Yes, of course it can! Forgive my bluntness, but I think you're missing my point. I never said it couldn't be bad for you.
To clarify, I'm happy to accept that an operation under general anaesthetic is ideally undergone on an empty stomach. That seems well established. But I believe that labour and birth are not really "about" the possibility of general anaesthetic, and in my opinion (for reasons I've already outlined), denying nutrition to labouring women is inappropriate.
In my own case, as I said in the post I linked to above, I would far rather accept the risk that I might have an adverse reaction to a general anaesthetic (which I believe is administered in 1-2% of cases in the hospital where I gave birth) than submit to a prohibition that is CERTAIN to cause me distress just when I need it least. This is a known issue with me: if I can't eat, I panic. Therefore, I secured an exemption from the hospital's policy, which allowed me to take in calories, at least (specifically, isotonic drinks) - and I was very glad of it on the day.
As I said in my first response to you, though, my comment to Ailbhe was more about the reaction of the medics to my request than about the substance of it.
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Yes, of course it can! Forgive my bluntness, but I think you're missing my point. I never said it couldn't be bad for you.
To clarify, I'm happy to accept that an operation under general anaesthetic is ideally undergone on an empty stomach. That seems well established. But I believe that labour and birth are not really "about" the possibility of general anaesthetic, and in my opinion (for reasons I've already outlined), denying nutrition to labouring women is inappropriate.
In my own case, as I said in the post I linked to above, I would far rather accept the risk that I might have an adverse reaction to a general anaesthetic (which I believe is administered in 1-2% of cases in the hospital where I gave birth) than submit to a prohibition that is CERTAIN to cause me distress just when I need it least. This is a known issue with me: if I can't eat, I panic. Therefore, I secured an exemption from the hospital's policy, which allowed me to take in calories, at least (specifically, isotonic drinks) - and I was very glad of it on the day.
As I said in my first response to you, though, my comment to Ailbhe was more about the reaction of the medics to my request than about the substance of it.