Today was the first time I’ve gotten to attend a C-section delivery. Two of them, in fact 🙂
I was supposed to be shadowing a respiratory therapist and lactation consultant today, and the RT that I was paired with was assigned to deliveries, so if there was a NICU-type delivery, she was there. Which meant that I got to be there!
We were working in another baby’s room when the RT’s phone rang; it was the delivery room, notifying her of a C-section that was turning a little south. The RT turned to leave and then said, “Hannah, do you want to come?”
I couldn’t take off my gloves fast enough! One of my fellow residents who was in the room with me laughed as I almost tripped over the garbage can to make it out the door. “A little eager, are we?” she said, grinning.
“Wouldn’t you be?” I replied as I hurried down the hall after the RT. Down the stairs, through a few doors onto a locked unit. We had to put on the hair-net thingy, booties, gloves, and a mask to enter the OR.
The first little guy we helped deliver screamed bloody murder when he was evicted (aka “born”), which meant that his lungs were working just fine. I dried him off, and after a few minutes everyone determined that he was fine, so we went back upstairs to the NICU.
Just as the RT and I went to break she got another call; another baby in distress during delivery. So we ran back downstairs and suited up again.
This time it was a little girl. Not quite as active and vigorous as the first little guy, but she came around. Mom and Dad didn’t know their baby’s gender before the birth, and apparently they had a bet going regarding gender. Dad won the bet 🙂
So yeah, I had a really good day!
A Special Strength 