by R. Colleen

Created on: December 30, 2008   Last Updated: September 22, 2010

Sadly, epidurals have become a too common practice in delivery rooms nationwide. To hear about a natural childbirth in this day and age leads many to question a woman's sanity.

For the past 15 years, I have stood by the side of women in labor, women who hoped and prayed for a natural birth. The percentage of those women who were allowed to deliver naturally decreased dramatically over those years. Women are, more often than not, encouraged to "take the drugs" even though no medical reason exists. I'm not sure where the fault lies for this - with the doctors who offer a relatively "pain-free" delivery, with the nurses who are too busy to be bothered by a woman going through labor or with society.

Just mention you're pregnant and women crawl out of the woodwork with well-meaning advice to have an epidural. Okay, so they couldn't move their legs for awhile and had to have someone stay at the hospital with them to hand them the baby. And since you stay pretty numb, the catheter really isn't terribly uncomfortable. They are certain the epidural was worth it.

Going into a labor room with a birth plan is met by nursing staff with rolled eyes and comments like, "Oh, honey, you probably won't even use your birth plan. You'll want the drugs. Leave your option open." One nurse even told a woman, "Just throw the birth plan out because 98% of the women who come in insisting on a birth plan have Cesareans and ALL of them beg for epidurals."

I've even heard doctors say, "When the time comes, you'll get the epidural"; then mutter under their breath, "It'll make my job easier."

I know there are times epidurals are needed and I fully support the use of them but only when absolutely necessary. That's why the birth plans my "mothers" write always leave room for contingencies. I tell them from the outset to stay flexible. We shoot for a natural birth but, as nature takes its course, we make decisions based on the individual. A mother should understand the ramifications of all of her choices.

Some things to know about epidurals:

1. They do invade your spine with the medication and while this has become a routine procedure, it is still risky.

2. Your lower extremities will be useless for up to 12 hours following the delivery.

3. You will also have a catheter in until your legs begin to function and you will require assistance to get up to get the baby or go to the bathroom once the catheter is removed.

4. Epidurals do not stop what happens during birth. You still go through labor

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