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Labor Epidurals and Childbirth Education Classes
(Originally posted 6 September 2000 on About Anesthesiology)
INTRODUCTION
As an anesthesiologist, much of my involvement with pregnant and
laboring women involves the placement of epidurals for the relief
of pain during labor. I believe that epidurals and other anesthetic
techniques provide effective methods of pain control for labor
and that they are relatively safe for most people. However, I
also believe in two other important concepts:
Everyone is different: As a result, I
don't think that everyone should have an epidural. There
are many, many options for pain relief that exist. Each person
will have to decide which of these is the one that will be best
for them. Some of these methods involve medications, some do
not. Some involve procedures such as an epidural placed by an
anesthesiologist, some do not. As with
anything, there are risks and benefits to every choice.
There is certainly an appropriate role for epidurals in labor
- but it is important to identify them as only one option.
Informed consent is important: What this means is that
a fully informed patient is better than an uninformed one. Someone
who has had a chance to think about all the options, risks, benefits,
etc. and to make an informed choice will be more satisfied with
their situation and medical care than someone who has not gone
through this process. In addition, I firmly
believe that this is the proper way to practice medicine.
CHILDBIRTH EDUCATION CLASSES ARE VALUABLE
A direct result of my experience and my beliefs expressed
above is that I feel Childbirth Education (CBE) Classes are of
great value to every pregnant woman. I participate in teaching
these classes at the hospital where I work because of how important
I believe they are. I recommend that every woman who is pregnant
take the opportunity to attend a CBE class.
There are many different types of classes with many different
philosophies of teaching and focus. I'll leave the details of
how to choose the right class to the people who do Childbirth
Education professionally. However, for those of you that don't
know what Childbirth Education is, let me briefly summarize common
themes of what you'll learn:
- You'll learn about the normal birth process including the
physical changes that will occur to your body as well as what
to expect during labor.
- You'll learn coping mechanisms for discomfort, pain, etc.
These might include breathing techniques, relaxation techniques,
distraction techniques, and more.
- You and your partner will learn about labor coaching.
- You'll learn about nutrition and exercise during pregnancy.
- You'll get answers to a lot of questions that you might never
have even thought about!
In addition to these things, the process of childbirth education
acknowledges and affirms that the mental, emotional and social
aspects of pregnancy and birth are just as important as the physical
aspects. It helps the father get more involved in the process
of pregnancy, gives you a chance to meet other couples that are
expecting and allows you a comfortable setting to ask questions
that you might be too embarrassed to ask your doctor.
Now, let me address an important issue...
I want an epidural -
not a class! >Page 1, 2,
3
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