Epidurals....

So, why wouldn't I get an epidural? Many people might think that doulas are anti-epidural. I recently read a NY Times article titled And the Doula Makes Four which gave doulas some negative press, I think. I would like to clarify some points about myself as a doula because I can obviously only speak for myself.

As a birth doula, it is my job and goal to provide unconditional, continuous labor support to my clients, epidural or not, planned c-section or not, au natural or not. When I sign on for a job, I commit to offer educational support to the woman so that she can make her own informed decision. I strongly believe that the choices made before, during and after birth are a woman's right and if she has the resources to make an informed choice, we should respect that.

I am proud to be a doula who can support a woman through many different types of labors and births. I respect the woman who chooses to have her baby at home, intervention free. I also respect the woman who decides that she wants some pain relief from an epidural.

So, why are some against epidurals? My guess would be that when a person learns and believes that labor and childbirth are natural processes that occur for a reason, it makes more sense to not mess with that process. Birth is often described as a miracle and some may feel that to intervene or interrupt this miracle would be disrespectful and inhumane. I agree, birth is a miracle and natural is always best. However, what we must remember is that birth is something that occurs within a woman and we must leave the choices surrounding childbirth up to her because after all, it is her body and her birth.