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This week on MD for Moms, I interview Anesthesiologist Dr. Sarah Reck about epidurals and other forms of pain control during labor and delivery. Having a baby isn’t easy – it is stressful, it can be scary and it is messy. Beyond anything, childbirth can be excruciatingly painful. Some people welcome this pain as part of their journey to motherhood, and I have nothing but respect for these mamas, but that path was never in the cards for me. I am not so brave plus I have no desire to subject myself to such agony given the outcome remains the same (baby arrives either way). Having epidurals meant that I felt pressure rather than pain, and by baby number three, I felt like I was on a mini-vacation, spending much of the time eating ice pops and watching TV while awaiting my youngest’s arrival. I came to the decision to have an epidural relatively easily, but many women are less sure and this show is for them.
Most women have decided if they want an epidural way before they are in labor, though some realize it for the first time once contractions begin. It is often difficult to have questions answered about pain control in labor until you are in the thick of it, but today Dr. Sarah Reck teases out fact from fiction and reviews common concerns such as whether epidurals impact baby (will the baby be groggy and lethargic from an epidural?), if they cause back pain, and if having an epidural increases the chance of a c-section. We talk about ways to reduce pain in labor beyond epidurals, the best time to ask for an epidural, and much more.
Learn more about my guest, Dr. Sarah Reck:
I am a physician, a mother of 4, blogger and fitness junkie!! I am an Anesthesiologist in Milwaukee, WI where I work full time practicing the full scope of Anesthesia practice. I am also a mother of 4 beautiful boys, ages 2, 4, 7, 9.
Juggling work and motherhood is no small feat (especially with my crazy hours), and a few years ago, I found myself feeling burned out and exhausted , despite it appearing from the outside that I “had it all.” After a lot of introspection, I recognized that my perfectionist expectations for myself were keeping me from living joyfully. With a lot of work and through trial and error, I learned to systematically organize my life, ask for help, and let go of the little things so that I am now able to enjoy the life I worked so hard to build.
I started my blog with the goal of helping other stressed out moms find their fantastic, so that they can also life joyfully. I do this by teaching them how to create time by building efficiency and organization into their lives and learn to let go of the little things.
I am also passionate about pregnant women understanding all the options available to them regarding pain control for labor and delivery. I believe that knowing more about their options as well as about epidural analgesia and anesthesia for C Sections helps women enter labor feeling better and more in control of the situation and process. I am so passionate about this that I created a course, “Pain Control For Labor and Delivery” so that women can educate themselves. (https://www.sarahreckmd.com/pain-control-for-labor-and-delivery-course)
Instagram: www.instagram.com/sarahreckmd
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/reck1170/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarah-reck-59518963/
Email: sarahreckmd@gmail.com
Website: https://www.sarahreckmd.com
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