Posted by My OB said WHAT?!?.
Nov
12
Posted by My OB said WHAT?!?.
“You Are Not Going To Get A Medal After Delivering Your Baby…”
“You are not going to get a medal after delivering your baby. Just get the epidural.” – OB to mother
There are 50 comments to this post.
road2vba2c had this to say,
Nov 12, 2011 @ 4:57 am (Quote)
When I become a doula, I’m so going to buy a bunch of medals to give to my clients after their babies are born.
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BeckyJ Reply:
November 12th, 2011 at 8:04 am (Quote)
Do it, do it! And make it say “My body is powerful”. Or something like that.
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Samantha had this to say,
Nov 12, 2011 @ 5:05 am (Quote)
I know! Even better than a metal doctor, I get a baby!!!!
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Chara Reply:
November 12th, 2011 at 6:49 am (Quote)
Even better: you get a baby who is likely to be more alert and will breast feed better.
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Dreamy Reply:
November 12th, 2011 at 7:56 am (Quote)
Okay, I am super pro-no/low-intervention birth, but I would like to see some sort of studies/proof about epidural affects on babies, alertness, etc. that is not just anecdotal. It may actually be true, even if “all we have” is anecdotes, but I would like to see more than that, and I haven’t had a whole lot of luck finding more.
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Lisa Reply:
November 12th, 2011 at 8:00 am (Quote)
Read Husband Coached Birth by Robert Bradley (he invented the Bradley method). He was an OB and he talks about the differences between epidural babies and non-medicated babies.
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Heather Reply:
November 12th, 2011 at 9:01 am (Quote)
Not on alertness, but on the breastfeeding issue:
http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/449424
This discusses small studies and the lack of decent studies on the issue: http://www.birthsource.com/scripts/article.asp?articleid=79
Bricker L, Lavender T. Parenteral opioids for labor pain relief: A systematic review. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 2002;186:S94-S109. and Littleford J. Effects on the fetus and newborn of maternal analgesia and anesthesia: A review. Can J Anaesth. 2004;51:586-609. both cite a lack of alertness after epidural anesthesia.
The studies that seem to find the greatest issues with neonates involved fentanyl in the epidural cocktail. It has been blamed in all of the studies I’ve read where there were negative outcomes.
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The Deranged Housewife Reply:
November 12th, 2011 at 11:05 am (Quote)
There was a video circulating awhile back showing a baby born from non-medicated birth doing the “breast crawl.” Of course I can’t find the link, but I bet if you googled it you’d find something. Very interesting!
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I have to admit, for me personally there were many other compelling reasons besides the decreased health risks. I was aiming for an aesthetic-not that I would ever put my child in danger by doing this, but the experience was important to me. Having a physiologically normal birth without unnecessary interference was also important to me, because I am a high-stress person, and feeling uncomfortable emotionally ruins my birth cocktail. I was so pleased with my last birth, even though slightly more interference than I would have liked was wise, and I was given a choice and accepted it.(I didn’t want any hands near my ‘action zone’ as the baby was coming out, but my midwife offered to ease his nuchal hand out to prevent tearing. I was happy to accept, and she afterward backed up and allowed me to catch him myself as planned.) The chemicals that were running through me were like drugs and the bonding has been perfect. I have the same excited bubbly feeling that I had when I met my husband. Smelling my baby’s head makes me dizzy. And both baby and I are perfectly healthy and happy. There’s my medal!
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TTC Lurker Reply:
November 12th, 2011 at 9:59 am (Quote)
Talking about the experience is making me think… Women who want a natural childbirth are often dismissed as “just wanting the experience” and making that a priority. What about women who want an epidural no matter how they are feeling? Don’t they also “just want the experience,” in this case of being numbed and pain-free, despite the possible side effects?
Why is it not ok to want the experience of natural birth, but it is ok to want the experience of numbed birth? In both cases, things can go differently than planned. It seems like women who want a natural childbirth would accept interventions *if necessary.* On the other hand, women who just want an epidural may not be prepared for the possibility that the epi doesn’t work well, or that there are unpleasant consequences (lingering back pain for years, for instance). They are just sold the experience of being numb as a very important part of birth.
(And yes, I know that the “why” is most likely that epidurals are the norm and the easiest type of birth for doctors and nurses to deal with).
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Heidi Reply:
November 13th, 2011 at 8:22 pm (Quote)
I totally agree with you. I had a friend who arrived at the hospital 8 or 9 cm and insisted on an epidural. She was told it was too late. She demanded it. She got it. When my husband heard about that, he said, “Why?! She was almost there!” It really sounded like she had determined from long before that she WOULD have an epidural.
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Well dangit, I was holdin’ out for the medal. I guess I’ll just get the epidural since clearly there could be no other reason I would want to avoid it besides a childish desire to get high-fived for doing something totally stupid and unnecessary. I have a friend running a half-marathon today. Think I’ll go tell her she’s not going to get a medal for it and offer to drive her through the race route, since there’s no reason for HER to do something so stupid and unnecessary either. :-/
/sarcasm
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A medal? Are you implying that birth is a competition? That motherhood is a competition, and the only reason for doing it is to show up my friends? I’m offended you thing I take motherhood so lightly. No, it’s not a competition; but there are rewards. If I don’t get the epidural, I’ll be able to get up and go to the bathroom by myself. I won’t have to have a needle stuck in my back, I’ll be able to walk around if my labor need it, I’ll avoid all the complications and risks of it. For these things, I can go without an epidural. A medal. Pfah!
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Laura Reply:
November 12th, 2011 at 8:44 am (Quote)
THIS. And, if I hadn’t had an epidural with my first, when his shoulder got stuck I would have had a *lot* more options for position changes to help. (My OB – who was lovely, luckily – got him unstuck anyway, but I suspect what she had to do since I was stuck on the bed, contributed to the tear I got.)
And, oh yeah, since I over-respond to the epidural…I’ll also be able to feel when I need to push, by going without the epidural this time. Yes, I’ll also be able to feel the pain, but the rest of this seems totally worth that cost.
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Alyson Miers had this to say,
Nov 12, 2011 @ 9:19 am (Quote)
Puncture-free spine = Medal.
Now back off.
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I want to know if this was said at a prenatal or during labor. I mean, it is objectionable (and childish) either way, but during labor it could be downright sabotage. At one point (probably at the beginning of transition), I thought to myself during my unmed birth, “This (going unmed) was a mistake!”. Had someone said the above comment to me around that time I very well might have accepted the epidural 
I hate the idea of a woman’s confidence being undermined at a vulnerable time like that. At least if it was at a prenatal she might have taken it as a sign that she had the wrong provider, and could still do something about it…
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Heidi Reply:
November 13th, 2011 at 8:30 pm (Quote)
I think it’s a great idea to ask the nurses not to offer anesthesia from the start. I had the thought, “EPIDURAL” flash across my mind at the start of transition with my last baby, much like you did.
Then I started thinking, “Oh, no! Now that I’ve thought about it, I will really want it!” Fortunately I was the only one in the room thinking about anesthesia, and soon my body got down to the business of getting the baby out!
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Holly Reply:
November 27th, 2011 at 1:40 pm (Quote)
You are absolutely right Toni!!!! I have accepted an epidural three times. Thankfully I have actually GOTTEN one no times LOL!!! 
The first time I was in back labor with my second child and I was talked off the “edge” by an awesome nurse. The second and third times I was in transition with baby #5 and again with baby #6. Both of them the nurse left the room to go call the anesthesiologist and when she came back I was pushing and baby was delivered within seconds! The last baby the nurse kept asking “You ready for that epidural yet?” every second and a half I swear!! I wanted to drop kick her! She stayed in my room the whole time and tortured me. It was horrible! I told her to give me the epidural out of desperation.. and babe was born right away after that
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I didn’t want the medal. I just wanted the baby to come without him feeling drugged. Plus (being selfish), I wanted to feel SO much better than I would with medication.
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Brittany J had this to say,
Nov 12, 2011 @ 2:33 pm (Quote)
My medal is a healthy baby with NO drugs in their system!
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I had an anesthesiologist say this to a room full of pregnant women on our tour of the hospital! His pugnant tone and attitude was the reason I ended up staying home too long and ended up with an accidental UC!!! If it were anywhere else I would have thought he just wanted the extra $$$, but it was at a Naval Hospital :-/
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I certainly do get a medal.
My first medal was 19″ long and 6 pounds thirteen ounces.
My second medal was 20″ long and 6 pounds 17 ounces.
Admittedly in both cases I had the epidural, but I’m pretty sure I’d have still gotten them had I not gotten it. (in fact it didn’t take with my first, so I didn’t have a working epidural then)
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Robyn Reply:
November 13th, 2011 at 3:33 pm (Quote)
This is not to be rude or anything, but if the epidural did not take with your first birth, why did you try again at your second? I mean, for me, if I’d ever gotten an epidural that didn’t take my mindset would be “Well, it just doesn’t work for me.” and I wouldn’t have even bothered trying again.
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Rebecca Reply:
November 14th, 2011 at 4:56 am (Quote)
Its a fair question.
First, there were thirteen years between the two births plenty of time to make me doubt myself.
Secondly, with my daughter (my second child) labor was hitting the sciatic nerve. It was fine while I was laboring at home, but because my son’s birth was fairly quick and easy, the OB recommended I come in when my contractions were a bit further apart than is normally recommended because second labors are normally shorter. I did not want an unattended homebirth for various reasons including a cardiac arrhythmia in myself which didn’t stay well controlled in pregnancy.
Because of my medical condition, they wouldn’t let me out of bed and had me on constant monitors, this made labor harder to handle. I didn’t know at the time, but my daughter was face up rather than face down. While I know many people have labored longer, my contractions were 7 minutes apart (and shooting down both legs) at 5 am and my daughter was born at 7:38 that evening. To give the anesthesiologist credit, I asked for a very light hand with it, and he worked with me on that. I didn’t get the epi until around 2pm.
I do think that the cascading interventions started there. I almost had a c/s (I was in the OR when her heartrate stabilized and was given the option to try vaginal delivery)
Next birth if there is one? I’ll make my DH prepare for a unassisted homebirth and wait to go in to the hospital to the last minute.
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ARRRRRGH!! NOT. THIS. AGAIN.
I want to barf up a lung every time these misogynistic women-are-shallow comments get posted on this site. We’re shallow because we have our babies at home *solely* for the twinkle lights and The Birth Experience. We’re shallow because hospitals can lure natural birthers in with just with a big tub and change in interior decorating. And we’re shallow because we decline epidurals in order to get medals.
I’ve made this point before on this site, but it bears repeating. When men do something requiring courage, like skydiving or scaling a cliff, they’re described as “bada$$.” But a woman with the courage to resist hospital pressure, do what’s best for her baby, and birth without medication is a “martyr” or panting after recognition (i.e. the medal).
Perhaps we could customize those aforementioned maternity medals with the words: BADASS OF THE YEAR.
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Mama Wrench Reply:
November 12th, 2011 at 6:51 pm (Quote)
Let’s not forget, we only want to avoid c-sections because we don’t want scars (because, I guess, we don’t mind the saggy skin, stretch marks, linea negra, or extra body hair… but that scar is just TOO much to bear!)
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Laura Zelinski had this to say,
Nov 14, 2011 @ 7:16 am (Quote)
I was enduced at 7 PM on a Friday. I was 2 weeks over due and had tried many things to get things going on their own. This was said to me at 6:00 PM on Saturday night after no medication. I had told him repeatidly during prenatal care that I wanted no epidurals. My birth plan was completely disregarded; no walking, etc. But I have my healthy baby who is 6 years old now. He only made me a stronger supporter for those who haven’t found their voice yet. So I guess “THANKS DOC” for making me stronger for other women.
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truth hurts had this to say,
Dec 12, 2011 @ 11:07 pm (Quote)
This is true, however. Rats give birth in sewers every day. Birth is not something worth a Nobel Peace Prize.
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Add Your Comment.
*head+desk*
I do not want a natural birth for a medal. I want to birth naturally do give my child the best possible entry into the world. If I get an epidural my risk for iatrogenic complications sky-rockets and I want to avoid that — almost as much as I want to avoid meddling doctors who don’t know the difference between personal convenience and medical advice.
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