Dear Sharon,
As an employee of the hospital, you may be putting your job in jeopardy,
unless you have support from your nurse manager and director.
A couple years ago I taught a breastfeeding class and had a prominent
physician question me about my information on the possible effects of
epidurals and breasfeeding. He asked me if I was telling mothers that they
could not nurse if they had an epidural.  I explained that the question was,
"Can an epidural have an effect on breastfeeding?"  I stated that a long term
epidural could diffuse into the tissues, and eventually enter the mother's
bloodstream and therefore possibly affect the baby by making them sleepy and
affecting the suck. After a long debate, I finally asked him if he wanted me
to lie and state that epidurals have no effect on the baby. Of course he said
no, and asked me for documentation. I gave him 4 articles the next day.
As of this date, he never responded to my information, but over the next
year, he constantly went to my nurse manager with ridiculous complaints about
my teaching. One example: a patient of his asked me about external version.
Since I knew that he did not do it, I tried very hard to state the reasons
why some physicians do not recommend it as well as to discuss the benefits.
When asked about the procedure and the percent of success, I had heard 2
different doctors discuss their method (one did not use an epidural and sent
the woman home, the other did use an epidural and then induced labor).  His
complaint was that I named these 2 doctors and did not discuss the specific
dr. that he referred his patients to.
After several months of his complaints, I was called by the nurse manager the
day I was to start a childbirth class and told I would no longer be able to
teach childbirth classes (interestingly, I can still teach breastfeeding).
This was quite a blow to my ego, as I have been teaching over 23 years and
have had childbirth books published (Your Child's First Journey and the
current book, Pregnancy to Parenthood.) My information has always been
factual and well documented. I also think that my affiliation with an out of
hospital birth center and nurse midwives also colors their view of what I
teach.
I am fine with it now, but it took several months to accept that this was a
good choice for me. It really hit home when I asked another physician a
question and promptly got a lecture (and that is putting it kindly) about how
the childbirth educators don't tell her patients what she wants them to hear.
I decided that unfortunately this hospital does not value the knowledge that
the educators have. They want the educators to be their mouthpieces and not
present current or factual information. I decided that I am happier teaching
at the birth center where women can have choices.
Good luck, but if you hit on their money maker - the epidural - I can almost
quarantee that you will be reprimanded.
Sincerely,
Linda Goldberg RN, aspiring LC
central Florida

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