Thank you, Gonneke, for your comments on normal labor pain and
empowerment/disempowerment.
Jessica commented on the differences in BF problems between hospitalized
mothers where she lived and the population served by her midwife friend
(place of birth unspecified).
I practice in a pretty good hospital and I attend home births.  The only,
and I do mean ONLY, similarity between births in the two settings is that a
baby comes out.  Epidural or no epidural is just one of a myriad of factors
impinging on the mother and baby as they start BF.
Let me reiterate what I have said before: epidurals, and even cesarean
sections, are less important for the outcome of breastfeeding than is the
attitude of the staff caring for mother and baby, expressed in policies and
procedures which can either facilitate BF or sabotage it thoroughly.  BF is
not a fragile bodily function.  Sensitive, yes.  Fragile?  HAH!
Rachel Myr
Kristiansand

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