On Mon, 15 Apr 1996 23:11:40 -0400 Linda Smith wrote: >>If epidurals are "standard" now, we could likewise say that "twilight sleep" (morphine plus scopalomine -a hallucinogen) was standard, saddleblocks-with-forceps was standard, and "knock em out" was standard too. The actual "standard" around the world is an unmedicated home birth with a traditional birth attendant.<< YEA Coach Smith! Points well taken. Remember when a 3 day minimum stay for a vaginal birth was standard too? 4-5 days for a cesarean? Nothing by mouth for newborns for several hours after birth? Then water or ABM given as the first feed instead of breastmilk? The list goes on of things that used to be standard....maybe we should start another list - the good and the bad things that used to be standard. <grin> Joyce Blangiardo RN, FACCE, IBCLC (whose mother had a 10 day hospital stay after a normal spontaneous vaginal delivery and was kept on complete bedrest the first 3 days because that was standard (read with sarcasm) practice then. She remembers having "sea legs" the first time she got up)