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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