This man should not speak...

Okay, who wants to shoot him? Anyone? 'Cause I'm thinking I'd be willing to consider it...

If he'd actually said women in labour should "toughen up because pain relief is for wussbags", I would be fighting to be first in the queue to feed his testicles into the bacon slicer but the sensationalist wording of the headline makes me wonder if its just the media trying to stir us up. That said, I think whatever comment he did make will make women feel that they have somehow failed if they accept pain relief. I had one child with an epidural (on medical advice due to high blood pressure) and one with gas and air. Both were painful, though the one with epidural less so. I bonded immediately with both sons and they are still the most precious and important part of my life some 20 years on.
Maybe the lack of pain would somehow de-personalise the experience for some people (?) but I daresay that Dr Walsh would want to go through it without pain relief... unless he is a masochist as well as a sadist!

Hi Paula!
I do not agree with the statement of Dr. Walsh. I believe that bonding between a child and mother has nothing to do with the method of delivery either its natural or otherwise. No relation could be as strong as mother-child.

I'm with you... having done it all three ways.... The first word I taught me second hubby after we found out about our surprise was epidural. Mind you she was my 5 birth (two I lost shortly after) I knew what was to come.

Hi paula, I saw the doctor on a short interview, and he stated he was misquoted in the acticle which has been repeated in newspapers all around the world. I think he was on Sunrise, or one of our morning programs, and the femeles were as angry, and saying the same things as you, before he had his chance to defend himself. After he told his side, snd what he said, not what was reported, they were sympethic toward him. This is a case of a British tabloid, misquoting someone to sell papers, and they have succeeded, just as they have succeeded to ruin the poor doctor'e reputation. I do agree with you that no man should judge the amount of pIN woman goes through when bringing a new child into this world.

well, I've never had a child, but I have to agree with you - yes, women have endured millions of years of painful child birth - why should be have to endure one more minute?

GROW a BRAIN, stupid - or have them YOURSELF!

Seems only fair to me that if a man wants a kid, he gets to carry it for 9 months and then deliver it!

Paula-

My oldest was born without the use of drugs, and the other five I had epidurals with. I can't say that I was without pain, issues, or the like. Though it was not quite as bad there were issues. I had an epidural headache with one birth because during the insertion the needle went too deep causing a small leak. I had to get another epidural, and a blood patch. With the last two miracle births (those two from this marriage after my cance- I actually was pregnant with our son during my cancer surgery-we had no clue I was pregnant)I had epidurals and some issues during the delivery with blood pressure dropping to the point of almost blacking out.

I certainly do not feel that I am not bonded to my other children any differently then I am with my oldest. Each birth is unique in its own right, and even if we are not screaming out in agnony of childbirth does not mean that we are without that connection that occurs between mother and child. We've spent 9 months connecting, that the birth is the climax, in a sense of all of our labors.

I would agree that Dr. Walsh needs to do an extensive study before he decides to share his "opinion". My thoughts are that he would find there is no correlation between natural/drug births and parent/child bond.

Namaste-Anora

Thanks anyways for responding.

Some people just do not know what they are speaking and what impact that could have on humans. They just let it out. Horrible inferences of Dr Walsh! He needs a full time course in it.

I had an epidural with my first child. The pain was so intense and while I would have liked to have gone natural...once put in that position...I really could not do it. Well, I guess if I didn't have the choice, I'd have lived thru it but it was such a relief. I had endured the pain and the epidural was given in the last hour of labor. I had it lucky & only endured that intense pain for a short time as opposed to some women who are in it for hours and hours. My next 3 children came quickly and there was no time for meds. Even then the pain was very intense. My oldest one...is fine and we are very very close. I never felt that it lessoned the bonding in any way at all. I don't think any man could ever be a judge of something like this.