A hospital practice around here (& I've heard elsewhere) that encourages
the use of epidurals etc. is a requirement that you must have an IV and
you must be constantly monitored so you can't get out of bed. So even if
your intent was to go w/o drugs these practices lead to epidurals. Most
moms don't know to refuse, (although my hairdresser would go in & tell
the nurses they could get a "test" strip and that was it...she was going
to walk around!)
There's no way I could have gone epidural-free if I hadn't been able to
freely move around, (I was with CNM at a freestanding birth center).
Melissa Kirsch, JD, LLLL
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