Hug Your Babies

I am a Labor and Delivery nurse and I love my job. I experience the joy of seeing babies born and people becoming parents. Last night however, I experienced a terrible tragedy. It was my second night working with the same couple. The mom came to the hospital the night before last to get her labor started (called "induction"). When I came to work last night I was happy to see that she was still there and would probably deliver her baby on my shift. The entire labor went extremely well and a beautiful baby boy was born around 2:15 am. Because the baby wasn't perking up quickly and crying I called the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) nurse and doctor to assess. This isn't very uncommon; sometimes babies just need a little oxygen and/or suction and they come around quickly. The doctor didn't feel too comcerned, but decided to take the baby back to the NICU to give some fluids and observe. I stayed with the mom and continued her recovery in the labor room. After a little while the dad was able to visit the baby who at that point was unstable. When the mom recovered enough to leave the labor room I called to the NICU to see if she and the father could visit the baby together. That's when I found out that he was still having lots of trouble and the NICU team was coding him (CPR, medication, intubation). The doctors and nurses worked for over two and a half hours trying to resuscitate the baby, but his heart would not respond. He died this morning close to 5 am. My heart pours out to my patient and her husband. Having an unexpected death of your baby has to be at the top of the list for worst nightmares. When I came home this morning I hugged and kissed Rex over and over. Please add my patient, her husband and their baby boy to your prayers.