> he gave a very interesting talk on this subject, considering that his
> knowledge of breastfeeding was almost completely non-existent (his statement)
> before he began doing some research. his conclusions included: epidurals are
> humane because no one should ever suffer pain, particularly the pain of
> childbirth, which was rated in various studies as being worse than just about
> any pain humans can suffer (my generalization) apparently including being
> doused in boiling oil and being drawn and quartered.

Did this man ever gave birth? Don't suppose so. I did 5 times (small sample
size, but bigger than his), had pretty long, but unmedicated labours and big
babies, had my share of cuts and ruptures and pain, but when I'm in the
dentist's waitingroom I often wish I could have a baby instead. (not meant
personally, David). And I do know that between 8 and 10 cms I start yelling to
people to go home, that the party is over and that I'm most certainly not going
to be in it anymore.. But then, when the baby was in my arms, crawling around
and looking for the breast, prolactine and oxitocine started to do their job as
painkillers and real ''pacifiers'', making me shout again: I want to do this one
more time! It's not what people tend to say: ''once the baby is there, you
forget the pain'', no you don't forget the pain, but the pain has turned out to
be worth it. Birthing pains *in a well-prepared and active labouring woman* is
empowering and seems to make her more aware of the situation, more focussed on
what is going on, on the baby who is coming. And in that state of high
awareness, that lasts over the first pp hour or longer and that is shared by the
baby, breastfeeding will be off to a good start.

> the speaker did talk quite a bit about how unrelieved pain probably causes
> PTSD (post traumatic stress disorder) which undoubtedly causes breastfeeding
> difficulty and failure, and about how women who are exhausted and upset by
> the pain and effort of a long, hideously painful labor, are less able to
> initiate breastfeeding and be successful.

If he is referring to unnatural pain, which is induced by unnatural birthing
practices, where the woman is turned into a patient with a bodypart to be
removed and unable to be up and around, where she is being convinced of the fact
that the pain must be unbearable, where all eyes are fixed to the machines in
stead of to her, I think he might be right. But that is like hitting one on the
head and then offering an aspirin to relieve the pain. Better not hit him in the
first place...

Gonneke van Veldhuizen, IBCLC, living in Maaseik, Belgium
http://www.users.skynet.be/eurolac
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