Week 5: From Scheduled to Unexpected
Zoey B -
Hi everyone! This week has been extremely exciting for me. At my internship, I was able to observe not just one, but two c-sections. Both of these babies were born full term, so while not directly related to my area of research, being able to see this procedure was an amazing opportunity. During this day at my internship, I shadowed the charge nurse in the labor and delivery side of the Family Birthing Center. All of the doctors and nurses were incredible and took the time to make sure I could see what was happening and explain things to me.
The first c-section was scheduled and went completely as planned. I was able to see how the baby was taken out of the uterus and how the nurses cared for the baby right after birth. I watched them give the baby APGAR scores at one and five minutes of life. The baby then received skin to skin contact with the mom before going to the mom’s room. From there, the baby was measured and cared for, while the surgeons finished the procedure with the mom. Once the mom came back to the room, the baby received kangaroo care and started learning how to breastfeed.
The second c-section was unexpected to say the least. The mom was preeclamptic, which is a condition that can threaten both the baby’s and mom’s life, and was trying to go into labor, but could not become fully dilated. Because of this, the doctors decided to do a c-section. When the baby was delivered, she did not cry, which was unlike the first c-section. The doctor and charge nurse were trying to get her to breathe and eventually had to suck fluid out of her lungs. She had amniotic fluid in her lungs (which is normal for a c-section), however she also had meconium in her lungs. Meconium is the stool that normally is passed right after birth. This baby had pooped in utero due to stress, and during the c-section had inhaled this fluid. Unfortunately, meconium hinders the function of surfactant, which new babies need to produce in order for their lungs to fully inflate. Because of this, she was admitted into the CCN. She was put on multiple different kinds of respiratory support. The doctor even intubated her temporarily to give her surfactant, in the hopes that it would help reduce her breathing issues. She did not improve and ended up being flown to Phoenix, where she would be able to receive support through a ventilator. I have been told that there is good news and will update you all on this next week.
Being able to see these two c-sections back to back was insightful, especially because both babies were full term. The big difference I noticed was the amount of time with the mom after birth. The first baby was able to be held immediately and then again when the mom returned to the room. However, the second baby was not able to be held, even by her dad, for at least a few hours (that I know of) because she needed immediate care and support. While the circumstances of what happened with the second baby were scary, I was able to learn a lot about what happens before a baby is admitted to the CCN and how they are treated right after they come in. The baby received a chest x-ray, which I was able to see, as well as an IV and multiple other things. The process was chaotic and fast-paced, but the nurses made sure the baby received everything she needed.
The rest of my week was less exciting. I continued my research, volunteered in the ER, and finished my last interview. I hope to be able to share some statistics from my interviews soon. Thanks for reading!
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