Recently our childbirth educators have been discussing side effects of
epidural anesthesia.  One research article described ineffective
breastfeeding as a significant side effect of epidural.  We took this issue
to the anesthesia team and their response was that the cause of this was
related to the amount of anesthetic in the epidural, rather than the amount
of narcotic.  Decreasing the amount of anesthetic to minimal can
significantly improve the babies ability to suckle.  At our hospital we have
not seen this problem with epidurals but would like to get more comments
from others.  We would specifically like to compare outcomes of infant
feeding behaviors with different doses of anesthetic type and amount.  Any
comments?

According to the "netiquette" I am told to introduce myself, as a first
timer to the lactnet.
My name is Janet Thurston.  I am an RN, ICEA certified childbirth educator
and IBCLC, as well as a student nurse midwife in the CNEP program.  I am
originally from DeKalb Illinois, have lived in Wyoming and Canada.  I work
with the Alaska WIC Program, Fairbanks Memorial Hospital- have three
beautiful children, also an exchange student from Yakutsk, Russia and  also
my husband- a Director of Information Systems at the local hospital.  We
live in a beautiful place called Fairbanks Alaska and love to hear from you
all on the LACT NET.