Nurses play a crucial role in monitoring both the mother and the baby during labor. Key aspects include:
- Contraction frequency, duration, and intensity: Monitoring the pattern of contractions to assess labor progress. - Fetal heart rate: Continuous or intermittent monitoring of the fetal heart rate to detect any signs of fetal distress. - Maternal vital signs: Regular checks of blood pressure, pulse, and temperature to ensure the mother’s well-being. - Cervical dilation and effacement: Periodic vaginal exams to check the progress of cervical dilation and effacement. - Pain management: Assessing and managing the mother’s pain through various techniques such as breathing exercises, epidurals, or other pain relief methods. - Emotional support: Providing reassurance, encouragement, and support to the mother and her support team.
