I don’t know how many times I have heard that I’m foolish for wanting a natural childbirth. I suppose I could understand where people are coming from. Why would any one want to feel such pain when now days through medication you just don’t have to anymore? If you want to get medicated during your delivery then that’s your choice and there is nothing wrong with that. I can respect any decision made as long as you have done your research about that medication. And in some cases medical interventions save the lives of mother and baby and in those cases I think medication and even csections should be used.
For me and some others it’s just different. I WANT to feel that pain. For me its not torture. Instead for me it’s knowing that I am actually giving birth to my child instead of just attending the birth. Now I’ve heard it more times then I can count and you’re right, you don’t get a medal for not getting an epidural or doing it natural. If you do than I missed out and will be contacting my hospital to get mine cause that was hard work. However you do get a sense of achievement, you will never be more proud of yourself and you will feel like you just concord the world. That in itself is way better then some medal ill tell you. Cause that feeling stays with you forever and actually does have an effect on you and how you make future decisions.
For me and some others it’s just different. I WANT to feel that pain. For me its not torture. Instead for me it’s knowing that I am actually giving birth to my child instead of just attending the birth. Now I’ve heard it more times then I can count and you’re right, you don’t get a medal for not getting an epidural or doing it natural. If you do than I missed out and will be contacting my hospital to get mine cause that was hard work. However you do get a sense of achievement, you will never be more proud of yourself and you will feel like you just concord the world. That in itself is way better then some medal ill tell you. Cause that feeling stays with you forever and actually does have an effect on you and how you make future decisions.
now what gets me most is how moms say, and i believe that they would die for their kids before they would let any harm come to them but then when they get into a very phisically painful situation like labor then all that just goes out the window! knowing that there is even a small possibility that harm could come to your baby why would you even want to chance it for your own pain relief? is it selfishness, ignorance in not knowing the real facts? I could go on an on and on and still not get my point across. So ill leave it there.
This is research that I have done on epidurals. Pretty much everything I’ve read with recent research says the same thing. It hasn’t been till the last several years that there has even been research done on epidurals and the long term effect it has on the baby. So here you go, don’t argue with me argue with the scientist who have came to these conclusions based on data and facts =)
Epidurals are becoming increasingly popular as a method of relievingthe pain of labor. Many women can not understand why a woman would....labor without one. Many physicians love them because the laboring....woman is calm and quiet, easy to control. Many hospitals take advantage....of the docility of epiduralized women to increase the patient load of....nurses, who are freed up from their labor support responsibilities.....Walking down the hallways of a hospital that uses a lot of epidurals....can be an eerie experience. The labor floor is quiet and still. Women....watch television and talk on the phone as they await the birth of their....babies. Some of them even complain of boredom....... ..The clear benefit of epidurals is that they can totally relieve the....pain of labor. The procedure involves the placement of a needle into a....space in the back near the spinal cord. Local anesthetics and sometimes....narcotics can be instilled directly or, more commonly, a thin catheter....or tube is left in place and medication is given as needed. Usually,....the body from the middle of the abdomen down to the feet becomes numb.....The legs feel very heavy, and moving them without help or walking is....impossible. Many women no longer have any sense that they are in labor,....some continue to feel tightening of the stomach or mild pelvic....pressure. The pain block lasts around an hour, depending on the....strength of the labor and the womans tolerance for pain and what....anesthetics were used. If the catheter was left in place, as is....commonly done, a continuous infusion or repeated doses of the....medication can be given without having to repeat the insertion....procedure....... ..Use of an epidural is far safer than general anesthesia for both the....mother and baby, if cesarean section is indicated. For certain women....experiencing serious health problems, such as high blood pressure or....heart problems, the epidural can potentially prevent further illness or....death during labor. However, we must remember that there are several....drawbacks to this method of pain relief and there are some serious....potential health risks for the mother and baby. Epidurals, like any....medical tool, can be used wisely to positive effect or lead to serious....unintended results. They can sometimes signal the beginning of a....cascade of interventions that culminate in a cesarean section....... ..Epidurals do not always work as advertised. There can be difficulties....with placing it, leading to long and uncomfortable repeated attempts by....the anesthesiologist to insert the needle into the proper place. This....is more common in overweight women, because the physicians use bony....landmarks to find the proper spot for insertion. Once it is in place,....the pain block can be patchy, with numbness over most of the legs and....lower abdomen, hampered by the persistence of a small "window" of pain,....usually on one side of the abdomen. Or it might not work at all. Both....of these problems can usually be corrected by moving the catheter, if....that fails, a repeat of the insertion procedure is necessary....... ..A woman needs to have an IV in place before and for the duration of her....labor with the epidural. This is because one common side effect of the....medication is a drop in blood pressure, immediately after it is given.....This can lead to a drop in the blood flow to the baby and a drop in the....babys heart rate. IV fluids before and after the procedure, along with....medications to raise the blood pressure can usually correct the....problem. Procedures vary with institutions and providers, but usually....the baby's heart rate must be monitored continuously and the mother's....blood pressure checked periodically. So now the woman who walked into....the room under her own power is unable to even turn over in bed without....help, has an IV in her arm, a belt around her belly with monitors and....cables to the fetal monitor, a catheter in her back that may run to a....medication pump, and sometimes a blood pressure cuff around her arm.....If the fetal heart rate looks troublesome, especially if it dropped....along with the woman's blood pressure, the attendant may want to attach....a more sensitive monitor to the baby's head. This would necessitate....breaking the bag of water, if it was not yet broken. The cable for the....monitor runs out the woman's vagina to the fetal monitoring unit. Also,....oxygen via a mask on the woman's face will commonly be used to bring....more oxygen to the baby. Because of the numbness, many women are....unable to urinate until the epidural wears off. So, along with all the....other tubes and wires, she will need a catheter into the bladder to....empty her urine. This urine tube carries with it a risk of urinary....tract infection in the postpartum period. If narcotics are used, a....common side effect is intense itching, usually of the face and stomach.....Also it is not uncommon to shiver uncontrollably after receiving an....epidural. Some amount of back discomfort from bruising at the insertion....site is common for some days after birth....... ..Up to this point I have discussed the effects of the epidural that....could be termed merely annoying. In my experience, woman who really....want an epidural don't seem to mind all the tubes and wires or being....numb and detached from her labor. However, epidurals also have....potential effects that are more serious....... ..The most common, but still rare (about 1 out of a hundred) problem....occurs when the fluid space that surrounds the cord is punctured. This....is called a spinal puncture and can lead to an extremely debilitating....and painful headache within 24 hours. The anesthesiologist can usually....warn you if this has occurred and it is treatable. Very rarely there is....a problem with the insertion and medication is inadvertently injected....into the spinal space, resulting in a higher level of numbness. The....arms and muscles that control breathing may be affected. Artificial....respiration may be required until the effects of the medication have....worn off. If the medication is accidentally injected into a blood....vessel, seizures can result. These last two very rare problems are....medical emergencies and require skillful medical care and usually an....immediate cesarean section to deliver the baby, while the mother's....medical condition is stabilized....... ..A commonly acknowledged problem with the epidural is its effect on....labor. A woman who receives an epidural may increase her risk of....cesarean by as much as five times. This is not simply a problem with....the contractions slowing down, because contractions can be stimulated....with pitocin by IV. Many women who have epidurals need pitocin to....continue labor. Even with pitocin, a higher number of women cannot....birth their baby without the use of forceps, vacuum, or cesarean. The....numbness produced by the epidural makes it more difficult to push....effectively, prolonging this stage of labor, and exhausting the mother.....Many women are not aware of their contractions and need to be told when....to push. Allowing the epidural to wear off before beginning pushing can....prevent this to some extent, but not only is it often difficult for....women to handle the pain of contractions after being pain-free for so....long, but also the muscle weakness and leg heaviness seem to last....longer than the pain relief. Therefore, the woman is in pain and still....not necessarily able to push effectively....... ..A woman who receives an epidural is more likely to give birth by....cesarean because of failure to dilate. The hypothesized reason for this....is that the muscles of the pelvic floor relax and allow the baby to....assume a less optimal position. The baby's head then fails to apply....proper pressure to help the cervix to dilate. Also the baby can get....stuck in a position that makes it more difficult to fit down the birth....canal, such as posterior or "sunny side up"....... ..The greatest risk of cesarean comes when the epidural is given in early....labor, before 5 centimeters, especially if the woman is having her....first vaginal birth. Also, if the baby is still high up in the pelvis....or in a posterior position when the epidural is given, the risk of....cesarean is elevated. If the baby is low down (called zero station)....when the epidural is given, the risk of cesarean may not be increased....... ..Effects have also been noted on the babies. Infants who are exposed to....epidurals can have behavior difficulties in the first days after birth.....They can be more irritable and hard to console and may be less....responsive. They can have difficulty coordinating their movements and....responding to reflexes, which can make early breast feeding difficult.....This has implications for successful establishment of breast feeding,....as early and frequent feeding is ideal to secure a proper milk supply.....Additionally, it has also been researched the long term side effects. Behavioral problems later in life such as ADD ADHD and Autism Has been linked back to epidurals. It is said that this pain medication can cause minor brain damage in infants that are not noticeable till the later years. Not to mention the bonding between parents and the baby can be....disturbed, which has potential life-long consequences for the....parent-child relationship....... .... ..The fact remains that a woman who wants to maximize her ability to....birth her baby vaginally, unassisted by forceps or vacuum, should....Seriously consider and attempt all reasonable alternatives available to....her before requesting an epidural. A woman who has become educated....about pregnancy, childbirth, and breast feeding and has avoided all....potential harms to her child by eating properly and exercising during....her pregnancy may want to carefully consider the potential effects of....an epidural on her ability to successfully breast feed and bond with....her baby after birth. Please don't write to me and tell me how you had....an epidural at 2 centimeters and you pushed for twenty minutes and....delivered the baby without an episiotomy and the baby latched on right....away and still nurses 10 times a day. I have seen it happen, too. As I....stated earlier, many women seem very satisfied with their experience....with epidurals. However, a discussion of epidurals is not complete....without serious consideration of the potential risks involved.....
This is research that I have done on epidurals. Pretty much everything I’ve read with recent research says the same thing. It hasn’t been till the last several years that there has even been research done on epidurals and the long term effect it has on the baby. So here you go, don’t argue with me argue with the scientist who have came to these conclusions based on data and facts =)
Epidurals are becoming increasingly popular as a method of relievingthe pain of labor. Many women can not understand why a woman would....labor without one. Many physicians love them because the laboring....woman is calm and quiet, easy to control. Many hospitals take advantage....of the docility of epiduralized women to increase the patient load of....nurses, who are freed up from their labor support responsibilities.....Walking down the hallways of a hospital that uses a lot of epidurals....can be an eerie experience. The labor floor is quiet and still. Women....watch television and talk on the phone as they await the birth of their....babies. Some of them even complain of boredom....... ..The clear benefit of epidurals is that they can totally relieve the....pain of labor. The procedure involves the placement of a needle into a....space in the back near the spinal cord. Local anesthetics and sometimes....narcotics can be instilled directly or, more commonly, a thin catheter....or tube is left in place and medication is given as needed. Usually,....the body from the middle of the abdomen down to the feet becomes numb.....The legs feel very heavy, and moving them without help or walking is....impossible. Many women no longer have any sense that they are in labor,....some continue to feel tightening of the stomach or mild pelvic....pressure. The pain block lasts around an hour, depending on the....strength of the labor and the womans tolerance for pain and what....anesthetics were used. If the catheter was left in place, as is....commonly done, a continuous infusion or repeated doses of the....medication can be given without having to repeat the insertion....procedure....... ..Use of an epidural is far safer than general anesthesia for both the....mother and baby, if cesarean section is indicated. For certain women....experiencing serious health problems, such as high blood pressure or....heart problems, the epidural can potentially prevent further illness or....death during labor. However, we must remember that there are several....drawbacks to this method of pain relief and there are some serious....potential health risks for the mother and baby. Epidurals, like any....medical tool, can be used wisely to positive effect or lead to serious....unintended results. They can sometimes signal the beginning of a....cascade of interventions that culminate in a cesarean section....... ..Epidurals do not always work as advertised. There can be difficulties....with placing it, leading to long and uncomfortable repeated attempts by....the anesthesiologist to insert the needle into the proper place. This....is more common in overweight women, because the physicians use bony....landmarks to find the proper spot for insertion. Once it is in place,....the pain block can be patchy, with numbness over most of the legs and....lower abdomen, hampered by the persistence of a small "window" of pain,....usually on one side of the abdomen. Or it might not work at all. Both....of these problems can usually be corrected by moving the catheter, if....that fails, a repeat of the insertion procedure is necessary....... ..A woman needs to have an IV in place before and for the duration of her....labor with the epidural. This is because one common side effect of the....medication is a drop in blood pressure, immediately after it is given.....This can lead to a drop in the blood flow to the baby and a drop in the....babys heart rate. IV fluids before and after the procedure, along with....medications to raise the blood pressure can usually correct the....problem. Procedures vary with institutions and providers, but usually....the baby's heart rate must be monitored continuously and the mother's....blood pressure checked periodically. So now the woman who walked into....the room under her own power is unable to even turn over in bed without....help, has an IV in her arm, a belt around her belly with monitors and....cables to the fetal monitor, a catheter in her back that may run to a....medication pump, and sometimes a blood pressure cuff around her arm.....If the fetal heart rate looks troublesome, especially if it dropped....along with the woman's blood pressure, the attendant may want to attach....a more sensitive monitor to the baby's head. This would necessitate....breaking the bag of water, if it was not yet broken. The cable for the....monitor runs out the woman's vagina to the fetal monitoring unit. Also,....oxygen via a mask on the woman's face will commonly be used to bring....more oxygen to the baby. Because of the numbness, many women are....unable to urinate until the epidural wears off. So, along with all the....other tubes and wires, she will need a catheter into the bladder to....empty her urine. This urine tube carries with it a risk of urinary....tract infection in the postpartum period. If narcotics are used, a....common side effect is intense itching, usually of the face and stomach.....Also it is not uncommon to shiver uncontrollably after receiving an....epidural. Some amount of back discomfort from bruising at the insertion....site is common for some days after birth....... ..Up to this point I have discussed the effects of the epidural that....could be termed merely annoying. In my experience, woman who really....want an epidural don't seem to mind all the tubes and wires or being....numb and detached from her labor. However, epidurals also have....potential effects that are more serious....... ..The most common, but still rare (about 1 out of a hundred) problem....occurs when the fluid space that surrounds the cord is punctured. This....is called a spinal puncture and can lead to an extremely debilitating....and painful headache within 24 hours. The anesthesiologist can usually....warn you if this has occurred and it is treatable. Very rarely there is....a problem with the insertion and medication is inadvertently injected....into the spinal space, resulting in a higher level of numbness. The....arms and muscles that control breathing may be affected. Artificial....respiration may be required until the effects of the medication have....worn off. If the medication is accidentally injected into a blood....vessel, seizures can result. These last two very rare problems are....medical emergencies and require skillful medical care and usually an....immediate cesarean section to deliver the baby, while the mother's....medical condition is stabilized....... ..A commonly acknowledged problem with the epidural is its effect on....labor. A woman who receives an epidural may increase her risk of....cesarean by as much as five times. This is not simply a problem with....the contractions slowing down, because contractions can be stimulated....with pitocin by IV. Many women who have epidurals need pitocin to....continue labor. Even with pitocin, a higher number of women cannot....birth their baby without the use of forceps, vacuum, or cesarean. The....numbness produced by the epidural makes it more difficult to push....effectively, prolonging this stage of labor, and exhausting the mother.....Many women are not aware of their contractions and need to be told when....to push. Allowing the epidural to wear off before beginning pushing can....prevent this to some extent, but not only is it often difficult for....women to handle the pain of contractions after being pain-free for so....long, but also the muscle weakness and leg heaviness seem to last....longer than the pain relief. Therefore, the woman is in pain and still....not necessarily able to push effectively....... ..A woman who receives an epidural is more likely to give birth by....cesarean because of failure to dilate. The hypothesized reason for this....is that the muscles of the pelvic floor relax and allow the baby to....assume a less optimal position. The baby's head then fails to apply....proper pressure to help the cervix to dilate. Also the baby can get....stuck in a position that makes it more difficult to fit down the birth....canal, such as posterior or "sunny side up"....... ..The greatest risk of cesarean comes when the epidural is given in early....labor, before 5 centimeters, especially if the woman is having her....first vaginal birth. Also, if the baby is still high up in the pelvis....or in a posterior position when the epidural is given, the risk of....cesarean is elevated. If the baby is low down (called zero station)....when the epidural is given, the risk of cesarean may not be increased....... ..Effects have also been noted on the babies. Infants who are exposed to....epidurals can have behavior difficulties in the first days after birth.....They can be more irritable and hard to console and may be less....responsive. They can have difficulty coordinating their movements and....responding to reflexes, which can make early breast feeding difficult.....This has implications for successful establishment of breast feeding,....as early and frequent feeding is ideal to secure a proper milk supply.....Additionally, it has also been researched the long term side effects. Behavioral problems later in life such as ADD ADHD and Autism Has been linked back to epidurals. It is said that this pain medication can cause minor brain damage in infants that are not noticeable till the later years. Not to mention the bonding between parents and the baby can be....disturbed, which has potential life-long consequences for the....parent-child relationship....... .... ..The fact remains that a woman who wants to maximize her ability to....birth her baby vaginally, unassisted by forceps or vacuum, should....Seriously consider and attempt all reasonable alternatives available to....her before requesting an epidural. A woman who has become educated....about pregnancy, childbirth, and breast feeding and has avoided all....potential harms to her child by eating properly and exercising during....her pregnancy may want to carefully consider the potential effects of....an epidural on her ability to successfully breast feed and bond with....her baby after birth. Please don't write to me and tell me how you had....an epidural at 2 centimeters and you pushed for twenty minutes and....delivered the baby without an episiotomy and the baby latched on right....away and still nurses 10 times a day. I have seen it happen, too. As I....stated earlier, many women seem very satisfied with their experience....with epidurals. However, a discussion of epidurals is not complete....without serious consideration of the potential risks involved.....
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