I was asked for some help in a study to be done soon at our institution about
epidurals and their possible effect on the newborn.  I know this has been a
hot topic of conversation here on lactnet and I am trying to be sure that we
really assess the effects on the breastfeeding baby.  The original protocol
was only going to measure the amount in the breastmilk. Now they are
considering assessing sucking with a guage (described in an article - more
details to those interested).  I would like to included a clinical assessment
of breastfeeding success as well.  Any suggestion for eastily done
reproducible scores and there references.

Just as an aside, there are many different contails that are given epidurally
for anesthesia.  It would be of interest if those nurses/LCs who are seeing
problems could find out what drungs are being given this way as their may be
a difference based on drungs given. "Epidural" afterall only refers to the
route. It is like saying "IV'. Obviously a women receiving IV saline will
have different effects than one receiving IV morphine
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*  Deena Zimmerman MD MPH                          *
*  Department of Pediatrics                        *
*  UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School        *
*  1 RWJ Place                                     *
*  New Brunswick, NJ 08903                         *
*                                                  *
*      phone (908) 235-7248                        *
*      fax   (908) 235-7345                        *
*      email  [log in to unmask] (internet)        *
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