Rachel writes:

>A birthing woman in a Norwegian hospital, which is where 99% of babies are
>born here, is >unlikely to have an epidural sited before she is in
>established labor, usually with at least 5 >cm cervical dilation.  The
>usual course is for the baby to be born within two or three hours >of the
>first epidural dose and it is quite common for the woman to void urine
>spontaneously >after walking to the toilet two hours later.  Needless to
>say, most women using epidurals >are having their first babies as the
>anesthetist rarely arrives in time to help a multip.

That's what happens here, too, on the whole.  I can't say for certain how
many doses, but just from what I know from speaking to people, I woud say
it is unusual for an epidural to be topped up with an extra dose.  I have
never heard of two top ups, though I suppose it happens. If I feel we are
onto somthing here, I will ask.

I am not aware of epidurals being associated with poor bf experiences, but
I would not  be sure of this, as mothers can have poor bf experiences in
any circumstances. The first time I came across people who were sure it
happened because they had seen it was from US posters to Lacnet.

So I would be really interested to learn if epidurals for 24-36 hours are
common elsewhere,  as Rachel reports, and to speculate if this mega-dosage
is why  US practitioners feel there is a clear link between epidural use
and poor bf.


Heather Welford Neil
NCT bfc Newcastle upon Tyne UK

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