Why do I even bother to ask?

[DoomaYula]

I asked a friend of mine recently how her cousin is doing. Her cousin was getting induced for high bp a few weeks ago.

Well the cousin ended up with a c-s after 36h of induction following Cervidil, epidural, AROM, a fever, and pushing for 3h. My friend saw her cousin and said something about how it sucks that she pushed for 3h, but the cousin didn't mind, she said, "I was a bad pusher."

Also, my friend couldn't believe that her cousin was pushing when the epidural wore off -- she (my friend) said "You don't get a ribbon! And the epidural doesn't affect the baby!"

I argued (a little; she just broke up with her fiance so I didn't want to just fight about birth) and we agreed to disagree.

:

So then I asked if her cousin was and my friend said no, she didn't want to.

[Reha]

[DoomaYula]

For her reasoning behind WHY an epidural wouldn't affect the baby, she said, "I've read about moms with HIV who give birth to non-HIV positive babies. So if that doesn't affect the baby, why would an epidural?"

:

I said, "HIV is a VIRUS. Giving birth with a cold doesn't mean the baby will have a cold. You're comparing apples to antelopes."

[Reha]

Oh wow....:

[terrordactyl]

wow. people are so uneducated its unbelievable

[CEG]

Actually I have heard many anesthesiologists tell women that epidurals do not affect the baby. I try to tell them but who do they believe, the lowly nurse or the doctor?

[jlpetitte]

Actually I have heard many anesthesiologists tell women that epidurals do not affect the baby. I try to tell them but who do they believe, the lowly nurse or the doctor?

I have also heard this. Along with "you wouldn't get your appendix out without drugs would you?" And the nurses I work with are much happier when the women in their dept are quiet.

[SublimeBirthGirl]

My cousin's baby is in the NICU right now. I don't know the whole story but it sounds like induction/forceps gone bad. I just hope everything turns out okay. I see it over and over, yet everyone thinks my waterbirths are nuts. Why would I want to suffer through labor like that? Well, if it keeps my body whole and my baby out of the NICU, I don't think it's crazy at all.