What Does a Labor & Delivery Nurse Do?
Labor & delivery nurses are specially trained to provide nursing care for women who are about to give birth to a baby and who are in labor. They monitor the fetal heart rate, the patient’s blood pressure, time contractions and examine the mother-to-be to see how close she is to delivering the baby. Labor & delivery nurses also identify any complications. Before labor, they educate a woman and her family on the stages of giving birth, and what to expect. During labor, they may coach a woman to do breathing exercises and when to push. They assist other nurses and physicians in administering pain medications or performing epidurals, episiotomies and C-section deliveries. They may also start IVs to administer Pitocin, a synthetic hormone that stimulates contractions and helps a woman go into labor more quickly. Another important responsibility of a labor & delivery nurse is to care for the mother and baby after the baby is born, and educate the mother on breastfeeding and personal care aft
