Before we found out we were expecting, I hadn’t given much thought to the different types of childbirth. I had heard of Ricki Lake’s “The Business of Being Born,” and I knew that natural childbirth was somewhat on the rise in our country, but beyond that I was clueless.
For reasons I can’t explain, I began to research everything I could about natural childbirth. The ideas resonated with me and deep inside I felt like I knew my body was meant to bring this baby into the world, and if I wanted to, I could do it all on my own without medical interventions. I certainly don’t have any grand delusions about being able to control what happens during my labor and delivery, but I’d like to try to take the natural route if I can.
The big question was… how? Before we conceived, I set out to find a new OB/GYN that I loved and trusted, as I was unhappy with my previous practice. I found a great doctor, so I knew I was going to have a hospital birth as opposed to at a birth center or at-home birth. Beyond that, I knew it would not be as simple as walking into the hospital and saying, “Oh, no thanks, no drugs for me.” We started to look at our options, which appeared to be:
- Hypnobabies
- The Bradley Method
- Lamaze
- Birthing from Within
- A “Comfort Measures” class at our hospital
(You can read more about each of these options in a previous post by Mrs. Tricycle!)
We decided on the Bradley Method for a few reasons:
- It’s “Husband-Coached.” As soon as we started discussing childbirth education options, Mr. Markers was adamant that he wanted to be my source of support and comfort during labor. He began to do his own research on the methods available, and he felt like the Bradley Method could help him learn the best ways to help me.
- The focus on nutrition and exercise. Going into this pregnancy, I knew that while I wouldn’t be “dieting,” the importance of nutrition and regular exercise would make the pregnancy more manageable. Upon reading that the Bradley Method teaches this importance as a way to prepare for labor and delivery, I was sold!
- Movement during labor. The idea of laboring while lying down on my back, tied to an IV or other various machines, sounds like the opposite of how one would go about getting a baby out of their body. I want to be able to walk around, take a shower, change positions, and use stretching and massage techniques to work through contractions.
So far, we’ve been to three of the twelve classes. Although we’ve touched on it during each class, we haven’t delved into labor coping measures and techniques yet – which I think is the big reason we’re all there! Next week our curriculum includes covering the first stage of labor and watching a birthing video, so I’m sure the discussion will begin there.
The last class is actually one day before our due date. Who knows if we’ll make it that long! After Baby Markers arrives, I plan to share our birth story and whether or not the Bradley Method worked for us.
Has anyone taken the Bradley Method classes? Did it help you prepare for a natural birth?
pea / 21 posts
Yes and yes! I’m sure every class is different, because the teachers you have are a major factor in how much you learn, but from my experience it’s amazing! I felt so prepared for childbirth after the 12 classes, I swear I was more calm than the nurses. Most hospital staff are not accustomed to natural birth, and it shows. I knew what to expect and so did my husband. We did a great job and so far have had two totally natural hospital births. The Bradley Method classes were a huge part of our success!
guest
You know during my first delivery, my midwife said that she could definitely tell that we had taken the Bradley classes because we were so much in synch. That’s why I loved it – the fact that it was ‘husband led’ really made it so much more comforting for me and I could not have done either of my deliveries without his support. The classes are very detailed and the videos quite graphic! So be prepared if you or hubby are a little squirmy (mine was ;-)) It is completely worth every cent/second. Best of luck for your delivery! x
guest
I had the same experience as sushimama above. We felt so prepared and calm and attribute it mostly to our great Bradley teacher. We had watched so many births and spent so much time learning. It’s a big time commitment, but it really helped us take time to be mindful about the whole experience. We would spend every drive home (about 30 minutes, which was worth it for our great teacher) discussing what we wanted from our birth and how we should try to prepare for that. We got lucky and ended up with a natural birth, and at a huge hospital. I think to make that work you have to be educated and your own advocate, for which Bradley is great.
pomelo / 5789 posts
I really wanted to take the Bradley classes but unfortunately the schedule/locations didn’t work for us.
We bought the Bradley Method book “Husband Coached Childbirth” and are hoping to apply the principles to our upcoming birth.
blogger / eggplant / 11551 posts
We took the Bradley Method classes as well and our Bradley instructor actually became our doula. My husband can go ON and ON about the merits of point #1 – he felt like he was so very much involved in the process and loved feeling useful throughout my entire labor. It really felt like a team effort. We had a great birth experience, not just me, but him as well!
guest
We weren’t able to take the classes, but we did read the book. After reading the book, we decided to follow the Bradley method, but not adhere to every point if during the labor I ended up wanting to do things differently. It’s a bit hazy now, but I remember in one part of the book where it’s actually recommended that you labor on your side, in bed. And I knew that I wouldn’t be able to do that. So during labor, we ignored that point. I ended up having a wonderful un-medicated labor (6.5 hours from start to finish). I think genes had more to do with that than anything else, but the B. Method did help us feel calm and connected throughout everything.
blogger / wonderful cherry / 21628 posts
I plan on taking Bradley classes when I get pregnant.
guest
I highly recommend the book “Natural Hospital Birth” by Cynthia Gabriel. It was super informative and really was all I read to prepare for my medication-less birth in the hospital. My husband also read and highlighted important parts. The rest of my preparation was mental. I knew that I would need to relax as much as possible, and of course reassuring myself with the fact that millions of women had done it without medication, so of course I could too. When the day came, I concentrated on relaxation the whole time and made it through fine. The hardest/ most intense part for me was pushing the baby out, but that lasted only a few minutes.