[Breastfeeding] Epidurals and Breastfeeding, What’s the Connection?

Usually, when we think epidurals, we wonder how they will affect birth, but it turns out that they can have an impact on your breastfeeding relationship as well. What do you need to know? Dianne Cassidy is here to tell us the facts, so you can make an informed decision.

What we talked about:

• What’s in an epidural? Getting our facts straight
• What are the direct effects to the baby?
• How does the impact of epidurals on birth affect breastfeeding?
• IV fluids: making you and baby swell up beyond the first 24 hours
• Fever and separation from baby
• What about the oxytocin flow?
• If you have an epidural, can you counterbalance the effects?
• Teaspoons, probiotics, skin-to-skin, and other tricks that can make things better

More about epidural effects on breastfeeding:

• Booby Traps Series: “Epidurals don’t affect the baby,” and other myths about labor medications and breastfeeding, by Best for Babes
• 6 Ways Epidurals May Affect Breastfeeding
• Effect of labor epidural anesthesia on breast-feeding of healthy full-term newborns delivered vaginally, research paper
• Epidurals and Breastfeeding, from the Australian Breastfeeding Association
• Epidurals and Breastfeeding, from La Leche League International
• Using Epidural Anesthesia During Labor: Benefits and Risks, from American Pregnancy Association

Courtesy of Dianne Cassidy

About Dianne Cassidy

Dianne is a Lactation Consultant in Rochester, New York with an Advanced Lactation Certification. She works in Private Practice, and in a busy Pediatrician office, and in the fall of 2013, Dianne completed her Masters in Health and Wellness/Lactation.

Dianne became interested in lactation consulting after breastfeeding her own children, which includes a set of twins. She’s spent thousands of hours working with new mothers and babies, and has the unique ability to identify with their needs and concerns.

Dianne has worked extensively with women who have survived trauma, babies struggling with tongue tie, those who have experienced birth trauma, are having milk supply issues, problems with attachment and latch, moms who are returning to work, and those breastfeeding multiples.

She also teaches prenatal breastfeeding classes, is working on her second book, and goes around the world speaking to other breastfeeding professionals  about how to support new families through their breastfeeding struggles.
You can contact Dianne by email, learn more at DianneCassidyConsulting.com, or join the conversation on Facebook.