Epidurals=No bonding???

avanvorce · August 2012

So I took a breast feeding class the other day and somehow the instructor got on the topic of pain management when delivering. She was saying that people that have epidurals have a more difficult time bonding with their babies because your body needs to feel the pain to release certain bonding hormones. Now I know she is the breast feeding instructor not a dr and they never even mentioned this in birthing class, but I am curious if there are any others that have heard this or experienced it. I am on the fence about what I am doing for pain management (if anything) but I already feel like I have bonded with the baby and don?t think I would have a problem at all no matter if I have an epidural or not. Thoughts anyone?

linzeek44 · August 2012

Ooh, I can finally reply.

This doesn't sound true to me. Sounds like more of a scare tactic or an "agenda" if you will. If it was true, I doubt that epidurals would be as common as they are.

Plus, if you breastfeed your body should release oxytocin which is a bonding hormone, right?

terri_doula2010 · August 2012

I had a c-section and had no problems bonding with my son. Granted, I don't remember the first part of it, but we have always been quite well attached.

mystrana · August 2012

This makes me think of Ricki Lake's "The Business of Being Born" where one of the people interviewed talked about how monkeys abandon their young if they deliver by c-section and he was trying to imply that an epidural, a c-section, etc destroyed a mom's chance to bond. I'm sorry, but people are not animals.

I have no personal experience, but I've seen plenty of moms who have gotten epidurals or c-sections and bonded just fine with their babies.

hmp1 · August 2012

I find that highly irresponsible of the instructor and certainly don't think you should take any stock into what she said.

quartz02 · August 2012

Are you sure that's what was said? I've read about medications effects on breasfeeding and the need to feel pain was never brought up. However, it's my understanding that babies that were born with pain medication may have a harder time latching on because they're sluggish from the drugs.

Also, IV fluids generally accompany pain medications and the excess fluid can also inhibit the baby's ability to latch properly.

MississippiCatfish · August 2012

I don't believe it. Seems like someone could say the opposite, too - giving birth naturally makes you so exhausted and brings so much pain that you can't bond immediately. I just don't think that either choice can impact bonding that significantly!!

bosha711 · August 2012

This was not true for me.

MariahJanex3 · August 2012

Well for me since my daughter was getting adopted i didn't breastfeed. I did end up doing the epidural with that pregnancy and it did make it hard to try and bond with the baby in my opinion with the epidural your not really aware of what is going on around you, i didn't even get to really hold the baby because my arms were numb form the epidural and after delivery all you wanna do is sleep. i slept for hours after delivery because i was so tired and still drugged up. I am gonna try and do it with out drugs with this pregnancy so i can actually be aware of what is going on around me and be able to experiance the whole birth.

avanvorce · August 2012

Thanks for the input everyone. The instructor was talking about bonding not latching on, I didn?t put much stock into it when she said it but it was kinda sitting there in the back of my mind and I was totally feeling guilty about getting the epi and I haven?t even gone into labor yet! Just thought it was better to ask people who had been through it and see if anyone actually had difficulty bonding.

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