EPIDURAL

Here goes: the hottest topic out there -> The Epidural.

The epidural provides a painless labor - what could be so bad about that? Let's see, shall we?

First, a quote from Gentle Birth, Gentle Mothering: "Epidural analgesia is one of the most striking examples of the medicalization of normal birth, transforming a physiological event into a medical procedure."

Before diving into all of the physical risks to yourself and your baby of getting an epidural, I want to talk about studies on overall birth satisfaction of women. "Several studies have shown that women who use no labor medication are the most satisfied with their labor at the time, at six weeks, and one year after birth." Yes it did say "at the time", meaning even during the pain of labor. Having experienced one birth with an epidural and one without, I absolutely agree with this. Mostly because of all the complications, interventions, and difficulties for my little one that the epidural ultimately led to (the epidural that was caused by the Pitocin that was caused by going to the hospital too early). I remember when I was a kid asking my mom about childbirth and her saying something like "yeah, it hurt, but you forget pretty fast since you have such a cute baby". And I thought something like "yeah right, she just doesn't want to scar me for life". But there is sort of some truth in what she said. The pain is productive, you make it through, you have an amazing, beautiful baby as a result. It is quite different than worthless pain (like the kind when you push for an hour and a half and absolutely nothing happens because you cannot feel anything because you have an epidural). There is honestly something empowering and valuable about feeling that pain for your child. I wouldn't take it back.

So, onto the thoroughly researched physical effects that an epidural puts you and your baby at risk of. Also, note that there is absolutely no benefit to baby of getting an epidural - only to the mom - if you still consider it a benefit.
-Prolongs labor (average from 4.7 hours to 7.8 hours)
-Doubles the chance of oxytocin augmentation (Pitocin)
-Doubled need for instrumental delivery (forceps/vacuum)
-1.5 times increased risk of cesarean
-Deficits in newborn abilities (drug toxicity/a baby's immature system takes longer to eliminate epidural drugs than adult
-Acidosis in baby (low blood and oxygen supply)
-Decrease in uterine-stimulating prostaglandin F2 alpha (this is what causes the increased labor time)
-Alterations in newborn blood glucose and lipid (fat) levels
-Inhibits the fetus ejection reflex
-Increased length of 2nd stage of labor
-Miss final powerful contractions - must use own effort to compensate (often against gravity due to lying on back)
-Inhibit natural alteration in consciousness
-Inhibit oxytocin production or stop its' rise (hence the need for Pitocin)

There are many more, but let's pause for a minute. Note the one about increase vacuum/forceps use. Instrumental delivery can cause these ongoing problems:
-twice as likely to have severe perineal lacerations
-four times more likely to have perineal pain
-two times more likely to have sexual problems
-two times more likely to have urinary incontinence
-baby is more prone to bruising, facial injuries, displaced skull bones, blood clot in scalp, and is four times more likely to have bleeding in the brain

And more about the possibility of cesarean: When combining epidural with pitocin, your chance of cesarean shoots up to two-thirds of those women. And first time moms that use both an epidural and even a low dose of Pitocin are three times more likely to have a cesarean.

More side effects:
FOR BABY:
-changes in fetal heart-rate (lack of oxygen and blood)
-low APGAR, poor tone, require resucitation, jaundice (even cerebral palsy and brain damage)
-1.3 times the mortality rate for babies born to feverish moms
-invasive tests and antibiotics result from the prolonged separation from mom
-more frequent crying up to 6 weeks old
-less adaptable, more intense
-more bothersome in behavior
-less alertness and ability to orient
-less mature motor abilities
-more response to stress
-more tremulousness and startling
-elevated baseline temperature
-twice as likely to stop breastfeeding by 24 weeks

Effects FOR MOM:
-Life threatening for 1 in 4,000
-twice as likely to have postpartum hemorrhage
-Unexpected breathing difficulties
-Five times more likely to have fever over 100.4 (increased baby mortality, as mentioned above)
-Nausea/vomiting
-Sedation
-Shivering
-Itching of skin
-Inability to pass/hold urine (when epidural is in place)
...and my personal favorite:
-Drop in maternal blood pressure

Seriously?? This is listed as the most common side-effect of an epidural; drop in blood pressure. Remember my 'darling' nurse that nearly killed me by LOWERing my already too low blood pressure, due to a faulty cuff reading. Really people - educate yourselves!! If this nurse had known anything - --ok, sorry. Enough about the nurse.

Anyway, I strongly believe God will not give us more pain than we can handle. It is quite possible to inflict it upon yourself by being induced and lying on your back on a hard hospital bed. The epidural is absolutely a blessing in those horribly long, problematic labors, and of course in NECESSARY C-sections. But I really believe that a lot more women could do it without an epidural if they completely and absolutely made up their mind beforehand to do so, studied natural birth techniques thoroughly, had a super supportive husband or doula, and did not get any labor-inducing interventions.

You can do it ladies! You are stronger than you think!