MY HUSBAND; MY COACH

As promised, this post should give you all a better idea of how Rich and I are preparing for labor and what natural 'method' we've chosen to use. Our friends the Kreagers tipped us off to the husband-coached method of natural childbirth, devised by Dr. Robert Bradley, when they first heard our big news. They mailed us a care package with a cigar for the daddy-to-be and a book on this method for both nervous parents.

Rich and I chose to go au-naturel because we know that if I am well prepared (physically, mentally and nutritionally) and the baby and I don't experience any significant complications during labor, my body is plenty well-equipped to produce this baby on its own. Not only do we believe this honors the Creator's ingenious plan for the human body, but birth without medicine is known to happen more efficiently. In medicated labor one drug often leads to another... when the mother can't feel or react well to contractions due to pain meds, she typically has to receive contraction-inducing drugs to push the sleepy, sluggish baby along. The docotor will begin cycling these two types of medicine to keep the labor going. And if all this still goes too slowly in the long run, a cesarean may even be necessary to complete the process. All-in-all, several studies show that women who don't receive pain meds have a shorter labor and report labor being a more positive experience than those who do receive pain meds. Additionaly, we believe the health of the baby will be better maintained without drugs (even if my body is the first line of defense, the baby will still be effected by their potency), and that things like bonding will happen more naturally if both baby and I are alert and able to cuddle and nurse without the dulling effect of medication.

Now of course, many unexpected things can happen during labor, and it's for this reason that we're going to have the baby in a hospital. To use a metaphor sited in one of our books, labor is like swimming; most everyone can swim, but it requires special training to be safe and effective in the water and it requires a lifeguard, or doctor, for emergencies. We agree entirely.

Dr. Bradley, the founder of this method, began his research by studying numerous other mammals giving birth who instinctively react in all the same major ways to labor. Although women don't exactly have the same built in labor instincts, we do have the capacity to learn and reason, and we have the same general bodily functions and needs as these animals. Rich and I spend 12 weeks in class reading, learning and discussing the classic emotional and physical signposts of my body in labor, and practicing the appropriate reactions we should take to facilitate the best possible functioning of my body to pop out a beautiful baby. I am learning to relax my entire body during the 1st stage of labor while experiencing strong contractions that dilate the cervix so that my uterus can work freely and with all its might; to utilize proper pushing positions when it's time; and to nurse and hold the baby immediately after birth to establish strong bonding and nutrition for baby, as well as facilitate the 3rd stage of labor when the placenta is expelled. In addition to classes, Rich and I have to several other assignments. We practice very deep relaxation every day (with 'simulated' contractions to boot), I have a strict diet to follow to grow a healthy baby and to build up nutrients I'll use to perform certain labor functions, and I have daily exercises to complete that stretch and enhance very specific labor muscles.

After years of study and trials, Dr. Bradley's method has proven to be very effective for achieving safe and natural labor that does not use medicinal intervention either for augmenting the labor or for managing pain. After reading several books and attending a few classes, we are very pleased with our choice to use this particular method. It is effective because it teaches me how to work with my body and its powerful contractions rather than training me to ignore or work against it all (as many other so-called natural and non-natural methods do, like Lamaze). And as I finish up the pregnancy and then endure the marathon event that is labor and delivery, Rich is trained to act as my magnificent coach. It's a full-on family event!

Well there you have it. I'm never short on words, so I apologize if this is far too much information for some of you (or full of too many 'details'). We hope you know how much we appreciate the interest in the delivery that some of you have shown, and the love and support we receive from all of you. We can't wait for you to meet Baby Z!