Labor & Delivery Nurse: Childbirth & Obstetric Care
Labor and Delivery (L&D) Nurses specialize in caring for women during labor, childbirth, and immediate postpartum period. Combining medical expertise with emotional support, L&D nurses help bring new life into the world while ensuring safety for both mother and baby during one of life's most transformative experiences.
What L&D Nurses Do
L&D nurses monitor fetal heart rates, assess labor progress, administer pain medications including epidurals assistance, support natural and medicated births, assist during cesarean sections, and provide immediate postpartum care. They coach women through labor, recognize signs of complications, and respond quickly to emergencies like fetal distress or hemorrhage. Each nurse typically cares for 1-2 laboring patients at a time.
Salary & Compensation
Average Salary: $70,000 - $95,000 annually
Entry-Level: $62,000 - $72,000
Experienced L&D RN: $78,000 - $105,000
Call Pay: Additional $2-5/hour for on-call shifts
Many L&D units require on-call rotation, providing extra compensation. Urban and high-volume hospitals typically pay more than rural facilities.
Work Environment
Settings: Hospital labor and delivery units, birth centers, some home birth practices
Schedule: 12-hour shifts with on-call requirements common. Births happen 24/7, so rotating schedules are standard. Many units require 1-2 call shifts per week.
Pace: Ranges from slow (waiting for labor to progress) to intense (emergency C-sections, multiple deliveries)
Requirements & Skills
Certifications: BLS, NRP (Neonatal Resuscitation), ACLS often required, eventually pursue Inpatient Obstetric Nursing (RNC-OB) certification
Key Skills: Fetal monitoring interpretation, labor coaching, IV insertion, emergency response (shoulder dystocia, hemorrhage), C-section assistance, breastfeeding support
Emotional Intelligence: Supporting families during joyful and tragic outcomes requires exceptional interpersonal skills
Career Path
L&D nurses can advance to Charge Nurse, Childbirth Educator, Lactation Consultant (IBCLC), or Women's Health Nurse Practitioner. Some transition to postpartum, antepartum, or NICU.
Pros & Cons
Pros: Witnessing births is joyful and rewarding, variety in shift (some days are calm, others intense), strong bonding with patients, less death than other specialties, good job security
Cons: On-call requirements disruptive, emergencies are high stress, long labor processes try patience, tragic outcomes (stillbirths, complications) are heartbreaking, physically demanding
L&D nursing attracts those who find fulfillment in women's health, enjoy unpredictable work, and want to be part of families' most memorable moments.