Are epidurals misunderstood? One doctor says, Yes! and offers these answers to common myths about epidurals. 

The Truth About Epidurals: 6 Myth-Busting Facts for Moms-to-Be 
Pain Meds vs. “All Natural”. Don’t Get Caught In The Mommy Wars Over Labor and Delivery. Get The Facts For Yourself.

By Monique Johnson 

I have always been amazed by the mommy wars between so-called “natural delivery” camp and those who took a little nip from the epidural tap. I support women for whatever delivery method they choose, but there is no ticker tape parade or extra apple sauce for suffering through labor in excruciating pain. Contrary to some heated mommy debaters, neither experience makes you more or less of a woman. Or a mom.

So we asked Dr. Gilbert Grant, an anesthesiologist at New York University Medical Center with over 30 years of experience, and author of the new book, Epidural Without Guilt: Childbirth Without Pain (Russell Hastings Press), to give our Mocha Manual readers the real deal on the myths and realities about epidurals to help remove the stigma and guilt over getting an epidural to ease the pain of delivery. Dr. Grant says many women don’t have enough information to make an informed choice regarding epidurals and he sheds light on six common myths: 

Myth: Epidurals slow down labor
Reality: Epidurals do not slow down labor. This is one of those myths that have a life of its own. Three of the last four studies of this issue published during the last six years show that epidurals and spinals given early on the course of labor (before the cervix is four centimeters dilated) actually speed up labor. The fourth study showed that there is no effect between giving the epidural early or late. Bottom line: there probably isn’t much of an effect of epidurals on the duration of labor – certainly no reason to believe that it slows things down.
 
Myth: It's difficult to push if you have an epidural
Reality: With today’s “walking epidurals,” the mother-to-be is able to feel the pressure of the contraction but not the pain, so that she can push in relative comfort. By using patient-controlled epidural analgesia (PCEA), the laboring woman can push a button to give herself her own doses of epidural medication. This way, she is in control, and is able to “fine-tune” the degree of pain relief she wants.
 
Myth: Epidurals lead to c-sections
Reality:  Although epidurals are associated with cesareans, they do not cause them. What does this mean? It means that women who are more likely to need a cesarean, for example, if they have a large baby and a small pelvis, will also be more likely to get an epidural because they will be in a lot of pain. But the epidural itself is not the reason for the cesarean. This has been shown in many studies from all over the world.
 
Myth: Epidurals make it more difficult to breast-feed the newborn
Reality: They do not. In fact, I think the opposite is true. When a new mom is rested and pain-free after the delivery, they are more likely be able to fully concentrate on their newborn than if they were to be experiencing pain. If someone has a delivery that is associated with a lot of pain afterwards (e.g., a cesarean, or a difficult vaginal delivery that causes tearing of tissues of the vagina and perineum), post-partum epidural analgesia can relieve all of their pain without causing drowsiness - and enable the new mom to walk around effortlessly. On the other hand, a new mom experiencing moderate-to-severe pain after delivery may need to use a narcotic to relieve the pain. The narcotic will make the mom sleepy, make the baby sleepy (medication passed through the breast milk) and won't even relieve the pain that well.
 
Myth : There is a window of time when an epidural can be given - not too early, not too late.
Reality: Epidurals can be given at any time, from zero centimeters cervical dilation all the way to ten centimeters. Unfortunately, this myth – which is still believed by many women and obstetric care providers – has resulted in considerable suffering for many women. Many women (and obstetric practitioners, for that matter) still believe that there is a window of time during which an epidural or spinal may be administered. The myth, which is more than 50 years old, is that if epidurals or spinals are given before 4 centimeters cervical dilation, they will slow down labor. In fact, recent studies have shown that if given early, epidurals and spinals can actually speed up labor. The bottom line: if a woman wants pain relief she should get it, regardless of her cervical dilation.
 
Myth: The pain of labor isn't all that bad, and anyway, it's only temporary
Reality: There can be long term psychological consequences of unrelieved pain. Many people have the attitude that pain is a just “natural” part of childbirth –something that should simply be accepted. The story goes something like this: Labor pain, although it may be quite severe, is at worst only a temporary nuisance. Tolerate it – it will pass.  After all, until modern times, before medications like morphine and procedures like epidurals were around, didn’t women always experience painful childbirth?  But it turns out that pain may have many harmful effects on the mother and even on the baby that can last long after delivery. Serious psychological illness such as post-partum depression and even post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) may be more likely to occur in women who experience painful labors and painful deliveries. And you may be less likely to come back for seconds or thirds.

Read Kimberly’s humorous take on labor and delivery with and without pain meds. http://thestir.cafemom.com/pregnancy/100641/labor_battles_theres_only_one 
And learn more about having a labor and delivery your way in The Mocha Manual to a Fabulous Pregnancy (Amistad/HarperCollins).