The threat of giving up whatever control of the natural process I might actually have and making labor more difficult with an epidural kicked my stubborn tendencies up a notch. But learning that no drug has been proven safe for an unborn baby clinched it.
Beverley Lawrence Beech, UK-based mother of two and author of books including, Am I Allowed?, a book informing women of their rights and choices in maternity care, says, “We live in a society that rarely questions the risks of prescribed drugs. While women will avoid taking as much as an aspirin during their pregnancy for fear of affecting their baby once they go into labor they will accept almost any drug that the doctor prescribes.
“In turn, doctors fail to tell women that the heroin derivatives and barbiturates they routinely use in labor could result in their baby developing drug addiction in their teens. If women were routinely informed of that risk they might think about alternative methods of pain relief.”
When having my own children was still a fantasy, my background as a massage therapist got me into my friend Alex’s second birth. She had elected me to be her human pain reliever. For four hours I followed her around the hospital as she walked in her Teva sandals, stopping during each contraction for deep breathing and quickie pressure point work.
When she was ready, she got on all fours on the bed and pushed the baby out within moments. Needless to say, she was my role model and I would reflect on that experience repeatedly the day of my son’s February birth.
Our fun began at 4 a.m. (two days early) when my water broke following one contraction, and a short drive to the hospital through wet snow. I was glad not to have to wait until just the right time to go to the hospital.
After checking in and getting settled, I was left to my own devices. My husband, Guy, got comfy on the couch and dozed off. Feeling a bit lost, I took out a copy of my birth plan, which I had printed out for each doctor and nurse, and put it on the table. I re-read the words, please DO NOT offer me any pain medication or an epidural at any time.
PREVIOUS PAGE
