Just when I thought no celeb mom could possibly get more judgemental and opinionated than Gisele Bundchen, Miranda Kerr had to open her mouth and indirectly accuse pregnant women who get epidurals of drugging their babies.
In a new interview with Harper's Bazaar UK, Kerr talked about her birthing plan when she delivered her son, Flynn, and said she decided to give birth naturally after watching videos on babies bonding with their mothers immediately after delivery. Of an infant whose mom chose to have an epidural, Miranda said, "The baby was a little bit drugged up and I was like, 'Well, I don’t want that.' I wanted to give him the best possible start in life I could."
The baby was drugged up? Really? Huh. I'm glad Miranda's modeling career somehow makes her a medical expert when it comes to what makes a newborn appear "drugged." (Seriously, what is it with these models? Are she and Gisele comparing notes or something?)
I was in labor with my son for 24 hours, and I actually wound up having an epidural and a spinal block to manage my pain. And you know what? When my little guy made his entrance into the world, he was about as alert as newborn babies can possibly get. Even the nurses were all commenting on how "present" he seemed in the moment, and how aware he was of his new surroundings and everyone around him. He certainly wasn't the slightest bit "drugged up," -- and my decision to have an epidural did not harm him in any way.
It's all well and good that Miranda wanted to go the natural route when she had her son, but choosing to forgo an epidural doesn't make her any sort of martyr, and it doesn't make her any better than moms who decide having an epidural is the best plan for them. Pregnant women should respect each other for their individual choices when it comes to childbirth instead of tearing each other down and trying to make each other feel inferior.
Whether her comments were intentionally meant as a slap or not, Miranda could've voiced her opinions on natural childbirth without having to put other moms down for their own, personal decisions. Being a supermodel doesn't give her the right to act like she's better than the rest of the world (unless she truly is trying to take over Gisele Bundchen's title of the most hated celeb mom in America).
Are you planning on having an epidural, or going the natural route, and why?
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Comments 73
I like what Kelly Deaton Blecher said. And I think really, if you look at the birthing experience as a whole...how does it really affect the child in the long run? A little drugs, or drug free. It doesn't matter. Breastfeeding, formula feeding, SAHM, Working moms, whatever. It doesn't matter. What matters is that you are present for your children, are able to set aside your needs when you need to so that they can be taken care of.
A woman can deliver drug free and can be a terrible mom. A mom can have a voluntary c-section, formula feed, etc., and be a fantastic mom. The birth is a drop in the bucket of the many experiences, and it's more defining for the mother than for the child in most cases. And there's nothing wrong with that. Let's just drop the preachyness, shall we?
Babies are a bit drugged up...
Sad fact, but not her fault...
I think the blogger and some of the moms who commented sound more judgementa than anything this celeb said.
I'm not annoyed at her opinion because that's just her opinion. I only get upset with women who are close in my life who makes snide comments on the fact that I had to have 2 c-sections (1st baby losing oxygen, 2nd baby because of 1st c section), that I didn't breast feed, overprotective, yada, yada, yada. I learn since is who really cares what anyone thinks. Just give your children love, shelter, and food. I doubt they care how they came into the world.
My sister has a degentrative disk issue with her back, so the pregnancy was painful by itself, labor just made it that much worse. An epidural was a foregone conclusion and her daughter scored a 10 on her APGAR.
A good friend was so against epidural and had this birth plan in place with walking and using the ball and water, etc. Yep got thrown out the window when she started leaking fluid at 34weeks5days and was hooked up to a bed with 3 ivs. She said there was no way she could just lay there and deal with the pain when there was an alternative.
I will happily take a slightly drugged up baby if it means I don't have to suffer excrutiating pain.
Having an epidural does affect the baby. It's usually minimal and not really noticable, but the baby is affected. I don't understand how some women don't realize that anything injected into the body is absorbed through the placenta to baby.
I think Miranda Kerr's comment was 10x LESS judgmental than the majority of those I've seen in the comments. So funny how a woman begins her comment criticizing those for being judgmental or defensive, and then ends her comment by doing one, of both, of those things herself. It's your body, and its your child, both choices are sanctioned by the obstetrical community and both are done hundreds and hundreds of times a day. Choose what is best for you and try really hard not to judge others, maybe if everyone stopped criticizing strangers for their life choices some women wouldn't feel the need to be defensive about theirs.