In a message dated 5/13/2005 8:11:27 AM Eastern Daylight Time,  
[log in to unmask] writes:

The first  baby showed no reaction to environmental stimuli.  It was easy to 
see  where that vanishing anesthesia had gone.
Dear Friends:
    Anesthesiologist Gilbert Grant, has just published  a book for pregnant 
women called "Enjoy Your Labor". On page 15 in this book,  there are two 
drawings of pregnant women in profile. Inside each woman is a  drawing of a uterus 
with a baby inside. In the drawing of the pregnant woman  labeled "systemic", 
the entire drawing, mother and baby, is shaded in to  illustrate the effect of 
general anesthesia on them.
    But the drawing labeled 'regional' is truly  amazing. It shows the impact 
of the epidural anesthesia. The area from below the  woman's breasts down to 
mid-thigh is shaded in..........EXCEPT the uterus and  the baby. 
    As you can imagine, this book is to sell epidurals.  The author says that 
labor can cause post-traumatic stress disorder, so women  need epidurals to 
avoid psychological trauma and postpartum depression.  He says that epidurals 
are best given very early so the mother's pain  doesn't cause an increase in 
adrenalin which will send her baby into fetal  distress. Epidurals also allow 
the mother to be in control, which will make for  an easier delivery.
    This book is the 21st century version of "There,  there dear, don't you 
worry your pretty little head about it; let me take care  of you."
    On the other side, the childbirth education video  'The Elk and the 
Epidural' tells women to mark dates on their calendars that are  4 and 6 weeks 
after delivery, as that will be the time that their babies have  finally recovered 
from the epidural.
    This is what breastfeeding advocates (not to  mention mothers and babies) 
are up against. I predict (and I pray that I am  wrong) that postpartum mood 
disorders, pelvic reconstruction and OT/SLP work on  infants will become even 
larger specialities. 
    People are being told that birth is creating all  these problems, missing 
the connection between technological birth and  the problems. True, there are 
difficulties with spontaneous, undisturbed natural  birth; but like 
breastfeeding, the problems are far fewer. And who will get to  see spontaneous, 
undisturbed natural birth anymore? I feel like a dinosaur,  talking about these 
things to younger medical staff and mothers..........
    sadly,
Nikki Lee RN, MS, Mother of 2, IBCLC, CCE
Maternal-Child Adjunct  Faculty Union Institute and University
Film Reviews Editor, Journal of Human  Lactation
Support the WHO Code and the Mother-Friendly Childbirth  Initiative

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