Your first vaginal delivery can be exhilarating and nerve-wracking all at once. This episode walks you through the cardinal movements of labor, how to assist with pushing, delivering the baby and placenta, managing bleeding, and what to expect in the immediate postpartum period.

Show Outline:

Cardinal Movements of Labor – Engagement, descent, flexion, internal rotation, extension, external rotation, and expulsion
Complete Dilation – Station assessment, labor down vs. push
2nd Stage: Pushing – Offer to help with maternal positioning (holding ankle/leg)
Delivery – Downward traction on head, thumbs to nose, anterior shoulder, posterior shoulder, body. Skin to skin. Delayed cord clamping.
3rd Stage: Placenta – Active management, Pitocin, gentle cord traction. Three signs of placental detachment.
Bleeding – Atony and uterotonic medications
Lacerations – Degree classification and repair
Postpartum – Fundal tenderness, lochia, voiding, breastfeeding

About the Speaker:

Jennifer Doorey, MD, MS – Academic Ob/Gyn at The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. As the founder of MedReady, Dr. Doorey seeks to advance clinical medical education by developing resources for medical students and clinical educators.

Procedure Ready: Ob/Gyn is a podcast aimed at medical, PA, and NP students entering their clinical rotation in Ob/Gyn. The views expressed are the speaker's own and do not constitute medical advice.

Before Your First: Vaginal Delivery

Procedure Ready: Ob/Gyn