Epidurals

Getting back to the original focus of my blog, I want to discuss the use of epidurals. Now, if you've read my blog or were personally a part of my journey you would know that up until the 5th or 6th month of my pregnancy I was not completely convinced that I would forgo the option of an epidural. So I'm not judging anyone for choosing to have an epidural. Believe me.

But I am encouraging women to research beyond doing what everyone else is doing just because it's what is done! Find out for yourself. Do a little research. Take a class! This is about your well-being and about your child's well-being. We reserve a daycare before the child is ever conceived, we apply for the top preschool before they're even talking, and yet most women don't take the time to attend a birthing class. We (including myself) sit and mindlessly listen to our OBGYNs and never stop to think that maybe there's a better way.

Get to the point, Kris.

I think we all know most of the known differences between a natural childbirth, a vaginal delivery with pain medication and a Cesarean Section. So I will try to skip the obvious and focus on what I've discovered even in the months since I had Turner.

For me part of my motivation for delivering Turner naturally was to have the full experience and to be proud of my accomplishment. It was my Everest. And while that accomplishment did give me the confidence to know that I could be a good parent, it was so much more.

One, it gave me the benefit of being in control. I know that my body was created to birth a healthy child, no medical intervention is necessary. There is no unknown element. With an epidural we don't know what side effects there are, but most doctors would agree that the baby does absorb some of the medication from the epidural, though they're not sure how much. Most midwives and doulas would agree that there is a difference in the behavior of a baby who was born with pain medication and one who was born without. The wooziness a newborn baby experiences can often interfere with their ability to learn how to nurse properly.

But beyond that researchers believe that an epidural can interfere with the body's ability to produce natural hormones that help her to cope with pain. These hormones are then passed on to the baby. When a woman has an epidural and does not feel the natural pain associated with childbirth, her body does not produce these pain fighting hormones and the baby does not receive them as a result. So while the mother is not feeling anything some believe that the baby is feeling more pain than nature intended them to.

I don't know that this research is conclusive, but that's just my point...we don't know. And in my experience there is always a consequence or a trade off to a short cut.

Two, I have peace of mind that nature was truly taking its course. With a natural labor your body tells you when to push and for how long. With an epidural you're being told how to push and when to push. This isn't a fine science where they can tell you exactly when you should push and when you should rest. They watch a monitor and it becomes somewhat of a guessing game. This can delay the amount of time it takes to deliver and can wear out the mama. It leaves her feeling nothing and takes away her desire to get the baby out. And take my word, without the medication I was motivated to get that kid out as quickly as possible!

But the best thing that came out of this for me was a dependence on Troy. I have never needed him in the way that I needed him during Turner's delivery. We worked together to bring this life into the world. None of my hormones or emotions were depressed by the intervention of an epidural. I felt it all. I experienced it all. And the BEST part of it all is that we did it together. That dependency, trust and confidence in Troy has carried through the last 9 months. And I feel like we are stronger than ever because of it.

I'm not saying that natural childbirth is for everyone. But I am encouraging every woman to take a class, be informed, and then make a decision. And I do believe that every woman is capable of having a natural childbirth, our bodies were designed by God to handle it.