RE epidurals effecting bf: while I highly suspect that epidurals have a
negative effect on bf, I caution all to not forget the other many
confounders that can also be having an effect. Like with the poster who said
the midwife assisted births (with low or no epidurals, I assume) had less
trouble bf and the hosp births had much trouble, you have to take into
account the hosp environment. Separation of mother, baby; pitocin
inductions; early, rough bathing of baby, etc etc.
Also the thread on babies in nicu...here again you have separation of mom,
baby; mothers rarely holding the baby. I see the neonatologists telling moms
that the baby can't be out of isolette because he will get cold and use
calories and not gain weight. This is for a 3 pound baby, not a 1 pound one.
They don't have a clue, it seems, about skin to skin and kangaroo care.
Anyway, not meant to be a rant, but to be really credible when we talk about
this subject, I think we have to admit that, with the current status of most
births (i.e. high medicalization), it is hard to tease out just what part
the epidural itself plays in bf problems.

Laurie Wheeler, RN, MN, IBCLC
Violet Louisiana, s.e. USA

________________________________________________________________________
Get Your Private, Free E-mail from MSN Hotmail at http://www.hotmail.com

             ***********************************************
The LACTNET mailing list is powered by L-Soft's renowned
LISTSERV(R) list management software together with L-Soft's LSMTP(TM)
mailer for lightning fast mail delivery. For more information, go to:
http://www.lsoft.com/LISTSERV-powered.html