A wonderfully interesting thread has emerged....

<< If a woman is given an epidural, no oxytocin is released in the brain and
no
 maternal behavior results.  A c-section mom may have a harder time
breastfeeding
 because of lack of oxytocin in the early days.  "The absence of the second
phase
 of labor [where there is a great release of oxytocin] and delayed
skin-to-skin
 contact contribute to this immature oxytocin pattern.  Women having had a
 Cesarean section are less calm and interactive than those having had a
vaginal
 delivery.  This may be related to these different oxytocin patterns."

and then this response:

 <<This is very interesting. Could this be a contributing factor for the
seemingly
 rising amount of children with breastfeeding difficulties in the early pp
days?
 Not only that the baby may be under the influence of maternal delivery
 medications, but also that mom's milk will come less prompt and less
abundant?
 That would be another strong advice against medicalized birthing practices
for
 otherwise healthy labouring women. >>

This brings up a  thought.  I've been noticing that when our moms are having
to pump -- baby in the NICU; not latching, or whatever.... -- it is taking
several pumpings in most cases for the mothers to produce *anything* of
substance -- sometimes up to pumping 6 or 7 times!  Now, the vast majority of
mothers get an epidural during labor.  I wonder if, instead of blaming the
pump which I've been doing, the lack of ability to pump the colostrum is more
directly related to the suppression of the oxytocin related to the epidurals.

Thoughts?

Jan B -- currently in Philadelphia, but going home tomorrow!!!

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