Precipitous Labor and Delivery

Precipitous labor means the labor that lasting less than three hours.

Nursing Interventions:

• Provide emotional support to calm mother
• Stay with the mother
• Encourage the mother to pant between contractions
• Prepare for rupturing membranes when the head crowns
• Do not try to keep fetus from being delivered

Interventions if Delivery is Necessary:

• Apply gentle pressure to fetal head upward toward the vagina to prevent damage to the fetal head and vaginal lacerations
• Support infant's body during delivery
• Deliver the infant between contractions and check for the cord around the neck
• Use restitution to deliver the posterior shoulder
• Use gentle downward pressure to move the anterior shoulder under the pubic symphysis
• Clear the infant's mouth
• Dry and cover the infant to keep the body warm
• Let the placenta separate naturally
• Place the infant on the mother's abdomen or breast to induce uterine contractions