Walking my a@# off, literally!!!

Today's blog is for my fellow nurses. I recently started wearing MBT(Masai Barefoot Technology) shoes while I work. In the last 2 1/2 months I have lost 22pounds. I have literally walked my a@# off while I was working. These shoes are designed with a curved sole, so that they simulate walking on unbalanced ground. The benefits in addition to toning your butt, thighs and calves, they also help relieve back, neck, and knee problems. They allow you to burn more calories than walking in normal shoes because you have to use your core to balance yourself. It feels like walking with a rubber ball under the arch of your feet, which is very comfortable. Let's face it, we spend a good deal of our shifts, whether it be 8 or 12 hours, on our feet, we may as well get some benefit from it than sore feet and backs. These shoes run about $250, but can be bought through online outlet stores for around $100. There are also other brands that are also making this type of shoe, such as Sketchers, Fila, and Converse, with prices as low as $40. They are well worth the money in the benefits that they will deliver. I have only tried the MBT's so I can't vouch for the others, but based on the design they should provide the same benefits. I would recommend these shoes to anyone that spends time on their feet, they are so comfortable.

Does labor hurt?...Are you kidding me???

The most common question I get asked is "Does labor hurt?" or some variation of it. Of course this is usually from the first time moms to be, but not always. YES! Yes! it is most likely going to hurt. To understand this, you have to understand the physics of the birthing process. A baby (average size 6-9lbs, although some are smaller and some are bigger) is in a muscle(uterus) in your abdomen and it is going to squeeze(contract) for numerous hours (average time for first time moms is usually 18-24hrs, but is usually much faster for subsequent births, on average 6-8hrs). Once this muscle has finally squeezed the baby through its opening(cervix) then you are going to have to push this tiny human being through your vagina(first time moms on average push for 1-2hrs, but this can be done much quicker, especially by someone who has had a baby before) Pushing as in holding your breath 2-3 times for 10-20 seconds with each contractions(usually occurring every 2-3 minutes at this point)and push down to push the baby out. There is quite a bit of stretching, as one might expect, as a baby is pushed through an area that hasn't experienced anything the size of a small bowling ball come through it before. After 20 years of participating in several thousands of deliveries, I can count on one hand the number of patients I have seen that didn't feel any pain, and I don't even need all of my fingers to do so. So YES it is going to hurt!!! The odds are against a totally painless delivery. As you wrap your head around that, let me reassure you that there are many ways to relieve and ease that pain, so that it may be tolerable and more bearable, but that will be another blog!

Reason for my Blog

I have been a labor and delivery nurse for the last 20 years, and I have pretty much seen it all. (however now that I have said that I know that sometime soon I'll probably see something that I never thought I would, you never know). I truly enjoy the job I do, because I get to witness the miracle of birth every time I go to work, and all of the family dynamics involved. Anyway over the years you wouldn't believe the things I've heard, seen, or learned. So this blog is written to dispel any untruths and to poke fun at a process that most women will be blessed and cursed to go through at least once or several times in their lives. I would like to thank all of my patients and their families that have allowed me to be a part of and to provide support to them during the birth of their babies. I would also like to thank my co-workers and providers for their support and for putting up with me and teaching me so much.