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Breastfeeding difficulties linked to mothers who have epidurals

By Julie Wheldon (Daily Mail)
Updated: 2006-12-11 15:21

Women who have an epidural during childbirth are more likely to have problems breast-feeding, according to new research.

New mothers who have the pain killing medication are more likely to struggle feeding their baby in the first week and give up altogether within six months, say scientists.

Experts believe the baby may absorb powerful chemicals through the placenta which affect the sucking reflex.

They concluded women should be made aware of this effect when considering their options for labour.

There also needs to be extra support for those who do have an epidural to ensure they can overcome breast-feeding problems.

An epidural is an anaesthetic which blocks the nerve roots leading to the womb and lower part of the body.

Using a fine needle, a thin tube is fed into the lower part of the spine through which pain killing medication can be delivered.

Use of epidurals varies between hospitals but in some UK maternity units up to one in four women will have one during labour.

The new study carried out in Australia involved 1280 women who gave birth between March and October 1997.

A third had an epidural during the birth of their baby and 41 per cent also had a Caesarean section.

Overall, the research showed that 93 per cent of the women attempted breast-feeding.

However those who had an epidural were more likely to be only partially breast-feeding in the first week.