Hi All, I need to vent today about overused birth medications, especially epidurals. I've seen several babies recently who CAN'T EAT. Not at breast, not fingerfeeding, not with bottles/teats, and not with cups. They hump their tongues way back, guarding their airways. It takes us forever just to get some pumped milk IN using anything short of a squirt gun! This isn't nipple confusion, it isn't normal, and it isn't easy to fix. Last night's home visit was an affluent, well-educated couple who shopped around for a good OB and Ped, hired a massage therapist, took plenty of classes, and then had "GREAT MEDICATION" for the birth. Their 6-day old daughter has a lousy suck and can't begin to latch-on, and didn't do very well at cup, fingerfeed, or bottle either. NOBODY (yes, I'm shouting) told them that epidurals and nubain can affect the baby's ability to suck. ARRGGHH! So now what? Pump and cupfeed or fingerfeed, and keep trying. Hope that time will help. Refer to a D.O. Wait. Listen patiently while mom cries because the baby's not at breast. Listen while she grieves for lost expectations for what she thought was a "wonderful birth" - that probably caused her baby's bad suck. Listen while she gripes about having to use the stupid machine so often. Watch and listed to dad as he tries to comfort his wife, while he's also grieving for his baby who can't eat well and easily. Write ANOTHER letter to another pediatrician with references about what birth drugs do to the suck. Charge them money to fix a problem that was probably entirely preventable. "Safe" drugs for labor pain is such a big lie! Chloroform was a lie for Queen Victoria, scopalomine was a lie for those who were lured by the magic of "twilight sleep," and walking epidurals are a lie for the X generation. Lies, lies, and more lies. Climbing down now, but I'LL BE BACK. Keep the microphone plugged in. Linda Smith, BSE, FACCE, IBCLC - tired of the lies about birth that are fed to vulnerable women by those who are afraid of the power of unmedicated birth and the women who DO birth this way. Dayton, Ohio