Dear Friends:
    Clang the gong, the discussion is on.
    Lactnet is great, isn't it!
    This is in response to Jan's comments about medications and the Birth
study that found 92% of women to be still bf at 6 weeks (72% exclusive) after
epidurals. Jan raises wonderful questions about how long it takes to get
women going after epidural. So many things need to be researched. RN Emde
M.D. found in that most babies are awake for a time after birth; Sepkoski
recommended 2 hours of skin-to-skin following analgesia.
    I would never, never recommend routine epidurals or routine anything in
childbirth. The idea that many babies can breastfeed in institutions with
high rates of epidural use makes me sick because I really don't want it to be
true.   However, it seems that Baby-Friendly practices can make a difference.
If that baby's mouth gets on the areola or nipple within that first critical
1/2 to 1 hour after delivery, moms are more likely to breastfeed and for
longer.  Early contact is the key in so many studies ( which are cited in the
essential "Evidence to support the 10 steps" published by WHO in 1998. Of
course no one is looking at how long it takes babies to become well-attached;
but in a truly supportive environment, it might not be as significant as I
would like. Warmly,
Nikki Lee RN, MSN, Mother of 2, IBCLC, CIMI
craniosacral therapy practitioner; childbirth educator
Elkins Park (a suburb of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; northeastern USA)
supporting the WHO Code and the Mother Friendly Childbirth Initiative

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