Pomerene nurse helps bring 92 babies into the world
Pomerene Hospital recently held a small celebration at the hospital in honor of nurse Olivia Coblentz, recognizing her excellence in helping laboring mothers and being part of the delivery of 92 babies.
Olivia Coblentz never planned to be an obstetrics nurse. But because of her excellence, she is now the resident laboring mama whisperer, participating in the most births at Pomerene Hospital in 2021.
“It just sort of happened,” Coblentz said. “I was working in oncology (cancer unit) for a little over a year, and I really liked it, but obstetrics had an opening, and I was curious to try something new. I chose nursing because I got married and was moving to Millersburg, and I came to Pomerene because I wanted to work closer to home.”
Last year held a record number of births for Pomerene Hospital, where Coblentz has worked for more than six years. And in 2021 she was the nurse that helped deliver the most babies — 92 to be exact.
Being a part of 92 labors and deliveries in a small, local hospital is no small feat.
“Part of it is luck,” Coblentz said, “but there are not a lot of us who work full time, and I’m also one of the nurses who train new people. Labor is the hardest part to learn, so if there is an option, I always take the labor part over delivery.”
Obstetric departments have come a long way in a very short time, incorporating technology along with a back-to-the-basics approach of natural methods.
“At Pomerene Hospital we have midwives and doctors. We have a very low epidural rate compared to most hospitals because we have a high population of patients wanting a natural delivery,” Coblentz said. “Because of this, the nurses on the OB team are trained in how to help a patient labor naturally. We have wireless monitors so the patient can be walking the halls, taking a shower or getting in a tub even if they need to be on a monitor.”
Freedom of movement and not being bound to one area is helpful for laboring mothers not to feel confined.
“We do what’s called intermittent monitoring. While laboring, we remove the monitors at times so they can have some freedom,” Coblentz said. “We have also become what’s called baby-friendly. This means we do everything we can do to keep baby in the room with mom to support breastfeeding along with skin-to-skin contact right after delivery for as long as mom wants to and no bathing baby for at least 12 hours after delivery to help bonding. We do baths in the same room as mom so they can remain part of the experience, and we’re not taking baby away from them. We are very doula-like.”
For Coblentz, connecting and supporting mothers by getting to know them is key to making them feel comfortable in what can be a very stressful situation. It’s a gentler, more natural approach.
“Birthing a baby is an incredibly intimate experience, so having made some connections with the moms as they journey through the labor process helps me to support them in the best way I can,” Coblentz said.
Pomerene held a small celebration at the hospital on Jan. 24 in honor of Coblentz, recognizing her excellence in helping laboring mothers and being part of the delivery of 92 babies. It was a recognition well-deserved for being an indispensable element of their obstetrics team.
“I absolutely love my job,” Coblentz said. “It can be hard and messy at times, but I really enjoy helping patients labor and learn how to care for their new babies. Getting to be a part of a very intimate and precious moment in people’s lives is such a privilege.”