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Guest: Dr. Marlene Kalouyan
Make an appointment with Dr. K at Womens Health Specialists West Hills - (818) 887-5000.
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Episode 23
Childbirth 101: Birth Plans, Pain Managment & Epidurals
There is no doubt that giving birth is an intense experience!!! Everyone tells you to have a birth plan, but what is that really?! On this episode we talk about what a birth plan is, what it should include, and when its actually necessary. We discuss epidurals and pain management, and how to advocate for yourself with hospital staff. Get educated and laugh along the way with our mama guest Marie Nussbaum and OBGYN Dr. Marlene Kalouyan (Dr. K).
DISCLAIMER: THE INFORMED MOM PODCAST DOES NOT PROVIDE MEDICAL ADVICE
No material from our hosts or guests is intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice. We strive to provide you with education and information so that you can then go to your own provider and get an individualized approach to your medical needs and questions. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health care provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition or treatment and before undertaking a new health care regimen. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have heard in this podcast.
Show Notes:
A birth plan itself is a piece of paper with the pregnant mom’s specific requests for her childbirth experience. The requests can include whether she wants the use of medications, if she wants an epidural, who she wants by her side, if she wants soft lighting, music, essential oils, a midwife, etc.
Having pain management or an epidural is your medical choice.
According to What To Expect, “A full two-thirds of women delivering at hospitals elect for an epidural during labor and delivery, and with good reason. A full two-thirds of women delivering at hospitals elect for an epidural during labor and delivery, and with good reason: Epidurals eliminate the pain of contractions, you’ll be awake and alert during the birth, and they’re considered one of the safest methods of pain control available. An epidural is a numbing agent that may be a combination of analgesics (pain relief without the loss of muscle movement) and anesthetics (pain relief with a loss of sensation). It's the most common type of pain control used in childbirth.
Epidural drugs stay in the epidural space and do not enter the bloodstream, which means that the drugs don't circulate to your baby.”
According to Mayo Clinic, pain management without medication includes relaxation exercises, breathing techniques, moving, changing positions, continuous labor support (either from a professional labor assistant like a doula or a loved one), touch or massage, applying ice packs or heat to your back or other body parts, hypnosis, acupuncture and acupressure, listening to music, and water immersion.
Other pain managment tools include a pudendal block (where a local anesthetic is used shortly before delivery to block pain between the vagina and anus), analgesia that can be used during labor like nitrous oxide, or opioids like fentynol.
There is still a stigma attached to pain management, but current pain management guidelines are meant to decrease c-sections, decrease interventions, and empower patients to choose what works for them. Research has shown that getting an epidural doesn’t increase the likelihood of a c-section.
During labor, nurses will be heavily involved in your care and there will typically be a verbal hand-off between staff during shifts if there is no time to review charts. Be sure to verbalize what you want with your care team in case they don’t see your chart or written birth plan.
The time to get pain managment is when you can’t breathe through your pain, no matter how dilated you are.
An epidural is a flexible, thin catheter placed in your spine that can infuse medications as needed. Successful epidurals eliminate the pain from contractions, but do feel different to each patient depending on the patient.
Spinal Block is what is used during a c-section. It is the same medications, but it is placed into the back directly due to knowing the exact amount of time needed.
For those who are anxious about epidurals - you can ask for a massage chair, emotional support, or medications to relax you. Typically though, the pain from contractions overrides any anxiety or fear over the epidural procedure.
If you have a c-section and everything is okay with the baby, you can have direct skin time right after the procedure.
When it comes to umbilical cord clamping, there can be some good in delaying the clamping. However, the research is clear that the benefits are there for 30-60 seconds and anything longer than that increases the risk of jaundice for the baby.
Closing Recommendations/Products/Tips:
Daniel The Tiger