Ep. 411 OB Tools that Parents Need to Know About with Dr. Tori O’Daniel from Laborie

In this episode, HeHe is joined by Dr. O’Daniel to break down the real tools and procedures used in labor and delivery, the ones no one explains until they’re suddenly happening to your body. Together, they unpack what tests like the ROM actually tell us about water breaking, when internal monitors like an IUPC are used, and what patients deserve to know before anything is placed inside their body. They also dive into operative vaginal deliveries, including vacuums and forceps, how clinical decision-making works in those moments, and why true informed consent matters so much when things move quickly. Dr. O’Daniel explains newer innovations like the Traxi for safer C-sections in larger bodies and the Life Bubble, a game-changing tool for supporting NICU babies. This conversation is evidence-based, honest, and incredibly empowering, especially if you want to walk into birth understanding the tools, not fearing them. Knowledge is advocacy, and this episode gives you plenty of both.   Guest Bio: Dr. Tori O’Daniel is a Board-Certified OB/GYN whom has been practicing for 14 years. For the past 11 years she has been an OB/GYN Hospitalist at Mercy Medical Center in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Dr. O’Daniel is the Medical Director of the OB/GYN Hospitalist program and the Department Chair of the OB/GYN Department in her facility. She also instructs educational classes and facilitates the OB Emergency Simulations for the nurses and physicians within her department.   She has been actively involved in the Society of OB/GYN Hospitalists (SOGH) for the past several years. She currently sits on the SOGH Board of Directors.   Dr. O’Daniel is passionate about education, and she actively teaches in multiple venues. She is a master trainer for Kiwi vacuum assisted deliveries; she travels across the globe to train residents and attending physicians in the 5-Step Vacca Method.   laborie.com   Check out the tools Dr. O’Daniel shared about here: https://www.laborie.com/products/obstetrics-gynecology/   SOCIAL MEDIA: Connect with HeHe on Instagram  Connect with Laborie on IG    BIRTH EDUCATION: Join The Birth Lounge for judgment-free, evidence-based childbirth education that shows you exactly how to navigate hospital policies, avoid unnecessary interventions, and have a trauma-free labor experience, all while feeling wildly supported every step of the way Want prep delivered straight to your phone?Download The Birth Lounge App for bite-sized birth and postpartum tools you can use anytime, anywhere. And if you haven’t grabbed it yet…Snag my free Pitocin Guide to understand the risks, benefits, and red flags your provider may not be telling you about, so you can make informed, powerful decisions in labor.