I think a lot of the info on epidurals/poor suck is annecdotal - what we
see as we work with these babies.  The "no effect" research
has been done by anesthesiology, I think.

My personal observation, the poor suck is related to the length (in time)
of epidural, sex of baby, how soon after birth the baby gets to BF.  I
never saw many suctioned babies, maybe this became more popular in the past
few years I've been out of hospital.
so it isn't any one thing, it is a combination of several things.

Other observations, suction extraction babies have more problems (like they
have a really bad headache), careful positioning is important for these
babies.

This is a controversial field, ripe for study.  Of course, as with formula
(big money) vs BF, the epidural (big money) vs more natural birth, we are
on the wrong side of the money line again!  Sincerely, Pat in SNJ

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