A day in the life...a Maternity Support Worker
So, on delivery suite a typical day (is there a such thing?!) goes as follows. I’ve included things from different shifts, all of which I’ve seen happen in a day - just changed slight things to ensure confidentiality.
0730- Enter the hospital bright eyed and bushy haired! Get scrubs on and attempt to look vaguely human for the ladies I will be meeting during the day! I’d love to be one of those people who could just get out of bed looking fabulous and glam- it doesn’t happen. So ladies, if you see me looking slightly worse for wear at this time - I haven’t been on nights, it’s just so early, ive tried though!
0745- shift starts, head into the office for handover accompanied by a tea trolley (that is the only accurate part of One Born! We only have them if it’s quiet, or during handover!). The co-ordinating midwife will go through the board and explain a little about each lady we have on the unit - parity, gestation, risk factors (if any), events during the pregnancy/night we need to be aware of and a brief rundown of why she is on delivery suite. It all sounds very formal - it is, but prior to handover beginning it is also a time to catch up briefly, this is usually the only occasion on shift everyone is together. We have moments of sheer hilarity, along with moments of sadness. This, however, all fades to the background once that door opens and we hit the unit!
0800- check instruments for assisted delivery (ventouse machines, forceps trolleys) and equipment for emergencies. I do this pretty much straight away. The one thing I’ve learnt from delivery suite is expect the unexpected. Always be prepared!
0815- check empty rooms for equipment which needs changing or stocking up, then potter around!
0900- Emergency buzzer - fetal bradycardia during active second stage. Phoned the registrar who is on his way. Mum not attached to CTG, gone and found CTG to ensure continuous monitoring and prepping for instrumental delivery.
0905- Bradycardia resolve Healthy baby born vaginally, no need for instruments. Mum and baby are amazing.
1000- Make sure meals are ordered, make up delivery packs.
1200- Check who can eat and give out meals
1300- Lunchtime!
1400- Asked to assist midwife with suturing - this entails opening things aseptically and generally talking with the women, trying to distract them from what’s happening! It’s a lovely part of my job!
1410- During suturing some clots start to come away, MW asked me to rub the uterus which was boggy and above the umbilicus (usually you’d expect it to be firm and contracted, below the belly button). Second emergency buzzer of the day! Consultant and co-ordinating midwife come in and begin the postpartum haemorrhage (PPH) protocol, giving fluids, giving certain drugs to try and contract the uterus down to stop the bleeding. I’m busy focusing the woman into me, getting her to concentrate on her breathing and focus on staying as calm as she can. She was amazing, so easy to get in the zone! I feel like I really connected with this lady. Bleeding resolved without needing any further input. The woman was fantastic.
1500- have a bit of a wander and see if there’s anything which needs doing!
1630- Emergency buzzer - fetal bradycardia, registrar requests fetal blood sampling (FBS) from the top of the babies head to assess the oxygenation and chemistry of the babies blood (a good indicator of how distressed baby is getting, lowering oxygen levels can cause fetal bradycardia). FBS failed, so because there is no reassurance avaliable and a trace which is abnormal, the decision is made to take the lady for a category 1 Caesarean section. Cat 1s are sections which need to be performed and have the baby delivered within 30 mins. It is sometimes called a ‘crash section’. Help the team round to theatre and tidy up the room, remove antenatal monitoring equipment and stock up on cannulas, inco pads and blood bottles.
1730- give out meals then go for my dinner
1900- A midwife has asked me to give breastfeeding support to a lady with a sleepy baby, I go in and strip the baby down, put him skin to skin with his mama and watch him latch himself on! Went on like an absolute dream, I stop in the room for a little while just to provide support and chat!
2000- A lady for induction has arrived so I show her to her room, get her some water, so her obs and check her urine. Everything’s lovely!
2015- prepare for nightshift coming in, tidy up and make sure trolleys are ready to go!
2030-2045 primarily includes waiting outside the office for handover to be finished! Go home and do it all again tomorrow!
I absolutely adore my job, it isn’t always hectic, there were lots of physiological vaginal births, i adore when I get a chance to be in with the women when they are second stage. Any time I spend with them I love! But seeing a couple become a family infront of you is something incredibly special and something I’m extremely privileged to have witnessed.
