by
Danielle Griffin
So you're pregnant! It seems that one of the
first things that a woman thinks about upon finding out she is
pregnant is the pain of childbirth. It's the first thing that
popped into my mind when I found out I was pregnant with my first
son. It seems that it is brushed aside quite easily though, once
we remind ourselves that we have the option of epidural
anesthesia. It's safe, and everyone gets one, right? Wrong. If
you find yourself considering an epidural, please make sure you
are fully aware of all risks and side effects associated with it
before committing to the decision of having one.
An epidural is a drug cocktail of opioids that is administered
into the 'epidural space' which is a part of the spine. It causes
a loss of sensation and a loss of pain by blocking the nerves
near the spinal cord.
Quick Facts:
Women who receive an epidural are more likely to experience a
longer labor, increasing the likelihood of them receiving pitocin
to augment labor.
Pitocin highly increases the risk of the baby showing signs of
distress (depressed fetal heart tones, decreased oxygen, etc) as
well as possible mal-presentation, which can lead to a cesarean
birth.
Epidurals increase the risk of a posterior baby not rotating (due
to the mother being confined to the bed and unable to labor in
different positions), which increases the risk of cesarean
section.
The mother will almost certainly be given a bladder catheter
which can cause bladder infection.
There is the possibility that your epidural will have 'block
failure' leading to no pain relief whatsoever (statistics state
this is a 1/20 chance).
When it comes time to push, the mother cannot feel the 'urge'
that she would feel naturally, increasing the risk of vacuum
and/or forceps extraction, as well as cesarean section.
There can be loss of function of the sympathetic nervous system,
which can cause respiratory paralysis in the mother (which would
also cause lack of oxygen to the baby).
Epidural has been known to cause cardiac arrest (although quite
rare).
Opioids in the epidural cross the placenta and get to the baby
causing it to be drowsy and disassociated following birth. This
can severely disrupt the breastfeeding relationship.
All women go into motherhood with the best of intentions, and yet
I see so many that do not research their childbirth. An
unmedicated childbirth is an amazing and beautiful thing. It's a
rite of passage and something you will truly never forget-and
not only that, it's completely doable!!!! Women have been giving
birth since the beginning of time! During an unmedicated
childbirth, your body releases endorphins, which is nature's pain
killer. Your brain will also release a chemical called oxytocin
(the love hormone). The release of oxytocin causes your uterus to
contract, and it also initiates the bonding process with your
baby. The baby being more alert after birth will help to cement
the breastfeeding relationship more quickly which helps with
bonding. Oxytocin and endorphin production are blocked when you
receive medication.
On the flip side of things, there is a time and a place for
epidural anesthesia in my opinion. I believe if a laboring mother
is at a point where she is exhausted from a very long and drawn
out labor, an epidural may be what she needs in having a
successful vaginal birth. There are exceptions to everything of
course. I encourage you all to do the research yourself and see
what you come up with.
If you wish to have an unmedicated childbirth, consider taking
action ahead of time! Consider hiring a midwife in a birth center
or for a home birth. You drastically reduce your chances of
asking for anesthesia if there's none around! Hiring a doula will
also reduce your chances of epidural in any situation. According
to Childbirth.Org, having a doula will reduce your risk of
requesting an epidural by 60%. I also strongly encourage
childbirth education classes where you can learn coping
techniques for your birth.
Above all, have a beautiful birth and make it exactly what you
want it to be.
Holistic
Doula Services
Danielle
Griffin- Doula
(360) 391-8230
Dani@Holistic-Doula.com
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