Why would you want to feel the pain of labour?! Just get the epidural. You’ve gotta get an epidural.
They’re the perfect mix of 2 very intelligent and loyal breeds! You’ve gotta get a Goldendoodle.
I’m way too afraid I won’t be able to handle it. I’m getting the epidural as soon as I can! I’ve gotta get an epidural.
They don’t shed…they’re hypoallergenic! They’re perrrfect! You’ve gotta get a goldendoodle.
Modern women get epidurals. It’s a feminist thing – why should we have to suffer? You’ve gotta get an epidural.
They’re a mixed breed. That means they don’t have the health issues purebreds do. You’ve gotta get a Goldendoodle.
So what in the hell so epidurals and Goldendoodles have in common? Well, for the most part, they’re sold to you without sharing the WHOLE truthful picture. I’m not against either. But half-truths, missing information, and flat out lies just aren’t cool.
Half Truths
Epidurals are THE most effective pain relief option when it comes to childbirth. That’s no lie. But they’re only effective if they’re well…effective. One study found as many as 23% of them don’t work. That’s a bit more than 1 in 5 women who think they’re going to feel nothing and feel a whole lot more than that. This can be traumatic. This can be scary. It especially is awful if no one told you that this could happen.
The famous Goldendoodle half truth that they were bred for service dog work in Australia. True, that did happen. Bigger truth, they flunked out of service dog school and the breeding program was scrapped. You may think you’re getting a premium intelligent dog when in reality they were a bit of a dud of an idea.
Missing Information
Epidurals can impact your body’s natural oxytocin cascade and all that it entails. Oxytocin is responsible for not only contractions but also highly important for breastfeeding and bonding. Having an epidural can potentially negatively impact those things. You need to know that – you need to be prepared for challenges and be prepared to face them head on. So many moms feel defeated but no one ever told them their epidural could be making breastfeeding hard.
Goldendoodles can and very often do shed. Just because they are half Poodle does not mean the Poodle coat gene takes over the shed-happy Golden Retriever coat genes. Another bit of information often left out of the sale – they tend to get hot spots. Now, again, this is not EVERY single Goldendoodle, but there are many who do suffer from these. It may be allergies. It may be related to grooming. Whatever the reason, these little suckers are a pain. They often require special grooming tricks, salves, and diet changes.
Now, these things don’t make epidurals or Goldendoodles awful, but you need all of the information if you are to make an informed decision and plan for the challenges before they occur.
Flat-Out Lies
If someone tries to hustle you with the concept of a walking epidural – don’t fall for it. If it is successful, you shuffle at best. And don’t forget you’re hooked up to a blood pressure cuff for regular monitoring, an IV for fluids and as a back-up in case your blood pressure drops, and of course, the ever-present Electronic Fetal Monitoring straps. Remember that an epidural keeps you quite restricted, even with a “walking” one.
On the Goldendoodle front, you might get hustled by the promise of a heartier dog because of its mixed breed ancestry. Lies! Especially when joint testing and genetic screening tests aren’t routinely completed for the majority of Doodle breeding dogs. They are breeding dogs of unknown quality and health (genetically speaking) and promising healthier ones. That just doesn’t make sense!
This still doesn’t mean either are a bad choice for your family. I’m simply trying to educate you on the other side of the coin. An epidural doesn’t mean you can’t plan on keeping moving the best you can. Not all Goldendoodles are poorly bred (but be VERY careful if you’re getting one!)
Have questions about either epidurals OR Goldendoodles (I was once upon a time a Petsmart Accredited Pet Trainer!) DM me, PM me, or email me, I’d love to hear from you!
