Friday, October 15, 2010

Interview with the Anesthesiologist

So if you want any kind of pain relief during labor you have to plan ahead by getting an appointment with an anesthesiologist. I went to my friend, Denise's old roomate for mine. He told me you have to do a whole bunch of paperwork (which we did) and you're probably not going to get an epidural even if you ask for one anyway. He says only 10% of women actually get them at this hospital. He is pro-epidural because he thinks all pain can be resolved or at least lessened. The problem is that babies at this hospital are delivered by mid-wives who tend to be anti-pain relief. He said most of the doctors are indifferent ("it's not THEIR pain, after all") and even some of the anesthesiologists prefer not to give them because if anything goes wrong, they get blamed for everything. He said it's a Catholic thing-- "The Catholics think pain is good" he told me (he's not Catholic, obviously, but neither am I).

I hope I won't need pain relief, but I'm glad I got the paperwork done anyway. It sounds like you have to fight for it and you probably won't get it anyway , but at least the interview and having the paperwork done makes for two obstacles less if labor goes long and I need some relief...

3 comments:

  1. I had an epidural and did not think it made that much of a difference...
    painwise...
    Do what you think best. About the only thing that would assure a pain free situation is a c-section.
    We are so excited here in Wisconsin!!! One of my colleagues became a grandma today and another will mid-November! We three grannies are like rock stars in school!

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  2. my epidural had a remote control that I could control....very fabulous....

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  3. No remote controls in Trieste-- That's for SURE!

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