From: M18611@MBVM.Mitre.Org (Kathy Wilk)
Subject: Re: "Missing out" (was. re:  Justin...)
Organization: The MITRE Corporation, Bedford MA 01730
Date: Tue, 8 Sep 1992 18:44:49 GMT

In article <eaa-070992133149@smac-eaa.doc.ic.ac.uk>
eaa@doc.ic.ac.uk (Liz Attree) writes:
>In article <6SEP199211200760@trentu.ca>, bwolfe@trentu.ca (BEN WOLFE)
>wrote:
>>
>> Judy Drake writes:
>>
>> >> I still don't understand why so many people choose pain over
>> >> no pain when the health of the baby is not affected.  I've
>> >> had two birth experiences--one unmedicated (except for pitocin,
>> >> that is), and one epidural, and the painless one was way more
>> >> enjoyable and exhilarating than the painful one, for everyone
>> >> involved (just ask my husband).
>>
>> I find it pretty scary to read posts like this. Everyone is fully
>> entitled to make their own informed choices about birth, but doing
>> so requires access to proper information.
>>
>
>Ben then goes on to give us the "solid, indisputable, medical evidence that
>
>that drugs for pain relief during birth have a negative effect on the
>baby.   He says later "Please, understand the seriousness of the
>choice when you accept pain relief in labour."
>
>
>I don't dispute the medical evidence at all.  It is widely written up in
>many
>pregnancy and birthing books.  But this is *EXACTLY* the sort of attitude
>towards women that leaves them with so much guilt after accepting drugs
>to help them through their labours.
>
>And, of course, it was given to us by someone who will never experience
>labour.
>
>Sorry, it made me mad.
>
>Liz.
 
  If you had pain medication during labor and a vaginal birth or C-section,
and then had a newborn who cried loudly and squirmed and looked up at Mom
and Dad with the expression, 'WHAT THE @#* AM I DOING HERE?!', clap your
hands (sound of thunderous applause).
  I had varying amounts of medication for both pregnancies and neither of
my kids were lethargic or listless.  If I had NOT had drugs and my kids were
groggy from the birth, would I blame myself, the doctor, or the astrological
signs they were born under?
  Sheila Kitzinger is a fine writer.  I particularly enjoyed reading in one
of her books about the pregnant woman who rode to the hospital doing breathing
exercises on the back of a motorcycle.  I was ready to try massage, walking,
showers, etc. UNTIL I WAS ACTUALLY experiencing hard labor.  At which time it
didn't help for anyone to touch me and the thought of even getting up to go
to the bathroom was analogous to thinking about climbing Mount Washington.
Walking around was fine (I insisted on spending my early labor on my feet be-
cause I thought it would help speed the process) until contractions were really
serious.  One OB in the group practice offered the opinion that too much
walking could tire out out and you should save your strength for when you
really need it.  Labor is LABOR (usually, hard work)!
 
                        K. Wilk
                        M18611@MBVM.MITRE.ORG
 
            <--********************************-->
 'Thrusting my nose firmly between his teeth, I threw him to the ground
  on top of me.' - Mark Twain
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