Had an interesting chat with a woman in clinic yesterday - wants an epidural
as she is "such a wimp - can't even stand stubbing her toe, or going to the
dentist!"
I assured her that I hated stubbing a toe too and as far as the dentist was
concerned - give me childbirth any day (had a funny conversation with my
dentist re: this while under the N2O for an extraction - 'natural'
dentistry? No Thanks!)
In the end I think I persuaded her to at least maintain an open mind. The
problem with 'booked' epidurals in our unit is that we don't have
anaesthetists on site so the women who absolutely insist on having one often
end up booking an induction so that they can be sure to get the epidural.
Then, of course, we are on that well known slippery slide of intervention.
Further to the thread on epidural policies etc. Recently I was looking
after a primip who had had a long hard posterior labour and was finally
getting there. Doctor came in while she was pushing baby around and up and
asked if she wanted a top up. I was a little taken aback as have always
held not to top up at that stage, but as he had 'offered' it she accepted
and so we had no say. His view was that the drugs used now are mainly
analgesic rather than anaesthetic and therefor should not interfere with
pushing sensation.
Well she did have it and it did not seem to impede her progress, she said it
made some difference to the pain and tiredness so I had to concede that it
may not be best to withold top ups for 2nd stage. Although I feel that if
she had not got as far as she was (about 20cents worth on view with pushes)
it may have been a different story.
Sue
Ps Lieve - you are a breath of fresh air with your lovely words of wisdom
and humour, I enjoy your posts very much.
"The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do
nothing"
Edmund Burke
----- Original Message -----
From: "Lieve Huybrechts" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: <[email protected]>
Sent: Wednesday, May 25, 2005 2:10 PM
Subject: RE: [ozmidwifery] Re: Pain relief resources
I still have no ear piercings,will you come and hold my hand :-)))
Lieve
Lieve Huybrechts
vroedvrouw
0477/740853
-----Oorspronkelijk bericht-----
Van: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Namens G Lemay
Verzonden: dinsdag 24 mei 2005 18:00
Aan: [email protected]
Onderwerp: [ozmidwifery] Re: Pain relief resources
I think one reason why women fear the pain of childbirth so much is
that they know that no one is being straight with them about "Just how
bad is it?" I think that being descriptive about what I felt ("like a
molten hot basket ball being pressed down into my crotch every 3 minutes
with just enough time to barely get myself together before the next big
press") AND also letting women know that I'm the world's biggest wimp
when it comes to pain (didn't have my ears pierced till I was 34 y.o.
and then had to lie in bed whimpering for 24 hrs after) and yet I've had
3 natural births, is empowering. I also find that if a woman is friends
with other women who have done it she's more likely to go the distance.
I tell the women they can have the "pay now plan" or the "pay later
plan" with re to pain in birth. The "pay now" route gets it done in one
day (natural birth), the "pay later" route means a low grade insidious
pain that can last beyond six weeks (epidural headache, backache,
stitches healing, or worse after c sec). The biggest benefit of the
"pay now" route is that you have a child with all the brain cells Nature
intended for him/her. That is a reward that you reap for your whole
life for just one day of courage.
Gloria Lemay, Vancouver, BC Canada
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