Scrub-a-dub-dub

I came into work the other day. Assignments were already made. It was going to be quite the busy shift.

"You're scrubbing Cervix."

Oh gee, thanks. You've just made my day. I was really hoping to have a nice birth. I haven't had one in a week or two, and I was just itching to have a normal vaginal birth.

No such luck.

After making sure the sutures, gloves, instruments and various other items were pulled for the surgeon, I checked to see if the patient was done being prepped. She was ready, but things were in a holding pattern. Apparently there was another potential c/s in the wings. One that would be urgent.

I go back, scrub, gown, glove, and start setting up the room.

Urgent c/s was called. Here we go!

Baby's hearts were down, so it's pretty fast and furious. Of course, it's not the surgeon I was expecting, so I quickly have the circulator hand me the right size gloves and sutures that he needs. Not a problem, really. Just a little frustrating, when I had it all set up for a different surgeon!

Each surgeon has their own preference card, so we know exactly what they like/need/require. A pain in the arse, if you ask me. I mean, really! A c-section is a c-section. Why do we need to have different sutures for each surgeon? Ugh, I digress.

Baby is a very tight fit through the uterine incision. Tons of pushing and pulling going on! I sometimes wish they would make the uterine incision a little bigger to begin with, so there is less of a struggle to get the baby out. I understand the reason for making a small uterine incision: less to sew, less area that could be weak and rupture during the next pregnancy, somewhat of a "vaginal bypass squeeze" similar to the vaginal squeeze that a baby gets during a vaginal birth to get the fluids out. But still. Could be make the incision about 1 inch bigger, please?

Ok, baby out. Some heavy bleeding going on. Apparently, an artery got accidentally cut. La-dee-dah, all is sewn up. We're good to go.

Next c-section: not urgent. Baby is fine. Mom is fine. Medical complications of pregnancy, plus baby is not in an optimal position for vaginal birth. This c-section goes off without a problem. Smooooooooooth! I like it when things go well!

I needed a break from scrubbing. Took my dinner. Came back from dinner, picked up two laboring patients. Neither had their babies before it was time for me to go home.

Darn! Still no vaginal births for me this week!