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Subject:
From:
Carol Brussel <[log in to unmask]>
Reply To:
Lactation Information and Discussion <[log in to unmask]>
Date:
Sat, 10 Jun 2000 15:04:03 EDT
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this is an interesting thread, particularly as we had a lactation journal
club meeting devoted to refuting the concept that epidurals are "bad." a few
months ago, i was interviewed by the health reporter for the local paper on
the topic of "are epidurals bad." i made what i thought were fairly
conservative (for me) comments that were accurately reported. other people
were quoted, as well. however, it caused some hard feelings amongst local
lactation professionals, including famous persons, who decided to try to
embarrass me by having an anesthesiologist speak on the subject.

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.

the studies had several drawbacks that were not discussed. the topic of
preparing and supporting labor was not discussed. the known risks of
epidurals, including death and paralysis, was not discussed, although in a
private conversation afterwards, he did acknowledge that these were known
possibilities.

of course, i was not told this was going to happen or asked to say anything,
rather, i was told pretty specifically to shut up and not embarrass the
speaker. this information about oxytocin would be very interesting to discuss
in light of this meeting.

he gave as an example of cruelty to laboring women a situation in which he,
as the anesthesiologist, might be called "too late - such as when a women
progresses from 7 cm dilation to 10 before i get there."

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.

funny, having read what i seem to recall as zillions of pages of textbooks,
studies, and other material about lactation, i seem to have been asleep or
something when this was mentioned. or maybe its just that paternalism, with
the support of the status quo, is alive and well in whatever decade i am
living in here.

carol brussel IBCLC
mile high in some city with great bf initiation rates (undoubtedly due to the
epidurals, right?) and still NOT EMBARRASSED

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