A lot of researching going up here.

 

Lately, the hype seems to be delivering a baby planned on a certain day and a certain time with tons of people watching. Birth had become more of a ''show or production,'' instead of letting the mother and the baby work together when they are ready and delivering when the body is ready to deliver. Our plan is to deliver naturally without the use of drugs...so let's pray gummy will not give us any problemos! :)

I'm not saying that using drugs means that every woman or their bab will have the horrible side effects that can happen and of course you can have a perfectly healthy baby and birth with the use of an Epidural, I just find it quite interesting that a lot of women don't do the research when there are many scary side effects that are very common with Epidurals...nor do doctors or nurses warn women on the side effects -- its just become the ''norm.''  Bottom line, there is a risk. In fact, one of my moms patients had had two kids...the first delivery was fine with the use of an epidural, the second pregnancy (8 years ago) didn't go so well..today she suffers from horrible back pains exactly where the epidural was injected and her child HAS many of the side effects listed below, so again -- its a risk. She is actually pregnant right now and has the SAME due date as me :) -- her plan is ''definitely not using drugs because of what happened.'' I understand if it is absolutely necessary for drugs and I am very thankful for conventional medicine if needed or in case of an emergency (which is very rare), but to just plan on using drugs without even trying doesn't make sense to me...that's just me :)

Side-effects:

• Short term: Nervousness, tingling around the mouth, tinnitus, tremor, dizziness, blurred vision, or seizures, followed by depression: drowsiness, loss of consciousness, respiratory depression and apnea.

• Long term effects: loss of perineal sensation and sexual function, neurological complications, backache (weeks to years), postpartum feelings of regret, loss of autonomy, fecal and urinary incontinence or bladder dysfunction (inability to urinate), & paresthesia (''pins and needles'').

*Side effects on the baby:

• Direct drug toxicity, fetal ditress/abnormal FHR (can lead to emergency cesarean), drowsiness at birth, poor sucking reflex, maternal feyer (impeded thermoregulation from numb skin) leads to fetal hypothermia and neonatal, NICU workup (spinal tap, etc.), poor muscle strength and tone in the first hours, neonatal jaundice, decreased maternal-infant bonding, behayioral problems & hyperactivity up to seven years (suspected)