Here are the facts: Almost four years ago, I gave birth to my daughter. I had a c-section. I had an epidural. And I liked it.
I hear that collective gasp from all of you “natural birth” moms. Stop it. Seriously. We all have better things to do (like finding that missing plastic Iguanodon buried under some cushion or figuring out what to do during Snowmageddon #5 of this nasty winter season).
SAHM versus WOHM, to vaccinate or not to vaccinate, to ban playdates a la crazy bee-atch Tiger Mom or allow playdates a la Normal Mom. So many mommy debates. But the one that drives me supercrazy is the labor debate -- to epidural or not to epidural.
Medicine and childbirth have come a long way, baby. We live in the modern world. We have modern medicine available to us, which was created to help us moms in the first moments of motherhood. Just like the machines that monitor the baby’s heartbeat and the ultrasounds we all got. All are part of the great advancements in the medical world that help make childbirth safer.
Now there’s a book out telling me I don’t have to feel guilty about getting an epidural during my daughter’s birth. In his book Epidural Without Guilt: Childbirth Without Pain, Dr. Gilbert Grant, a New York City-based anesthesiologist, illuminates why epidurals are actually good for you (they may speed the childbirth process along and may help with breastfeeding, blah blah blah). He tells women that we don’t have to feel guilty for choosing to have an epidural.
Great. Whoo hoo. But I didn’t need a book to tell me that. I feel fine and dandy about my choice. I didn’t think twice about getting pain relief when I wanted it. To me, it is a non-issue, created by those women who didn’t get one. Those women who are walking around bragging to everyone about how they had a "natural" labor, how badly it hurt, how they survived.
Please. You did not have a better childbirth experience than I did. We each had our own unique experience. Thankfully, we both have our child here in this world, we both love our child ad infinitum. The only thing different about our labors? Mine hurt less.
How do you feel about epidurals?
Image via Lunchbox Photography/Flickr
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Comments 111
Epidurals are not for me. I had a 100% natural water birth with my son. It was the birth that I wanted. Glad you had the birth you wanted, too, even if it's not something I'd want for myself.
Oh Bree, we can always count on you for some gratuitous hostility...author, I'm glad you enjoyed your epidural. it does seem like you are a tad oversensitive though. are you feeling some guilt? you shouldn't, labor is hard and every mother must get through it the best she can. although I believe you probably can't have a c-section w/out one. as for that book, i've only read exerpts but it seems bogus and self-promoting to me. it is written by an anesthesiologist. I believe he gives erroneous info about breastfeeding. he says that the epi eases the uterine contractions while breastfeeding. however these generally happen after labor is over and they don't give you an epi during your hospital stay to ease the pain of breastfeeding.
The epidural-induced backache that lasted for weeks hurt far more than my cesarean incision. Never again.
Emily, my cookie is almost about to come up too...
I had an epidural during my first labor. I don't "regret" it as much as I wish I hadn't been so stressed out so that I NEEDED something to help me relax. I am glad I had my epidural. It helped me open up and have my baby. I was so tense emotionally that my cervix MUST have been tense as well.
I knew with my next baby that I must do something different. Enter midwife and homebirth. LOVE!
I am a doula, so I give credit where credit is due and let moms birth the way THEY want to. It is not my place to tell a mom she shouldn't have what she wants during labor. But to say that an epidural is "good" or "healthy" is a gross error. An epidural does nothing to ease pain, it BLOCKS it altogether. The contractions are still there, the baby still feels them, especially if pitocin is administered.
I'm VERY glad you are satisfied with they way you birthed. That is IMPORTANT, however, I also like many others who have replied feel that you may be harboring a little resentment against those of us who gush about our natural cookie winning births.