To epidural or not to epidural… is that even the important question?
Dr. Olivia Chubey, ND
Do you want an epidural?
Great!
Do you want to labour and birth without an epidural?
Great!
Do you want to wait as long as possible before getting one? Or, get it as soon as possible?
Regardless of your personal preferences or medical necessities, in every circumstance – the real question is ‘can I cope with this’?
Cope with discomfort, with pain, with the pressure of being a parent, doing the right thing for me – for baby…and the list of things goes on and on….
The birth of your baby and the labour process, is a complex, enigmatic, beautiful collision of science, faith, luck, love and transformation. But when discussed in modern science – it is usually reduced to pain. (If I were to extrapolate further, the entire birth experience often is reduced to: whether you will tear, what gender you are having/do you have a name, and whether you will breastfeed)
And I get that. Pain is scary. We are also wired to want to avoid pain, just like birth – it’s human nature, so it’s no wonder it’s become such a focus of our energy.
So whether or not you want, or need, the epidural, there are so many techniques/ways of being that can help get you more comfortable and able to cope – so that birth can be more than just about the pain.
Here is a quick breakdown of some of them
- Breathing Techniques
- Visualization techniques
- Relaxation techniques
- Using hand on manual therapies
- Positions
- Water
- Music
- Affirmations
- Education – understanding your body and also the hospital interventions
- An active birth companion [partner doula or otherwise] and supportive healthcare team
I want you to know these and how to use them.
I am deeply passionate about sharing the education, training and experience that I have with you. I want to support you through one of your most vulnerable experiences.
My hope, by doing so, is to further reduce the statistic of you calling your birth a ‘traumatic experience.’
Connect with me, or anyone on our team – we are all just as passionate about this!
We can talk about what your needs are and suggest what course of action we recommend based on your unique needs.
Or, if you just want to learn these techniques – click here to learn more about our Confident Birth Program or email info@yourdowntowndoula.com!
