Being a Nurse, a Creator, and a Voice for Parents: Mama Nurse Tina

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Welcome to Club Nurse. I'm Colton Lord, your host. By you being here today, it shows me that you are someone who wants to learn, grow, laugh, Connect and just let your emotions flow. We are here to share real stories and hear real life experiences from real people. You are not alone in this, and Club Nurse is here to show you that. Don't forget to follow the show and share today's episode with someone you love. Now let's dive into today's conversation. Welcome back to the Club Nurse Podcast. My name is Colton Lord, your host. I have with me today Tina, known online as Mama Nurse Tina. So Tina is a labor and delivery nurse, a perinatal nurse, and a breast Breastfeeding specialist based out of Canada, which, you know, I've actually had, I've had quite a few Canadians on this podcast already. So—

We're good humans, I promise.

I love it. I love it. So introduce yourself to us. What is it that you do? You're all over social media. Like I said, Mama Nurse Tina everywhere. I was kind of looking into your stuff today and I saw your website Bump to Latch. So kind of tell us what that is and what you do and what your goal is with social media and your message.

Yeah, so I think the overall goal for a lot of us is just to make that really good quality healthcare information accessible to everybody, especially in maternity, 'cause in the States there are like maternal deserts where people just don't have access to care in and around their area. So I think it's great, like no matter who you are, where you come from, what you wanna do with your life, that information is there for everybody to consume. So I think that's kind of the reason why I did it. And then it's just been so rewarding because you can reach one person when you're like, you know this, when you're at the bedside. Well, I mean, in emergency, Obviously more than one. I, I did the thing, but like with labor and delivery, it's one person at a time and that's lovely and wonderful. And I would never stop bedside nursing because I think that that is so special. But I think with online presence, you can reach and help so many more people.

Mm-hmm.

So when I go and do conferences or, or I go and do events, people will come up to me and they'll be like, you helped me with X, Y, and Z, or thank you so much for everything you did was so good for my pregnancy. And like, that's when you're like, yeah, that's Yeah, that makes it worth because it's like you know it's it's a big job. Like it's not. I don't know some people think you just hit post and you're done with your day and you it's all day every like it's a full time job for me.

And you pour you pour you pour a lot of yourself into it and then not only that but like you're putting your energy out there, you're putting your face out there, you're putting your it's a very vulnerable thing to do because you also are opening yourself up to every single person who in the world who has access to a phone with a keyboard. Yeah, yes, totally. They are having access to saying you are this and it's not all good.

Yep, somebody wants Someone once told me I have a hateable face.

Yeah.

Oh, that's so nice. It has nothing to do with what I'm talking about here, but thanks for your opinion.

I just hate your face.

Right? Because nobody on the street would walk up to you and just be like, I hate your face.

You're like, what?

No. What? Okay.

And that's the thing. The things you read on there, you're like, you would never say that to me if you actually saw me.

Never in a million years. Facebook is the worst. You'll agree. Facebook is the worst.

The worst.

I usually post and dip because I'm like, woof, it's— you got all sorts of people, usually kind of an older generation, but they just cut in. It has nothing to do with what you— you could post the most beautiful Lovely, helpful, and they'll just come in and be like, yeah.

It's the thing you're saying.

It's like your face.

Yeah. No matter what you're doing. And I've got, I've gotten to the point where I kind of, I used to be a lot more interactive in comments and now I'm like, I just, it's something, it like triggers something in me and I don't know like exactly why or what, but I have a really hard time with it because I don't know if I just internalize what they say, then I believe them and then I just spiral on that.

But yeah. A little bit. Everyone says like you have to have a thick skin, but I think Yeah. Like even the thickest skin, sometimes it's just in one spot, just gets worn out. It's like a little entrance spot. So that's really tricky and it does suck a lot out of you. And then you have to think like, oh my God, is what I said wrong? And you're like, you gaslight yourself into thinking, oh my God, did I do something wrong here? And you didn't. You just can't please everybody. So yeah, so it's a full-time job. But I mean, I think that the reward outweighs all of those things because You're truly making a difference in people's lives. And I— people always say like, how's it going? And I say, I'm literally living my best life. Like, I have 4 kids, so I sort of put everything on hold for like a solid 10 years. I was either pregnant or I was breastfeeding or they were really little. My husband's an emergency room physician, so he works shifts. So he was like, understandably, the guy that went to work and I was at home. So for a long time, I just sort of had to push pause on it. And then, yeah, we've just hit this stride in the last couple of years where it's like I'm literally doing everything I've ever wanted to do with my life and my career. And it's— been like the best, the best ride over the past couple years.

Yeah, just I guess clarify, is Bump to Latch like a— your like, I guess, like business as to like what you do?

That's my, my business name, um, and then Mama Nurse Tina is an entity of that business. Um, and so on my website I've also developed courses, which has been a dream as well. So now I have 3 courses. So I have a prenatal course, a breastfeeding course, and a baby care course. So that's really, really nice for people that just want to have that info kind of right there if they're struggling. They're like, oh, I'm just going to click into that module. That was really, really fun to create. That again was a ton of work. Yeah, you're like, by the end of it you're like, I don't even know what I'm saying anymore. I'm just like, what am I filming today? So, and then there's the editing and stuff that goes into it. So yeah, Bump to Latch is where it's like a central hub. I have like my news appearances, my articles, and then the courses. And then of course all the socials are linked there as well. So it's been nice to have that done. I cannot take credit though. I hired somebody, Madison, shout out to Madison. I'm not a website human. One time in my life I tried to build one and it was a disaster.

Yeah.

So Yeah, I was like, this is the struggle of me to do this on my own is not, is not worth my, my mental. So I just was like, you, you're the expert, you do the thing.

And actually hilarious you say that because I literally today I had, I had, I don't even remember exactly how I came across like a website I created when I first was starting content, like first starting. And it was not even nursing related.

Was it a MySpace website?

No, no, no, no, not that. I'm sure I could find that somewhere too. But like, it's like literally I'm not even going to say it because I don't want people to Google it, but my website is still up there and I'm like, oh my God, I need to figure out how to first of all get this down. Or just like fix this because this is, this is very cringy. But you know, you got to start somewhere, right?

You do have to start somewhere. And, and I think content creators like will look back at some of the earlier stuff we did and we're like, yeah, yeah. Because you just, I think you develop just a better representation of yourself as you, as you create content. And I think you find a way to streamline it and edit it. And like, I have just started doing stand-up comedy. You came to a show. Thank you. Thank you so much. But it's very similar there too. Like you start off with a concept of what you think is funny and then you have to like edit, edit, edit to the point where like it's, it's It's all funny. Well, most of it is funny all of the time sort of thing. And I think content creation is like that as well. We started somewhere and we, and what we were doing is, was great. Like the information's amazing, but I think the delivery, you sort of edit it and tweak it to be like, oh, this is where we're going. And then like times change too. Like it used to be, we used to throw a piece of cheese on the wall and that was all you needed to do to, to, you know, make a difference.

Yeah.

Yeah.

You evolve. And I mean, as like you're saying, like as you evolve and how you're changing, like also the world is changing very fast. So, you know, the way people consume things and, you know, like It's not that stand-up comedy is new, but it's just like, you know, there's just that, that's a new like medium for you to kind of just like, you know, get out there and you are very funny. And I was actually going to talk about your stand-up comedy, um, a little bit later, but since you brought it up, uh, we'll just kind of bring everybody into, into that scene where I went and watched your show, um, in Vegas. We were, we went down to, uh, we were on Fremont Street.

We were in the hole in the wall in a hole in a wall. Yeah.

And we brought the group, the group of healthcare workers from the health conference that we were there attending. I was the very lucky one to get stuck right in the front in the spotlight for it to be the With your wife, people kept trying to marry you after. Yes. Yes. I was the butt of everyone's joke. Just kidding. It wasn't, it wasn't that bad. It was, it was funny.

But how— I mean, I was laughing. Maybe you weren't laughing. I was laughing.

I was laughing. It was funny. It's okay. I can, I can handle that. That's fine. How did you get into standup comedy? Like, when did you decide, I'm going to try this out and how, and how's that going?

You know what? It's like, I always say I feel really blessed because a lot, a lot of comedians and like, comedy is not new to me. Like, I've always loved comedy, dated a comedian, spent a lot of time in comedy clubs. But I feel blessed because a lot of these comedians are out there, like, they're working so hard to make their mark in the scene. And it's like their, their blood, sweat, and tears is going into it. And they are working a day job, they're having a nap, then they're going out like late night at the clubs, waking up, doing it all over again. And so I feel extremely blessed that it's, it's like, I love doing it. And I would love to see it be really successful.

Mm-hmm.

But I'm like, I'm blessed enough to be like, this is a really fun hobby for me because it's not my sole financial income.

Mm-hmm.

So I think it's cool to be at a point in my life where I have built enough of a background and a career that I can rely on and be able to go out and do this. And it's been so cup-filling and so fun. And people, people say to you all the time, they're like, you're funny, you should do stand-up comedy. But I think there's a big difference between being funny in a conversation and being funny when everyone's just like, okay, make me laugh.

Staring at you.

And you're like, oh shit, like the lights are on. So I think it's, it really is a skill and a craft. I've learned that like the comedians that I love and thought were hilarious, I respect them tenfold now because of I know how difficult it is to get up and be successful at it. So it's been really, really cool. It's, yeah, it's been a, it's been a blast. So I hope it's successful. It's, it's been awesome.

And like I said, I mean, kind of going back to like people's attention spans, I mean, that's, it is hard to be up there and like keep people like engaged in what you're saying and keep them laughing. And then I just imagine like I myself up there, I would be so in my head like, are they just pity laughing? Like, is this real? Like, do they actually think I'm funny? Like, that's how, that's where my brain would go.

So yeah. And it is a skill too to be able to like bomb and bomb gracefully, I would say. Like there, I think there are some comedians where if they, you can, it can come off. We saw it, how it can come off the rails where you're like, yeah, it's just not, it's not hitting. And so I think it takes a fine-tuned art to be able to take that and either make something funny out of it or learn that you like, you can read the room and pivot and, and that's obviously not what's hitting. And I think that, that, yeah, that's a skill because there's some comedians that'll just like keep on with the joke even though it's like completely gone sideways and everyone is kind of clocked out. So yeah, it's, I'm learning a lot, like a lot. Yeah. And it's a lot harder than it looks. And so So these comedians that get up there and it's just, it seems so easy breezy conversational for them, you're like, wow, like that. Yeah, that has taken you a long time to get there.

Yeah, I think out of, you know, all of the entertainment and the arts, I feel like, and that's my personal opinion, that comedy has got to be one of the hardest things to master.

You wouldn't be the only one to say that.

Yeah. So congratulations to you for taking that on. If anybody out there ever sees that Tina is performing, I do highly recommend watching. It was, it was very entertaining. It was funny. So let's kind of go back to what you do, your day job, your labor and delivery. I was watching some of your content. I was watching your YouTube channel. I wanted you to kind of give people— I watched the one where you were talking about the like essentials to bring to the hospital when you are expecting to deliver. And I thought this was a really good thing, important thing to talk about for expecting parents. And I mean, for me personally, first of all, I I don't have a uterus, so I will never experience this. I am gay, so I don't, you know, will not get somebody pregnant, and I don't want kids anyway. So I, you know, all of those to say I will—

You're like, hard pass.

Hard pass on that. But I do think it's very important for people to have this information. It's a very— I can imagine it's a very, very hard and scary moment to be like, especially a first-time parent, and you're like, oh my God, what the hell am I about to get myself into? So those little things, those little tips of like, what should you bring? You know, I'm a chronic overpacker. I would probably bring my whole house with me. So what do you recommend people bring with them to not overwhelm themselves and to give them just like, this is what you need?

It's hard because again, social media, I feel like it's a double-edged sword. So it's either really helpful or it takes you down a rabbit hole that you like didn't need to be in. And I think the hospital bag packing videos, like it's oversaturated because everybody has their opinion on what's important. I'm a minimalist when it comes to it because I think in this, in the scope of of your timeline of being pregnant, birth, postpartum. Like, the time you're in the hospital is such a small snapshot. It's a really important snapshot, but it's a small snapshot. So if you can streamline it so you don't have to lug up like 18 bags— I called my husband a Sherpa because he just like was schlepping things everywhere and every time we go anywhere. So I always say like, just think about the minimum. Like, you're not going to need a breast pump unless you're planning on exclusively pumping, and that can take up a big footprint in your bag. Like, an actual breast pump, even the wearables, I mean, the package is big enough that it's going to take up space that you can use for something else. The hospitals have those though. Yeah, I always, I always say like, like, you don't, you don't need it. And the hospital has, the hospital has the best pumps.

Yeah.

So they always say like, by the way, hot tip, hospital-grade suction is not a regulated term. So if you ever hear anybody in healthcare talking about this pump is hospital-grade suction, it's not really. No, that's just a marketing term. But like hospitals have a hospital-grade suction breast pump. Like it's, you can't buy better than this. So you don't need to bring yours in. They will have it if you need it.

Are they all the same like machine, like the ones on wheels? The one on the stick? Yellowy? Is it yellow?

It has a kind of corner. It's a yellow one that most people do, the Medela. So yeah, we roll it in on a stick and it's— anyway, um, so I would say don't, don't bring that. Um, again, you don't need breast pads unless you're using like a nipple cream, like, because your breast milk in the beginning is going to be minimal. It's colostrum. It's there, it's there from pregnancy, but you're not going to be sort of like spraying milk out when your baby first comes to the point where you're leaking. So I say breast pads Only put them in if you're putting a cream on there. I always say you're going to need postpartum supplies. This is interesting, though. In talking with labor and delivery peeps from the States, it sounds like you guys supply moms with a lot more stuff than Canada does, as well as a hospital bill.

But— I was going to say, that's probably because of how much—

Yeah, right. You're paying like $80 for a can of Dermaplast and you're like, okay, super. Those are the most expensive tucks you'll ever buy. So I would say check in with your hospital and see what they bring because you can save yourself space if you're going to just be taking it home from the hospital anyway. But I always say like, Think about your bits. So you need like a diaper or a pad and then some stuff to make it feel better. So witch hazel and a numbing agent. Boom, boom, boom. 3 things for your super pad. You know, think about your boobs. They need support after. So throw a nursing bra or a nursing tank in there because they're going to just feel different after you give birth. It's hard to explain, but they want support. It makes sense. People will pack a ton, a ton, a ton of stuff for baby. But I just want to like cue people that that skin-to-skin time with your baby in that first 24 hours is super, super important. I mean, beyond that, but I always say like if you can be naked in your hospital room with your baby, that's the best way to be. So I would say like bring a pair of PJs that buttons up so that you can easily access it, or just a robe. And then if people come, you just put your robe on. But otherwise you're just kind of laying there with your, with your baby all nakey. Um, and also your baby doesn't need 800 clothes because they should also be naked and doing skin to skin. So I would say like a going home outfit for baby, a going home outfit for you, um, which for me was my PJs that I walked in because I'm so minimal. I'm like, this is good enough.

Yeah.

Um, and then yeah, like a nursing bra, um, some stuff for your You need some stuff for your nips and your bits. I love that. And then, yeah, like your camera. I always say you can bring in a pillow from home if it makes you feel comfortable, a nursing pillow if you think you're going to use it. But like, think about the fact that you're going to be there for like 24 hours. Most of the things you need can be supplied by the hospital, so you're just going to bring in the little extras that you think are super important.

Okay, and when should this bag be packed?

Is this something that— Don't wait. I see a lot of people that are like, I was gonna pack it tomorrow, today was my pack. Yeah, I always say have it packed by At minimum 38 weeks. I would say 36 is good for me. And what I did is I put everything in there that I thought I needed, and then I just left a little note on top for the stuff that I use every day, like your toothbrush, your eye— your minimal face supplies, your makeup if you used it that day. Then if you're going into the hospital and you are like really in a hurry giving birth, then your husband or your partner will know sort of what to put in there. Because sometimes when people come in and their bag isn't packed and they'll be like, hey, I need you to get this, this, and this. And they come in with like a thong and like the—

What's happening?

Oh boy. So if you have a, a very descript, simple list to be like, this needs to be added, zip it up and bring it in, then you're good to go. Hey nurses, looking for exclusive discounts? Nurse.org has you covered with deals on everything. Save big on the essentials you need to excel in your career. Don't miss out. Visit nurse.org/discounts for the latest discounts made just for you.

And so as somebody who is a specialist in breastfeeding, I know this is always a very hot topic. What, what is your take on You know, breastfeeding versus formula. Is it, you know—

Breast is best, fed is best.

Yes. Okay.

Yeah, whatever. I, I am in the camp, like, I like information, but I also like— I think it's such a sensitive and already a hard time for parents that I don't like pressure. Um, so I, I do subscribe to fed is best in a way, but I do like people to know about the benefits of breastfeeding.

Sure.

I like them to know, you know, about why it's good for your baby. But I also want them to know, like, if it's not for you or it's not working out, then I mean, you need to feed your baby. And that's, that's stressful. Like, I can remember being at home with my first baby, and that was the baby that took my breast milk the longest to transition. And he's doing everything right. He's latched beautifully, he's sucking all the time, all the time. And my milk was just taking its time, which is very normal. But you feel stressed out when your baby is screaming and crying, and, and you're like, is he getting enough milk? I don't know. Like, what should we do? I called my sister crying like, oh my God, can I run out of breast milk? And she's like, no, no.

Yeah.

So I think in those situations It's good to know the information, but it's also good to know the alternatives. I do really like people, if they are considering formula, to really educate themselves on how to prepare it properly, because it is important, like, how you prepare it. It's not just willy-nilly. I see videos of people just like dumping in these like heaping spoonfuls of formula, and you're just like, oh my God.

Yeah.

So I think, I think knowledge is power all the time. That's why I think a breastfeeding course is amazing. I think colostrum collection before you give birth is like Oh, it's like chef's kiss. It does so many things for us. People do that. Yeah. So a lot of providers will say after 37 weeks it's safe to collect colostrum. We always want to check in with them first because there are situations obviously where this is not for everybody, but check in with them, get the green light, and then after 37 weeks you can do some hand expression and you can actually collect colostrum because you're already producing it. Then you can bring it in in syringes. And it kind of— I always say like, even if you didn't need it, it's like an insurance policy that if you maybe did need it for whatever reason, it's there, it's handmade, it's tailored to your baby, it's ready to go. And then you don't have don't have to worry like, oh my God, my breast milk isn't in. I think I'm gonna give formula because I don't know, right? So if you have that, it's kind of an insurance policy. But just be knowledgeable on why it's beneficial for your baby. What's really, really good to know is like the signs of your baby being well hydrated and getting enough milk. If you're, if you're comfortable enough knowing, yeah, like these things are, are checking the boxes, I think we're doing okay. Or these things are not checking the boxes, we need to resort to something else because my baby needs to be fed. So I think just knowing the information and then sort of giving your brain a pass to be like, I need to do what's good for me and my family and my And that's okay.

Yeah. And it's so— it's like, like you're saying, it's so individualized, right? Like everybody's— that's why healthcare medicine is like, it's, you know, we have this, these umbrella things, these guidelines, these, the science, this data. But at the end of the day, we are all also human with like different— just everything's so different, right? So I think, I think the take-home message for that is, you know, get the education. You're going to give the benefits of the breastfeeding, but don't feel shameful if it's something that's not working.

100%.

Feed your baby and that's going to be okay. Okay.

Yeah. And I always tell people too, like, if, if you need to supplement with formula, it doesn't mean that your breastfeeding journey is over. Like, just because— like, it's not an all or none. Like, it's not like, you know, something where you're like, I did it once, so I have to continue doing it forever. Like, if you, if you need to do that because you feel like in your gut your baby's not getting enough, then do that. But at the same time, if you're going to give your baby some formula, make sure you still stimulate your breasts so that you're telling your body to continue with the process. And then once your breast milk kind of comes, transitions a little bit more, I mean, then you're, then you're on the road, right? So there's definitely ways to do it where It can be successful to do both. There's ways to do it where it's successful, just formula. There's ways to do it, yeah, where you're combo feeding. There's, there's lots out there. So just find those really reputable sources and, and have the info ahead of time. I would say we prepare so much for childbirth, but we don't necessarily prepare for postpartum and breastfeeding the same way, which is funny because like the childbirth is like a very monumental drop in the bucket compared to the scope of postpartum.

So.

Yeah.

In your experience with when you're dealing with first-time parents, first-time moms, what are you seeing as like their biggest fear or what are they spiraling around? Do you have something that kind of comes to your mind?

Uh, yeah, um, pooping while they're pushing. Yeah, yeah, everyone's— I mean, I get it, no one wants to poop in a room full of people. I get it, I feel it. But yeah, it's like, it's like, I swear to you, it's one of the number one like freakout moments for parents. Like, is this gonna happen? And I'm just like, hey, hey girl, if it happens, it happens. Like, I joined the club. Like, you know, so yeah, like, I think they're worried about it rightfully. It's— no one wants that, but I'm telling you guys, it's gonna be okay. It's gonna be okay. And then the other one is that nobody wants to tear during childbirth. That's another fear of theirs. So yeah, I think those are two big ones with like giving birth, you know. But I think again, things are changing in the birth world. I wish it was changing a little bit quicker, but I always say like we're starting to push the needle on birth culture where people are asking more really, really smart questions and they're sort of taking control of their own birth a little bit more. Whereas if we look at birth 40 years ago, or like when I was born, very, very different. Very patriarchal, very much like what I say is how it goes. It's like women weren't even really a part of it, really, for some of it we're talking about.

That's wild.

The history of birth is not always pretty. So I think we're slowly changing it, and I would love to still be around if I could see the needle push even farther, because I think we have a long way to go, but I think we're on our way. And yeah, I do encourage people, like people say, well, I can imagine too, as a provider, it's probably annoying when you're trying trying to counsel your patient, they're like, yeah, but on TikTok they said do this. And I'd be like, oh God, on TikTok.

But some of those points are, you know, totally a great point.

I agree. But I think, I think what people need to do is like take that info and then use it as a talking point with their own personal provider because your situation may not be— well, is 100% not the same situation as whoever posted that. And there is some info out there that can be quite harmful with no repercussion on their end. So, um, I can see how it'll be frustrating, but I'm kind of glad because I think it's really starting conversations. And I think conversations, especially in the birth world, are really, really important right now.

Yeah, yeah. No, I agree. What's your take on— and again, when I ask these questions, it's not to— I'm never here to judge anybody again for their choices. Like, I can't speak to this. I again can't have children. So I'm not speaking to that. But like, what's your take on mine?

I have too many. You can ask them.

I just, I just want to know, like, what's your take on what, you know, people like home births versus going into the hospital? Like, is it again, is that situation dependent? Is this something that like Like, you are like, why are people doing this in 2025? Or like, what do you think?

Here's what I will tell you. Um, I will tell you that I think anybody who works in the hospital system, I think that their, their viewpoint and their opinion on home birth are biased and skewed because in the hospital we only see the bad outcomes of home birth. So we only see it when it goes wrong and they hospital transfer and something happened. So we think like, why would anybody want to do this? Like, I would never risk this. And personally, I would not, just because like I found even with like, for example, so we usually say births get easier with, with each baby. Usually the caveat is that sometimes it doesn't. And with my 4th, she was my smallest baby. She was an induction because she was small. And so you would think with a cervix that's been through birth 4 times, a body that's done it 4 times, and a small baby, this baby, I was like, oh, I'll start the induction at 8 and I'll have her by noon. It was like 10:30 at night by the time I had her.

Wow.

And because she wasn't positioned well and it took a couple of interventions to get her out safely. And so in that example, for me, it was like if I had said, oh, like, this is my 4th baby, she's small, we can probably just shoot her out at home and carry on with our day, like, we would have run into trouble at home.

Yeah.

So I always say it's interesting. So it's not for me personally, but I think that there are some really, really beautiful home births that happen, and I think it has a place for some people. But like, I'm not a proponent of free birth, so I think I think home birth and free birth are 2 things that are sort of starting to gain popularity.

What's the difference?

Free birth being like there's no medical personnel or midwife or anybody there.

People are doing that?

You just kind of do it and hope for the best. Really?

That's a thing?

Yeah.

Yeah. Okay.

So that one, I'm like a hard pass. Like, it's— I think it's just really unsafe for, for moms and babies. I think you really have to weigh it out and you have to figure out what you're looking for because I think that there are I would say like birth trauma is on the rise. So it's like 1 in 3 people are reporting birth trauma. And so I think in these situations, or like we've seen, right, like just recently with our 2 Black moms that were basically like not listened to and ignored.

I was gonna ask you this. Yes. Yeah.

Like these are reasons people are like, well, I'm like, I sure as hell wouldn't go back to give birth again if that was my experience. So I think unfortunately in situations like that, we're pushing people who may not be a good candidate for a home birth into home birth, or maybe they're not prepared for a home birth, but they're like, well, I'm certainly safer than that, because that was awful. And like, I, I can't fault people for that. So I think the distrust of the system definitely is playing into it. I think social media is also playing into it. And again, that social media is like a double-edged sword where it'll give you great information. But again, if you're searching for something and you already have a bit of a bias, it'll then feed you things that confirm that bias. So if you search up like amazing home birth stories, it's gonna—

You'll find them.

Social media will make it seem like every home birth is amazing. Amazing. And if you search up, you know, home birth complications, it's then going to serve you up all of the worst home births you've ever seen.

Yeah.

So I would say, like, if you can talk to a provider who knows you and your body and your particular things that are happening in your pregnancy, I think it's always good to have that opinion before you make a choice between a home birth and a hospital birth. I also want people to know that there are things like birth centers that are minimal, low interventions. They're usually very close to a hospital. They have midwives that, that you give birth with. I want people to know too that you can give birth with a midwife in a hospital. So if you are like, I want the midwife experience, which is typically— I mean, not always, but typically less intervention, typically it's an unmedicated birth, not always— but if you want that experience but you're nervous about being at home, there's also that option. So there's a bunch of options that I think people are not quite aware of. Um, and so again, I just like, like gather all the info before you make any hard choices.

Yeah.

But, but what we have been through to this point will always play a way in our decisions to move forward Yeah, yeah.

I think, I think like what you're saying from a medical standpoint, you're just, you, you almost know too much, you know. And if something goes wrong, you want to be somewhere where you have immediate help because it's not only your life, it's also, you know, the baby or however many babies you're having. It's, you know. And so that's, yeah.

And with birth too, like, because we have seen the comp— like when things go wrong with birth, like it goes wrong, like fast.

Yeah.

And so I think that is where a lot of people who work in hospitals will usually go towards a hospital birth because we've seen the big things that can happen. But I mean, when you sit back and think about it objectively, you're like, how often do those things happen versus a birth that is mostly uncomplicated? Like, you know, so you're like, well, it's— and it's kind of like when I worked in the emergency department and I saw a lot of early losses and miscarriages, I was petrified when I got pregnant that I was going to have a miscarriage, even though I mean it's very common, but it's still not as common as having a baby and like having a baby and having it stay with you. But again, you see it and you see it and you see it, and so you're like, that's going to happen to me because you see it, right? And so it's it's hard to like put that lens on and be like, sure, this is not the rule. It's it's you know.

So speaking of what speaking of the ED, how how much does L and D get annoyed with the ED? Because I I most of my nursing experience is in the ED, and I can I I. I always just sense, uh, like a little bit of like rolling the eyes, you're annoying, like, you know. But it's like when pregnant people— I mean, if you've worked in the ER, you may know this, but when pregnant people would come into the ER, I'm like, this is the last place I want you to be, please get away from us. Are you guys annoyed with the ED?

I'm gonna tell you a secret. I— when I worked in emerg, anytime somebody pregnant came in, I ran to them. That's how I knew it was like time for me to go somewhere else.

Okay, so you were—

Everybody else ran away and I was like, what's happening? I'm like, help is on the way. I Everybody runs away. And it's funny too, like when I worked in emergency, and I'll tell you the story, we had a precipitous birth. So somebody came in having a baby very quickly.

Yeah.

So we got her into a room and she like had the baby. And I mean, there's not much to do. We just basically put the baby on her chest. We like did blow-by oxygen because we didn't know what else to do. We were like, yeah, oxygen sounds good. I don't know, right? But we were all excited and the mom was excited. The baby was crying and we were all— and then the labor and delivery team runs down. It's so funny. They were like, immediately they were like, what time was the baby born? And I was like, about a minute ago. Like, I don't know. Yeah. And they're like, what were the Apgars? And I was like, what the hell's an Apgar? Like, I don't, I don't know. I said the baby came out good and they're alive.

You're welcome.

It's pink and— yeah, right, it's pink and crying and mom's happy and I'm crying. And so it's so funny that every department has their own like sets of like the things that are most important to them. Uh, I saw it too in ICU, like when I would I would give report as an emergency room nurse versus when I took a patient as an ICU nurse. Um, so I think it's funny because it's also the flip side. So now I see it in labor and delivery when emergency— so emerg will bring us up a patient just because they're pregnant, but they'll have like a broken leg and we'll be like, the baby doesn't have a broken leg.

They're 15 weeks, but they broke their leg, so they're yours.

That's right. Yeah, that's right. She's 35 weeks. And yeah, so we'll like clear her, we'll do an NST or something and we'll be like, okay. One time somebody came up in like a full like neck collar on a spine board. And we're like, I feel, I feel as though we have lost the plot here. Like, I think maybe she has— the baby's good and you need to— yeah. So I think it's so— everyone has their, their, their guidelines and that sort of thing. But yeah, we always get anybody who's pregnant, regardless of what they're there for. It's like, oh, oh, you're upstairs.

Go upstairs. Yeah, go away. I think it's because that, that's the fear of the ER is like, I do not want to deliver this baby here. Like, I don't, I don't know what to do, I think is the fear.

Totally. And because I think too, we have to— it's that whole visual of like, just because you're pregnant, you're not sick. And so I think that's where a lot of people want to move away from a hospital birth because they're like, this— I'm not sick. Like, I don't need to be in a hospital gown laying in a bed. Like, I'm having a baby, which is a physiologically normal thing. And like, when I, when I would bring people to the ICU, I would be so nervous because they would ask me like 8 million questions about their— I don't know, what's their potassium? What's their— I don't know.

Yeah.

Their— what is it— CBR, their kidney function. I don't know what the shit they were asking me. And so I would just— I wanted to be like, well, they have a catheter to a urometer and they have a central line and they're on pressors. You're welcome. Yeah. Can you— can you also look that information up? Because I could do it, but I was busy doing all the things. So it's— it's— I think it's so funny how every department has— yeah, yeah. Has their own set of like things that they need to check their boxes on. Yeah.

Yeah.

And emerg is just like the gong show of everything. It's just That's right.

But I mean, what you're saying, I think, is such a good point because I, I think it is great to have perspective. And when you, when you dabble in other specialties, like I've done, I've done some med surg, some ICU, ER, like you just understand a little bit better as to maybe why, why is med surg and ICU nurse asking me as the ER nurse such annoying questions?

Like, because I mean, in actuality, yeah, they need that info to continue. Whereas like labor and delivery, like they need that info to continue their care plan and like, and see how the baby's doing. But for us, it was like, we were just super excited and yeah. So it's, it's interesting. And I, I do encourage people, like, if you can, if it's, if you have it in you, some people don't have it in them to experience other departments. I think some people are like, this is where I will die. Like, I will never do anything else.

Yeah.

But I always say, like, if you can do it, 'cause it really does give you perspective. And like when you then work in ICU and you know what you're going to have to do for that patient, you know then why those questions are important to ask. Yes.

And you kind of know like maybe how to do a couple extra things to maybe make that nurse have an easier, you know, easier time receiving that patient and make them not so mad at you.

Totally. And so I would like look at those things before I brought them up because I was like, well, they're gonna ask that and I know now why they're asking that. It's— they're not trying to be annoying, they're just trying to like get a picture of their very complicated patient who I am now bringing them. So yeah, it's interesting if you can do it because it's cool if you can do other like healthcare systems. Like I worked in Los Angeles, I worked in Australia. It's, it's interesting to see sort of all of those things. Australia?

Did you live there?

Mm-hmm. Yeah, I did a little travel conference. I went over there and then I realized quickly that I didn't actually want to work there. I just wanted to be on holiday there.

Oh, okay.

So yeah, then I just was like, okay, I'm good here.

And then I traveled around.

It was awesome.

How long were you there?

6 months, but I only worked I think for 3 because again, I was like, I don't want to, I just want to see all the things.

That's cool.

And I was like, I was walking through Sydney, like catching, like going on a transfer from one bus to another in my uniform, all like grumpy. And then there was people, oh, look at that, click. Oh, and I was like, God, I don't want to be here working. Beaut— I, I love Australia. New Zealand, love New Zealand. Oh my God.

I've never been.

Yeah, never been.

It's on the list. Yeah, I will for sure go.

We need a Nurse Blake, uh, con in Australia that we can all go to. Oh yes, Please call us.

Yeah, call us. I would go in a heartbeat. Um, just a couple like last minute, just kind of like rapid-fire things, just— and these are also from my knowledge too because I don't totally know exactly, but what is, what is Pitocin? Why do we use it?

Yeah, this is again social media with— so, uh, Pitocin in the States, oxytocin in Canada. This is a medication that makes our uterus contract. So a lot of times if somebody, um, their— maybe their cervix is ready but they're just not Contracting. This can happen sometimes if you like break your water. Your cervix is nice and soft and stretchy, but the baby's not coming down on it. So we can start Pitocin to encourage those contractions, which will then bring baby down on the cervix, and then that pressure on the cervix causes your body to create its own oxytocin, and that's how you go through labor. The problem is, is that oxytocin or Pitocin, in my opinion— opinion— is often overused.

Okay.

Because we are in these hospital systems that Maybe it's a really busy unit, maybe they're short-staffed, maybe they have a doctor that's inducing for one reason or another. So sometimes we get kind of clogged up and, and there's a need to sort of move things forward more quickly, or people are coming into the hospital earlier than maybe would be a better time to come in. And so because they're there for a long period of time with small amounts of change, we want to sort of move things along. So I, I have mixed thoughts on, on Pitocin. I, I know you're like rapid fire and then you asked me about Pitocin and now I'm like, let me tell you everything. No, it's okay.

Where are we going?

I feel like we need more studies on Pitocin because I, I really do in my heart of hearts think that there's a better way to use this drug. If we think about our body in natural labor, we don't just— our body doesn't just produce oxytocin like this, like linear, right? It's like it spikes and it drops and it spikes and it drops, and that's how you get these surges of contractions. But then when we give people Pitocin, we're giving it to them on this linear fashion, right? So we're not really mimicking what's happening. And we've also found that, like, if you're giving somebody Pitocin and then you've made them contract and bring their baby down on their, on their cervix and they're making change, like, can we then turn it off? Because now you have your body making contractions that's causing your own body to give your own contractions as that baby comes down. So I would love to see more studies on, like, almost bolusing of Pitocin. I'd love to see studies on, like, Pitocin breaks.

Interesting.

Where you get to a certain point and then you stop it. I mean, in the human body, like, the amount of Pitocin that they're finding in people's blood, like, when they're in labor, labor, it's not anywhere near what we are putting into their body on the IV. It's lower. So I would love to see more—

Interesting.

More studies on how we can use this drug more effectively to maybe mimic labor better. But I do want people to know, you can, as a patient, if you are not coping, if you feel like you're over-contracting, if you're just feeling uncomfortable, you can ask for that medication to be stopped. You can ask for that medication to be paused, where maybe you're not going to jump up to the next level, Yeah, maybe instead of every half an hour, you want to go an hour and see how you feel. So that's, I think, important information that not everyone knows because they don't feel like they can, they can sort of dictate that. But you can. And if you, if you want it turned off, you can turn it off.

Okay. Love it. Thank you for the Pitocin lesson. Crash course on Pitocin.

Okay. It's got a bad, bad name in some circles.

What is, what is a mucus plug?

Oh, a mucus plug is something. It's a collection of mucus that sits sort of at the entrance of the cervix. It's like, I call it like a bouncer to the cervix. The confusion is people think once they lose their mucus plug, it comes out like in their underwear or whatever, that labor is like immediately going to start. And what's interesting about it is that it can regenerate. So you can lose your mucus plug and it can mean absolutely nothing.

And so this thing just falls out. I'm like, I was imagining this thing just like, like shooting out like a—

Yeah, no, it just sort of slides out. Like it just kind of, yeah, slops out, if you will. It's kind of like a Jell-O shooter and how you like suck it out of the— yeah, kind Kind of like that. Just kind of— thank you. Um, yeah, I always say 2 things. One, you can never lose your mucus plug and still have a baby. Spoiler alert, you're not going to stay pregnant forever even if you don't ever see it. Um, and the other one is that it doesn't necessarily mean that labor is coming tomorrow. Like, it could mean absolutely nothing.

Okay.

I do say this though, if you are preterm, under 37 weeks, and you lose your mucus plug, I would love for you to tell your provider ASAP. Generally, it means that there are some micro changes happening in the cervix, a little bit of dilating, that's kind of loosening things up. Doesn't mean that it's going to start labor, but if you're preterm, it's always a good thing to mention.

Okay. Love that. And then what is a— I was watching one of your videos, which this is something I didn't even really know about, and I think it was called— was it— is it bloody show?

Oh, yes. What is that? Different, different from the mucus plug. So bloody show is something that we see. It's kind of one of the only times that bleeding in pregnancy and labor is So any bright red bleeding vaginally in a pregnancy, like, I want you to go get checked out ASAP. It's not a normal thing at all. Bright, like a period. As your cervix changes, there's sort of these little micro tears that can happen as it's stretching and dilating and thinning. And so what will happen is blood will kind of mix in with the regular discharge that's happening during labor and the amniotic fluid. And so we'll see something called bloody show, basically meaning that we assume things are progressing based on what we're seeing. So it's a very normal sign in—

And it's okay.

If you are seeing it at home and you're feeling cramps, it probably means something is happening. And again, anytime you're seeing anything in your underwear other than regular discharge before 37 weeks, please go to your provider. Like, don't mess around with it because people will be like, oh no, it's nothing. It's just— I'm just crampy. Just— it's just discharge. And then they're like, yeah, 9 centimeters dilated with a 32-week baby.

All right. Good to know.

And then the last thing before I let you get off here, I was going to say, you're not going to end the show on a Bloody show, are you? Oh my God!

No, no, no. I actually wanted to end it on this because I I was I didn't expect to watch this whole video on your YouTube channel. I just wanted to kind of like check it out, but I was laughing so hard. I was like, "We have to talk about this." The what is your take on? I have my own opinions on this again. Who am I to have an opinion on these?

Oh no, I love opinions.

What is your take on gender reveals? And if any anybody listening, please go watch Tina's YouTube channel. It's your handle's Mama Nurse Tina, right?

Yeah.

Just please go watch the video about her reaction.

Gets yeeted. Oh my God, I like— I, I probably watched that clip like 85 times and peed my pants every time.

I was laughing so hard. I was watch— literally watching this in a coffee shop this morning, just laughing. I'm like, oh my God, if anyone else is watching this, like— but it was funny, and the fails are funny. But what is your take on, on gender reveals in general? You said you've done some. You've done— you, on your 4th kid, you did on 2, and 2 you didn't.

I did 2 gender reveals. I will gently tell people about gender disappointment because a lot of people feel a certain kind of way about it. I feel like it's a real thing. So I did it with my first 2. Obviously I had 2 boys, really wanted a girl more than just I wanted like to dress her up cute. Like, I have a phenomenal relationship with my mom. I really want that opportunity with a daughter regardless. Side story. Um, so I did it with the first 2. I knew with the third, if it came up boy, that I would be upset. I knew that I would love him. I knew that I would still have him, but I just knew that in that moment I would feel a certain kind of way. So we didn't do a gender reveal with our third because I was like, well, that would be awkward. And that's where I think people go wrong. I think people plan these gender reveals when they have a really, really strong incline to one gender over another.

Mm-hmm.

If like, if there's an opportunity that you may find out the gender of your baby and you're going to be upset about it, I wouldn't— I personally wouldn't do a gender reveal, and I for sure as hell would not record the gender reveal and then post it on the internet. Like, can Can you imagine being like your son or daughter, like scrolling the interwebs when they're 15 and being like, oh, here's my dad, uh, punching out all of the gifts and my mom sobbing in the corner because I was a girl, not a boy?

Yeah.

Like, like, take those feelings, feel those feelings, but like, they don't need to know that you feel those feelings because you love them now, right? Like, I mean, you love them then too, but I just, I feel like, yeah. Also, I find it funny when people are like, just a simple gender reveal, and then it's like fireworks, like a plane overhead with like Cloud of smoke and you're like, oh my God.

I love the ones too of the, um, like where the mother-in-law is just like going in for the hug first and then the, the wife or the girlfriend is just like internally about to combust. Like, hilarious. Terrible but hilarious to watch.

I mean, it's great as a bystander. That's how I feel. That's how I feel about all Housewives shows and Intervention. I'm like, yeah, these are— yeah, these are shows that I can watch because it's not— yeah, it's not me having the issue. Yeah. So yeah, Real Housewives are just amazing. So that's why I watch them, because I'm like, this would never be me, but it sure is fun to watch.

This is entertaining. Yes.

Yeah. I feel like if you could, you could do like a nice, simple, sweet gender reveal and it's, it's a lovely time. And like, there's some lovely ones, but man, it's getting, it's getting wild, the stuff people are doing. I'm like, look at that. Everyone's so creative. Yeah.

I just, yeah, I just, it's funny. My, my hot take on gender reveals Tell me. And again, this might, this might be like too much, like looking into it and like, it's probably not as big as this, but I think this is because of my own, like growing up, like I was, I didn't come out as gay until I was 24. Like I had a very, I had a very hard time growing up with like, this is what boys do. This is what girls do. And so I feel like when you're doing a gender reveal and you're just like, you're immediately before this child is even in the world, you're immediately slapping on them these just like roles that they are going to assume. And again, it's probably not that big, but like, I, I just, that's just how I feel about it because I understand what that feels like to just be like growing up and you're like, this is what a man is supposed to do. And the whole time I'm like, well, I don't want to do that, you know? So.

Not for me. It's not.

Yeah. So that's my, that's my take on, on gender reveal. I just, I'm like, you're already just, you're already putting these, you know, oh, it's a boy. It's a girl. Like, amazing. Like, I'm going to buy them all these pink things and blue things. And again, I don't think it's out of a place of obviously Obviously, like, parents are excited. Yeah, but you're just like, oh, it's blue, so it's a boy. And well, what if the boy wants to like pink?

Right, right. Yeah. Or like, it's like you— they're either a unicorn onesie or a tractor onesie.

Yeah.

Like, what if the— what if the little girl likes tractors? Or the little boy's like, fuck your tractor.

Yeah, but that's like— that, that's a whole bigger issue, obviously.

Like, the unicorn all day, please.

Yeah, right. Like, if I had kids—

yeah. I wonder if we'll see it change, like if we'll see shift. Yeah. Or if we just have a celebration of a pregnancy, which we do. I mean, it's a baby shower. So yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, we did it. And I was just like, meh, like, it's by no means did it make it like this monumental moment in our pregnancy, like one way or another. Yeah, I think it's just people need an excuse to have a good time. I don't know.

I get it. My mom actually didn't— she didn't know until we were born. She just wanted to— yeah, she just wanted to know when we were born.

I, I do love a surprise baby. I call it like, yeah, I'm always like, yeah. And what I love, what I really love about a surprise baby is when the dad or the partner announces the gender of the baby when they come out. It's like, I'm always like, everyone, shh, quiet, listen. And then they're always nervous that they're going to mess it up. Like every time they're like, no, I'll make it really obvious. Like, you, you will not mess this up. Anyway, I have not had a dad mess it up, but yeah, it's, it's super special. It's— and I have to say, like, it's— if somebody is really leaning towards one gender and then that's the one that comes out and they're just—

They're just like, so happy.

It's really, it's a really cool room to be in. So I mean, I could never because I'm a planner and also—

Yeah, you're like, I need to know.

For the same reason too, like, I didn't want to be like hoping, hoping for one gender. I had another gender and I didn't want to feel even like a second of like not quite rightness about it in that moment. So I was like, I would rather process outside of it. And then when my third boy came out, I was like, I was sobbing because I was I just like, I just loved him and I just was like, I was so relieved that he was here and happy and healthy. So I'm glad that like I processed then and so I could never be a—

that makes sense.

But yeah, some people come in with like 8 boys and they're pregnant with their 9th and they're like, it's a surprise. And I was like, I could never. But yeah, I mean, it's fun. I like it. Birth is always fun though.

Yeah, yeah, yeah. Well, thank you so much, Tina. Um, for any parting words, um, like I said, everybody can find Tina at Mama Nurse Tina on all the socials. She's always posting. saying it's great content, educational, it's funny, love it.

My head has just grown 3 sizes.

Funny, she's even a comedian, like my goodness. Any parting words?

No, I think, I think just keep learning. Like everyone just needs to keep learning and sort of keep a positive lens on things. And I think for birth particularly, I think the more information that you can prep with, the better. And again, a reminder to just take what you hear and see and read. Don't take anyone's word for for it, take that information to your specific provider. They are great conversation starters. And you can really keep that, that dialogue going with them. And, and then you can find sort of the things that are going to make your birth what is special for you.

Amazing. Well, thank you so much, Tina. We appreciate you. Thanks for stopping by Club Nurse.

Amazing.

From the bottom of my heart, I wanted to thank you for being here at Club Nurse. I hope you gained something valuable from today's episode. And if You did. Remember to share this episode with someone that you love. Follow me on socials @NurseDaddies or @ColtonLord17, and be sure to follow nurse.org to stay informed with all of the hottest healthcare topics. Until next time, take care of yourself the way you take care of everyone else. Love ya. Bye.