Dear Everyone:
   I overheard the case coordinator in a clinic where I work telling a couple
that there was nothing to worry about with the use of epidural, that
everything would be fine and that there were no problems.
  The couple in question were planning their induction.   (DIGRESSION: Does
anyone have a reaction to Dr. Michal England's presentation at the  1998
Lamaze International Conference; the brochure description starts: "Labor
induction is here to stay. That it may not be physiological or logical has not
deterred its almost universal usage. This session will explore......the new
method of balloon induction...." What is the impact of making statements like
that to an audience of childbirth educators and other professionals? Induction
means more pain, more cost,  more technology, more risk for poor outcomes for
mother, baby and for breastfeeding. So why accept it as inevitable? ~~~~~~~~>
( AAAAARGH!)
   I initiated conversation with the care coordinator. I cited a couple of
cases.  A woman who called me for a private class is very worried about
epidural, as her sister will be paraplegic for the rest of her life due to the
epidural-induced hematoma which created a necrotic area on the spinal cord
before it could be found and removed. Last fall, a family was awarded $8
million for an botched epidural that resulted in the mother's permanent loss
of short-term memory and her consequent inability to mother that baby. The
care coordinator could be liable if anything untoward occurs to this mother as
a result of her epidural.
   Coach Smith has talked about the incredibly high proportion of her consults
being for babies whose mothers had received epidurals.
   What gives here? What can we do? Do we have to wait until enough mothers
and babies get slaughtered for something to be done?
    Thanks for listening. Warmly, Nikki