Upon further reflection......
Those women that do get epidurals, in my experience, BELIEVE, they need them. In some cases I think they did, in order to preserve their memory of their birth experience as a good one.
Not all epidurals are bad epidurals. Do some have regret in not "toughing" it out? Yes. Are some over the moon that they had an epidural? Yes.
Complications during labor may lead to diminished control and coping options, often leading to epidural placement.
Education is the key. Doulas and all professionals providing care to pregnant women should be forthright about the factual pros and cons of all interventions. At that point the pregnant woman can be confident and content about the decisions she makes about her individual birth experience.
Happy Pushing to All!
Those women that do get epidurals, in my experience, BELIEVE, they need them. In some cases I think they did, in order to preserve their memory of their birth experience as a good one.
Not all epidurals are bad epidurals. Do some have regret in not "toughing" it out? Yes. Are some over the moon that they had an epidural? Yes.
Complications during labor may lead to diminished control and coping options, often leading to epidural placement.
Education is the key. Doulas and all professionals providing care to pregnant women should be forthright about the factual pros and cons of all interventions. At that point the pregnant woman can be confident and content about the decisions she makes about her individual birth experience.
Happy Pushing to All!