Posted by My OB said WHAT?!?.
Jan
20
Posted by My OB said WHAT?!?.
“You’ll Get The Epidural.”
“You’ll get the epidural.” – L&D Nurse to mother being admitted for an induction and hoping to birth non-medicated.
There are 21 comments to this post.
That reminded me of what my mom (a nurse) would always tell my wife when she was pregnant with our first (and only so far).
My wife wanted a natural birth and my mom would always laugh and say, ” Just you wait it is the worst thing in the world. Don’t be a martyr just get the drugs and shut up.”
My wife would just smile.
Then the birth WAS natural and my mom was SHOCKED at how easy my wife seemed it was and how our daughter was just so alert from the time she came out 
At least one nurse knows better now!
[Reply]
first time mommy had this to say,
Jan 20, 2012 @ 3:41 pm (Quote)
If it means so much to you, why don’t you just get it?!
nothin’ against moms who do get epidurals – it just should be THEIR choice, NOT the staff’s!
and FTR, I’m hoping hoping for next baby, whenever /if may come along, to go all natural!
[Reply]
Mine again! This was the same nurse from the “blow her bottom out” comment from a couple days ago. I told the story there (and I did NOT get that epidural!): http://myobsaidwhat.com/2012/01/16/every-time-i-have-a-mom-try-to-go-natural-she-blows-her-bottom-out/
At least my son’s birth this past June was an amazing experience even though it was an induction again–different practice this time with amazing CNMs and amazing L&D nurses and just amazing all around. Same hospital, believe it or not…and nope, no epidural that time either. Two pitocin-augmented epidural free births here!
[Reply]
we know very little about the circumstances and as a maternity nurse, I am sad at this nurse’s response. what i might say though, is that an induction is quite different from a normal labor and i will support your wishes but it is good to have an open mind. i certainly know of many women even first time moms who gave birth without an epidural so it is possible just quite a bit tougher.
[Reply]
Amanda Reply:
January 20th, 2012 at 4:27 pm (Quote)
If you don’t know what your in for. I don’t mean take a Child Birth prep course that is two days for two weeks sponsored by the hospital, but a course that delves much deeper in to what can/will happen especially if you know what your capable of and have no fear of “pain” that isn’t necessary.
[Reply]
dee Reply:
January 20th, 2012 at 4:48 pm (Quote)
I’d be fine with you saying you’ll support my wishes–that’s a pretty good approach, and it’s more or less what our great L&D nurse told us (she went a step further, knowing how much we’d prepared for and wanted unmed, and told us she would help us achieve our goal any way possible–which we did, with her help). But the OP’s nurse, imo, was trying to undermine the OP, not help her. It almost sounded, well, like a threat to me. If our nurse had said that to me, I’d be terrified–I’d be afraid she’d purposely pit to distress or something. It would really put me in a bad frame of mind at a time I needed support and confidence, kwim?
[Reply]
Jane Reply:
January 20th, 2012 at 4:53 pm (Quote)
This nurse could have said, “I understand you want to go med-free. But I would like you to understand that if you change your mind, we can order the epidural later on.”
I’m sure many people come into L&D with preconceived notions of how it’s going to go and then are surprised. But we never hear of L&D nurses or OBs saying, “You say now that you want the epidural, but the minute that first contraction hits, you’re going to beg us to go all-natural.”
Why is it that the “education” only seems to go one way, toward the maximally medicalized model?
[Reply]
GranolaRN Reply:
January 20th, 2012 at 5:08 pm (Quote)
exactly. I always phrase it as “if you decide you want pain medication or an epidural later on, let me know and I will get it for you immediately. But I won’t offer again because I don’t feel that’s helpful to discuss it over and over when you want a natural birth.” I feel like that’s a good way to make sure my patient knows their options, without being pushy.
[Reply]
Judith Reply:
January 20th, 2012 at 5:12 pm (Quote)
I so agree. i say in the beginning after i find out what her birth plan is, that pain meds are available after we used everything else if that is her wish and i will not dangle it. there are exceptions of course, but this approach makes sure she knows her rights and we are all on the same page.
[Reply]
AK Reply:
January 20th, 2012 at 7:37 pm (Quote)
The circumstances were that the induction hadn’t even started yet and she was talking about when they would call in the anesthesiologist to do the epidural. I told her that I did not want an epidural and she laughed at me and insisted that I would want it, that everyone gets one–very condescending and calling me ‘honey’ and talking down to me and my husband like we were a couple of careless teens. I repeated that I did NOT want an epidural and if I changed my mind I would let her know. She left the room then, shooting this statement back over her shoulder and giving me no chance to respond. Several other times throughout the night, in fact almost every time she came in the room, she was asking if I wanted that epidural yet.
[Reply]
@judith (can’t reply on my phone)
While I agree with what you said (induced.labor is.different than natural) the nurse didn’t say “I’ll support your wishes, but most induced women end up with epidurals” she totally.disregarded the moms feelings and basically told her she couldn’t do it. That is never ok. You should never undermine a person just because statistics are on your side. Even if the chances are 1 in a million, she could be that one.
[Reply]
I don’t like to do what people tell me to do. And if they tell me I AM going to do something I like to prove them wrong. Thanks for making it easier for me to stick to my guns, nursie.
[Reply]
Same thing for me.. “You will be begging for an epidural”.. of course, I wouldn’t have HAD to beg.. it was offered every two minutes from the MOMENT I set foot in triage in full labor! It was even offered the times they stopped labor and SENT ME HOME! How would they have sent me home on an epidural?? The nurse was a bear. Absolutely a vile human being (for many reasons). She seemed adamant about TORTURING me into an epidural.. but I overcame all and avoided it
[Reply]
Add Your Comment.
Previous Post
« “…I’ve Delivered Two Dead Babies In My Career & I Never Want To Do It Again.” Next Post
“…You Sure Got A Lot Of Stretchmarks…” »
« “…I’ve Delivered Two Dead Babies In My Career & I Never Want To Do It Again.” Next Post
“…You Sure Got A Lot Of Stretchmarks…” »
…Or maybe I’ll just request a different nurse.
[Reply]