands-on knowledge about helping a laboring woman. Now, because of the workshop, I feel like I have insight on what occurs during the “traditional” delivery of a baby. I’m ready, more than ever, to go out and help mothers and their families, in the same positive ways that nurses always helped me and it’s so exciting!
Showing posts with label preeclampsia. Show all posts
Showing posts with label preeclampsia. Show all posts
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
Saturday, May 13, 2006
Preeclampsia - Writing Assignment
Preeclampsia
Approaching the final months of my pregnancy, my midwife asked if I had any symptoms, such as headaches, unusual swelling, or changes in my vision. My blood pressure was reading alarmingly high and routine urine tests were detecting large amounts of protein. I was noticing more headaches over the last couple of weeks, during which I would see spots that seemed to float around the room. And the swelling that first seemed normal in my pregnancy had become unbearable. I wasn’t able to wear my shoes or my rings anymore and it was even difficult to move my legs. On top of the normal discomforts of pregnancy, I felt strange, like an overstuffed pillow throughout my entire body. My skin burned from the stretching and swelling.
These were all signs of a condition known as Preeclampsia, a very serious complication during pregnancy characterized by the sudden onset of high blood pressure, protein in the urine, swelling, headaches, and vision changes. Because this condition can cause serious problems in both the mother and baby, it is important to be aware of what preeclampsia is and what to be on the lookout for.
So much is still unknown about this condition that affects about 5-8% of all pregnancies. Untreated, it can progress to Eclampsia, which can lead to seizures, coma, or death of both the mother and baby. Another potentially fatal progression is a condition known as HELLP Syndrome, characterized by liver failure, lack of blood clotting, and kidney failure. Preeclampsia and Eclampsia, once referred to as Toxemia, are so serious that worldwide, 76,000 deaths occur each year. (“About Preeclampsia” par 3). Physicians inform every pregnant patient to look out for the warning signs, especially in the last trimester of pregnancy.
Generally, the condition will develop during a woman’s first pregnancy. Women who are more at risk for preeclampsia are those over the age of 40 or under the age of 20, those who have had multiple birth pregnancies, those with a history of high blood pressure, and those whose previous pregnancies were affected by preeclampsia, diabetes, and obesity (“Risk Factors for Preeclampsia” par 1).
The only known treatment for preeclampsia, once it becomes severe, is delivery of the baby. This can pose a serious problem if the baby is extremely premature. That’s why it is absolutely imperative for every pregnant woman to recognize early symptoms. Routine weight, blood pressure, and urine checks are done for all pregnant women during their prenatal checkups. Early in the pregnancy the doctor will get a baseline blood pressure to compare against any future blood pressure reading. The standard normal blood pressure is regarded to be anything less than 120/80. But if a woman’s normal blood pressure is in the 100/70 range, and during a subsequent office visit her blood pressure reads 130/85, the doctor would be more concerned than a woman who’s baseline blood pressure was 125/80, which doesn’t show as dramatic of an increase.
Once a woman begins to show signs of preeclampsia, depending on the severity of her symptoms, a doctor will usually order the woman to cut back on work hours and spend more time in bed. She will also be ordered to lie on her left side. If a pregnant woman lies flat on her back or more to the right side, the weight from the uterus will compress vital blood vessels, reducing valuable blood flow to the baby. If this doesn’t relieve the symptoms, the woman will almost always be confined to bed rest, either at home or in the hospital. For a lot of women this can be a problem. Like me, some women work full-time outside of the home and have commitments to the house and other family members. If caught early in the pregnancy a woman must spend months in bed. This is a very difficult situation to deal with. Boredom can set in very quickly.
But when none of these measures work and the condition gets worse, more drastic measures are taken. In my case, I was 35 weeks pregnant, 5 weeks from my due date. I had a few of the risk factors being diabetic and having mild hypertension (high blood pressure). At the same time, I also had a few things that weren’t as typical. I was 26 and this was my fourth pregnancy after two miscarriages. With the immense swelling and blood pressure reading over 200/110, my midwife became alarmed. One way a physician can test how severe preeclampsia is by checking a woman’s reflexes with the standard bump to the knee. In a woman with preeclampsia, her reaction to this tap on the knee is exaggerated. This was the case with me. I felt as though I would have knocked the air out of the midwife if she were standing in front of me! The amount of protein in my urine was also high. Normally there should be none.
I was sent to Rockdale Hospital where I was monitored closely for two days. My urine was collected over a 24-hour period for a more accurate check on my kidney function. Finally, it was determined that the preeclampsia was affecting my kidneys and the bed rest wasn’t lowering my blood pressure any. My baby would have to be delivered by cesarean section. Like in the case of a lot of babies born early, my son’s lungs weren’t mature enough for him to breathe normally on his own. He spent a week in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) on a ventilator until he was able to breathe on his own. Many babies spend several weeks, or even months, on machines used to keep the baby alive.
Normally, once the baby is delivered, the symptoms of preeclampsia go away. Once again, this isn’t always the case. Some women continue with high blood pressure for some time afterwards. I was one of them. Eventually, I was placed on blood pressure medication that brought my blood pressure down and I got rid of the immense amount of excess fluid that had accumulated in my body.
Considering the seriousness of preeclampsia to both the mother and the baby, it is important for every pregnant woman to be aware of what it is and what its symptoms are. Husbands and other family members could benefit from this knowledge, as well. Early intervention can prevent serious problems in the mother and prematurity in the baby. One day, more will be known about this condition and how to treat it better. Until then, knowledge and early intervention are the best weapons we have against this serious condition.
Works Cited
“About Preeclampsia.” Preeclampsia Foundation. 2006.
“Rick Factors for Preeclampsia.” Wrong Diagnosis. 15 March 2006
Approaching the final months of my pregnancy, my midwife asked if I had any symptoms, such as headaches, unusual swelling, or changes in my vision. My blood pressure was reading alarmingly high and routine urine tests were detecting large amounts of protein. I was noticing more headaches over the last couple of weeks, during which I would see spots that seemed to float around the room. And the swelling that first seemed normal in my pregnancy had become unbearable. I wasn’t able to wear my shoes or my rings anymore and it was even difficult to move my legs. On top of the normal discomforts of pregnancy, I felt strange, like an overstuffed pillow throughout my entire body. My skin burned from the stretching and swelling.
These were all signs of a condition known as Preeclampsia, a very serious complication during pregnancy characterized by the sudden onset of high blood pressure, protein in the urine, swelling, headaches, and vision changes. Because this condition can cause serious problems in both the mother and baby, it is important to be aware of what preeclampsia is and what to be on the lookout for.
So much is still unknown about this condition that affects about 5-8% of all pregnancies. Untreated, it can progress to Eclampsia, which can lead to seizures, coma, or death of both the mother and baby. Another potentially fatal progression is a condition known as HELLP Syndrome, characterized by liver failure, lack of blood clotting, and kidney failure. Preeclampsia and Eclampsia, once referred to as Toxemia, are so serious that worldwide, 76,000 deaths occur each year. (“About Preeclampsia” par 3). Physicians inform every pregnant patient to look out for the warning signs, especially in the last trimester of pregnancy.
Generally, the condition will develop during a woman’s first pregnancy. Women who are more at risk for preeclampsia are those over the age of 40 or under the age of 20, those who have had multiple birth pregnancies, those with a history of high blood pressure, and those whose previous pregnancies were affected by preeclampsia, diabetes, and obesity (“Risk Factors for Preeclampsia” par 1).
The only known treatment for preeclampsia, once it becomes severe, is delivery of the baby. This can pose a serious problem if the baby is extremely premature. That’s why it is absolutely imperative for every pregnant woman to recognize early symptoms. Routine weight, blood pressure, and urine checks are done for all pregnant women during their prenatal checkups. Early in the pregnancy the doctor will get a baseline blood pressure to compare against any future blood pressure reading. The standard normal blood pressure is regarded to be anything less than 120/80. But if a woman’s normal blood pressure is in the 100/70 range, and during a subsequent office visit her blood pressure reads 130/85, the doctor would be more concerned than a woman who’s baseline blood pressure was 125/80, which doesn’t show as dramatic of an increase.
Once a woman begins to show signs of preeclampsia, depending on the severity of her symptoms, a doctor will usually order the woman to cut back on work hours and spend more time in bed. She will also be ordered to lie on her left side. If a pregnant woman lies flat on her back or more to the right side, the weight from the uterus will compress vital blood vessels, reducing valuable blood flow to the baby. If this doesn’t relieve the symptoms, the woman will almost always be confined to bed rest, either at home or in the hospital. For a lot of women this can be a problem. Like me, some women work full-time outside of the home and have commitments to the house and other family members. If caught early in the pregnancy a woman must spend months in bed. This is a very difficult situation to deal with. Boredom can set in very quickly.
But when none of these measures work and the condition gets worse, more drastic measures are taken. In my case, I was 35 weeks pregnant, 5 weeks from my due date. I had a few of the risk factors being diabetic and having mild hypertension (high blood pressure). At the same time, I also had a few things that weren’t as typical. I was 26 and this was my fourth pregnancy after two miscarriages. With the immense swelling and blood pressure reading over 200/110, my midwife became alarmed. One way a physician can test how severe preeclampsia is by checking a woman’s reflexes with the standard bump to the knee. In a woman with preeclampsia, her reaction to this tap on the knee is exaggerated. This was the case with me. I felt as though I would have knocked the air out of the midwife if she were standing in front of me! The amount of protein in my urine was also high. Normally there should be none.
I was sent to Rockdale Hospital where I was monitored closely for two days. My urine was collected over a 24-hour period for a more accurate check on my kidney function. Finally, it was determined that the preeclampsia was affecting my kidneys and the bed rest wasn’t lowering my blood pressure any. My baby would have to be delivered by cesarean section. Like in the case of a lot of babies born early, my son’s lungs weren’t mature enough for him to breathe normally on his own. He spent a week in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) on a ventilator until he was able to breathe on his own. Many babies spend several weeks, or even months, on machines used to keep the baby alive.
Normally, once the baby is delivered, the symptoms of preeclampsia go away. Once again, this isn’t always the case. Some women continue with high blood pressure for some time afterwards. I was one of them. Eventually, I was placed on blood pressure medication that brought my blood pressure down and I got rid of the immense amount of excess fluid that had accumulated in my body.
Considering the seriousness of preeclampsia to both the mother and the baby, it is important for every pregnant woman to be aware of what it is and what its symptoms are. Husbands and other family members could benefit from this knowledge, as well. Early intervention can prevent serious problems in the mother and prematurity in the baby. One day, more will be known about this condition and how to treat it better. Until then, knowledge and early intervention are the best weapons we have against this serious condition.
Works Cited
“About Preeclampsia.” Preeclampsia Foundation. 2006.
“Rick Factors for Preeclampsia.” Wrong Diagnosis. 15 March 2006
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