LACTNET Archives

Lactation Information and Discussion

LACTNET@COMMUNITY.LSOFT.COM

Options: Use Forum View

Use Monospaced Font
Show Text Part by Default
Show All Mail Headers

Message: [<< First] [< Prev] [Next >] [Last >>]
Topic: [<< First] [< Prev] [Next >] [Last >>]
Author: [<< First] [< Prev] [Next >] [Last >>]

Print Reply
Subject:
From:
Rachel Myr <[log in to unmask]>
Reply To:
Lactation Information and Discussion <[log in to unmask]>
Date:
Sun, 19 Feb 2006 00:30:34 +0100
Content-Type:
text/plain
Parts/Attachments:
text/plain (47 lines)
While I as a midwife would prefer for every woman to have the support she
needs in order to give birth without having the sensations of birth deadened
by anesthesia, that is not always the point.

If we enter the picture after baby is born, it is relevant to know what
mother and baby have been through.  Only then can we make a plan that takes
their experience into account.  If there has been an epidural or other
pharmaceutical form of analgesia, we need to make room for EVEN MORE
skin-to-skin than usual.  We may also need to teach mother how to express
colostrum and milk if baby is not latching well.

I don't think it is productive with individual women to focus on how
sub-optimal the course of events was before we got there.  If we believe
that epidurals are not compatible with successful breastfeeding, it is hard
to convince a mother with BF difficulties that it would be worth her while
to use the services of someone knowledgeable about BF.  We all know it is in
exactly such situations that support for BF is needed more than ever.

So much about birth is warped by the setting in which it takes place.
Breastfeeding is a robust process and it is not destroyed by any one factor.
If we take a defeatist attitude, we sell mothers and babies short.  

This doesn't mean we should gloss over the side effects of epidurals that
impact on breastfeeding.  We should be honest with women, always.  It simply
means we should be aware of the side effects and know how to compensate for
them.

Rachel Myr
Kristiansand, Norway
Where I have spent most of the last week trying to help my friend with her
extensive BF problems, after an undisturbed labor without any
pharmaceuticals whatsoever, and nearly continuous skin-to-skin contact
between mother and baby for the first 3-4 days, 24 hours a day, which has
not led to baby latching well as yet :-)

             ***********************************************

To temporarily stop your subscription: set lactnet nomail
To start it again: set lactnet mail (or digest)
To unsubscribe: unsubscribe lactnet
All commands go to [log in to unmask]

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

ATOM RSS1 RSS2