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Educating abour labour pain and epidurals

I finished the week with an interesting group of childbirth educators in Manchester. We had fun exploring a number of different ways of presenting information about some of the more difficult topics that are included in prenatal programs, including labour pain and epidurals.

Enabling expectant parents to explore basic concepts around labour pain is a tricky exercise. I took the group through a practical exercise that enables parents to experience some of the basics: dealing with stretching muscle; the benefits of yielding, not fighting it; the impact that experience has on confidence; the uncontrollable nature of contractions and the role of supporters during labour. It is a very effective exercise that enables a number of aspects to be explored and assimilated and I have had a lot of success with it in parents groups.

One of the most effective ways of informing parents about epidurals is to use a simple role play that shows them what will be involved when an epidural has been chosen in labour. Most parents have no idea that siting an epidural will also mean intravenous drips, continuous electronic fetal monitoring (probably with an internal fetal scalp clip), intermittent blood pressure readings and probably a catheter.

For women to have a straightforward, efficient and relatively comfortable labour they need to have 100% mobility at all times. The loss of mobility that results from the epidural itself and these trappings is the most negative aspect of an epidural. Instead of liberating women from the pain of labour, an epidural enslaves them to the medical system, quite literally tying them down and making them entirely dependent on others. The risk of requiring forceps or vacuum to extract the baby rises dramatically (to around 50%, according to the research) placing the baby at increased of complications as well.

The activity I demonstrated to these educators highlights these effects and is a powerful way of getting the message across to parents. This role play can be presented simply and factually - there is no need for comment or personal views. The picture it creates is better than a thousand words.

These workshops are fun and informative. I have another one early next week with a group in Bristol. But first, another Active Birth program in Birmingham.

Posted by andrea at March 27, 2004 06:34 PM

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