I am a doula. I know that epidurals add more risk and open the birth experience up to more intervention which may lead to more intervention.
I am a doula. My first job as a doula is to help you acheive the birth experince YOU want. If you know you are going to want an epidural during labor, then I will support your decision 100%.
BUT, does an epidural lead to increased birth satisfaction? I don't know. Maybe I should start taking statistics during my post-partum visits? I know how I would answer. Do epidurals provide satisfactory pain relief to most women? From my doula experience I would say the answer is yes! Do these same women seem to acheive the same level of empowerment and satisfaction as women that deliver without pain medication.......sadly my answer is no.
So my only course of action to help women have the "Best Birth" is to make sure they are making completely informed decisions for their birth experience. Here is an excellent article about epidurals by Sarah Buckley.
I am a doula. My first job as a doula is to help you acheive the birth experince YOU want. If you know you are going to want an epidural during labor, then I will support your decision 100%.
BUT, does an epidural lead to increased birth satisfaction? I don't know. Maybe I should start taking statistics during my post-partum visits? I know how I would answer. Do epidurals provide satisfactory pain relief to most women? From my doula experience I would say the answer is yes! Do these same women seem to acheive the same level of empowerment and satisfaction as women that deliver without pain medication.......sadly my answer is no.
So my only course of action to help women have the "Best Birth" is to make sure they are making completely informed decisions for their birth experience. Here is an excellent article about epidurals by Sarah Buckley.