Epidural = Complication

[starhalo]

So, I'm watching a Baby Story and I don't know why I even sit through these shows. Anyway, this young mom with her fist baby rushes to the hospital in full labor. She's having strong contractions and really into her breathing. Once in the hospital, they check her and she's 4 cm. Then, after all the chaos of nurse and examining her, she decides "give me the epidural...this hurts too much". Okay, epidural it is! Then, the problems starts...baby's heart slows down, labor stalls, and the baby does not descend. Also, she was coming along so well and then after the epidural, it took her hours to go from 4 cm. to 7 cm. The doctor comes in, checks her out again and says "well, looks like this baby won't be coming out this way...c-section it is". Anyway, this young girl starts crying and it so terrified about having a c-section and truly believes that this is the way it is. I mean, the whole family is like "well if this is the way the baby is going to come we just want him safe and healthy". It's so sad to see this. Now the baby will born in harsh conditions, pulled away from their parents, and all simply because of the epidural. Granted, I know sometimes c-sections must be done, but in this case I believe it could have been avoided.

[stacey2061]

it's sad that you don't often see empowering natural births on these shows.

[starhalo]

Originally Posted by stacey2061

it's sad that you don't often see empowering natural births on these shows.

Yeah, I guess that's my biggest disappointment with the show. I know several young women that watch the show who haven't had babies yet but are thinking about it. They see these deliveries and think this is the only way.

[turtlewomyn]

I have a friend that is a PA, and she ended up having a drug free birth for her first (not by choice, she was on bed rest for three months of the pregnancy due to preterm labor by the time he was ready to come he came out quick). She decided to do pain relief the second time around (not an epidural though, something else I dont remember) Well, as soon as she got the pain relief his heart beat went all funky and they started talking c-section. Her midwife called the doc in, and they just kept moving her around, and the doc eventually ok'd it and she had the second baby just fine. So, she says that it is better with pain meds. I of course am insanely jealous as I had a c-section without labor (CNM and OB coercion due to big baby, I caved) and would kill to be able to labor without pain meds. Next time!
And yes, those shows are horrible, I couldn't watch them for the longest time after my section, and now I do and shout at the TV and laugh at their silliness (in the way that they act as if all births are emergencies).

[Brown Lioness]

yea, i watched that show. It always makes me bristle with frustration when the mothers bellow "I dont know WHHYYYY anyone would do this natural, you'd have to be CRAZY!"

Then they get the epidural and then in come rolling the complications and then they start bawling because they gotta have the csection. I know that they probably dont know any better, but darn if i dont get snarky like "Well, after that c-section, u gonna WISH you were back in labor so it could be all over with rather than dragging the pain out for weeks and weeks."

[starhalo]

Originally Posted by Brown Lioness

yea, i watched that show. It always makes me bristle with frustration when the mothers bellow "I dont know WHHYYYY anyone would do this natural, you'd have to be CRAZY!"

Then they get the epidural and then in come rolling the complications and then they start bawling because they gotta have the csection. I know that they probably dont know any better, but darn if i dont get snarky like "Well, after that c-section, u gonna WISH you were back in labor so it could be all over with rather than dragging the pain out for weeks and weeks."

Yeah, that's what I was thinking. She was in clear pain when she first got to the hospital and then she asked for the epidural. That was probably the worst of it for her. After that, she probably would have labored for a little while and then had a baby. Instead, she had a really long labor and a not-so-fun delivery.

[SashaBear]

I think the doctors should be embarrased to even to on those shows after the decisions they make.

I saw an elective induction with Cervadil and pitocin end in a c-section after she wouldn't progress past 5. She was crying because she wanted a natural labor with no meds and didn't want a c-section. her family was pushing for more time and more pitocin and he said there was nothing left for them to do and he couldn't leave her at 5cm.

He should apologize to the mother for putting her through that!!!

[rmzbm]

Oh, all of this sounds SO familiar...
*sigh*
With my first section, seriously, you should have seen them RUN down to the OR with me, all of them screaming like I was dying...why you ask? DS's heart rate dipped a tad. : He needed to come out NOW, then after he WAS born he had - HORRORS! - the cord around his neck, more than once...a nurse actually told me he was being strangled in there. I'm really at a loss for words...

[Jenlaana]

Originally Posted by Brown Lioness

yea, i watched that show. It always makes me bristle with frustration when the mothers bellow "I dont know WHHYYYY anyone would do this natural, you'd have to be CRAZY!"

To be honest, I think they would be crazy to do what they are doing without pain medication. If I had to lay strapped to a bed, with random people looking up my crotch at any given time, hands all up in my business, being bossed around by complete strangers (even STUDENTS would get their 'look'!!) and with beeping and flashing monitors and bright lights all around me, I would need medication too. Probably LOTS of medication. I cannot even fathom how anyone can lay in a hospital bed and give birth "naturally". I would go literally insane.

I think when they think of "natural birth" they think of just that. All the stuff that they see on TV but without pain killers. They see frightened women screaming in agony, tubes, needles, knives etc. That was what I thought birth was like too, originally. I never considered not having pain killers if I ever went through labor. But that was before I realized how much pain and fear just being in that situation causes.

[rmzbm]

Originally Posted by Jenlaana

To be honest, I think they would be crazy to do what they are doing without pain medication. If I had to lay strapped to a bed, with random people looking up my crotch at any given time, hands all up in my business, being bossed around by complete strangers (even STUDENTS would get their 'look'!!) and with beeping and flashing monitors and bright lights all around me, I would need medication too. Probably LOTS of medication. I cannot even fathom how anyone can lay in a hospital bed and give birth "naturally". I would go literally insane.

I think when they think of "natural birth" they think of just that. All the stuff that they see on TV but without pain killers. They see frightened women screaming in agony, tubes, needles, knives etc. That was what I thought birth was like too, originally. I never considered not having pain killers if I ever went through labor. But that was before I realized how much pain and fear just being in that situation causes.

Excellent post!

[LiLStar]

Originally Posted by SashaBear

I think the doctors should be embarrased to even to on those shows after the decisions they make.

I saw an elective induction with Cervadil and pitocin end in a c-section after she wouldn't progress past 5. She was crying because she wanted a natural labor with no meds and didn't want a c-section. her family was pushing for more time and more pitocin and he said there was nothing left for them to do and he couldn't leave her at 5cm.

He should apologize to the mother for putting her through that!!!

ooh i saw that episode and it made me cry that mom was handling labor soo well. she was moaning with contractions, and seemed like she had a good nurse who was encouraging different positions. they were putting "16 hours into labor" on the screen soooo dramatically. thats long? whatever! and that dr kept saying I I I ME ME ME. "it gets to a point where *I* need to make a decision" wth? i cannot fathom what made him think it was "unsafe" to keep laboring. BLAH! he was so insensitive to her wishes and the coercian made me sick.

[gottaknit]

Originally Posted by Jenlaana

To be honest, I think they would be crazy to do what they are doing without pain medication. If I had to lay strapped to a bed, with random people looking up my crotch at any given time, hands all up in my business, being bossed around by complete strangers (even STUDENTS would get their 'look'!!) and with beeping and flashing monitors and bright lights all around me, I would need medication too. Probably LOTS of medication. I cannot even fathom how anyone can lay in a hospital bed and give birth "naturally". I would go literally insane.

I have to agree with that. I labored at home for 30 hours, and the MW checked me twice, maybe three times. When I transferred to the hospital, I had four different people "check" me the first hour. (Of course they all had different results.) Then at the next shift change, a whole new crew to feel things out. No wonder they push for antibiotics in the IV! And this was at a really good hospital; very homebirth/VBAC/natural birth friendly.

[Cherry Alive]

Originally Posted by stacey2061

it's sad that you don't often see empowering natural births on these shows.

So true... What convinced me to go with a water birth (when we have our baby) is watching the different types of births on You Tube. Not only do the moms in the tubes look more comfortable, less afraid, and less in pain, but most of the babies come out without crying. That totally sold me, and I think if it was shown on TV more often the world of birthing would totally change.