Recommendations for the Bradley Method?

i had both of my babies at home, and let me tell you they were the most amazing, empowering, exstatic moments of our lives. If you are low risk and had a good birth last time try renting some videos about homebirth and see how close, sacred and intimate it can be!

Good for you getting the Doula!!
I took the Bradley Method to prepare too and it was great!

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Hi A.,

I totally recommend it! I think it was the best thing I ever did. I wanted a home labor, but that was impossible because I'm diabetic. I had to give birth in a hospital, so...

I had my son (now almost 3)without the classes. He was my first. I was scared. All my reading flew my mind the minute I went into labor. I was diabetic and the doctors were insistent on medical interventions and I thought they knew best. I accepted pain medications. It was painful, 24 hours, and really hard. I was in bed for a month afterward to recover. My son was sleepy and unresponsive at birth.

When I got pregnant with my 3.5 month old daughter I wanted a different way. I was going to get a doula, but my boyfriend thought I wanted him left out, so I found the Bradley Method and he (unwillingly) attended every single class with me.

It was the best birth ever. I was induced for my first labor. I refused induction and when labor happened for the second child, I knew I was in labor because of what I had learned. I wasn't scared or nervous because I was educated. The book is very good, but my teachers were invaluable. They gave us so many tips and advice from their own experience. Things like, take a sip of water with every contraction to avoid dehydration because that will slow down labor. I labored mostly at home and was in the hospital two hours before I gave birth.

During labor in and out of the hospital my boyfriend was totally supportive. He knew what stage of labor I was in and how to help me. I forgot a lot of things as I concentrated on relaxing through the pain, but he reminded me, like suggesting birth positions and helping me get into them.

When I nearly gave up and opted for pain meds, he reminded me that was a symptom of transition meaning that the baby was almost there. One minute later I started pushing. He and I would have never known any of this without the help of the Bradley Method and our wonderful teachers. Because we were both so well educated, we felt calm and there was no fear to complicate things. I knew what was happening to me, how to work with it, and my boyfriend knew how to help me. The class also taught us how to interact with medical personnel, which can be very intimidating in the hospital.

I had no induction and no drugs. My baby girl came out healthy, pink, wide-eyed, and rooting for the breast immediately. So different from the first time!! I felt on the verge of death after my son was born. After my daughter was born in 9 hours I was alert and hungry and walking the next day.

So, I totally recommend it :-) We had the class with Larry and Nancy Vieira in Stockton. Larry helps Nancy teach, which is awesome because he offered the male perspective for the fathers. If you want more information, contact me at ____@____.com, one last thing. I also took beginning yoga which helped A LOT. Bradley Method teaches natural breathing for relaxation during labor and gives exercises, which is great. But my boyfriend and I were working so much that we never practiced them. However, going to yoga forced me to practice relaxation and during labor I found myself resorting to what I learned in yoga so I could relax through the labor pains.

1 mom found this helpful

I don't have any knowledge of the Bradley Method, but I can recommend the two books that helped me prepare for and own my birth experiences: "Birthing from Within" and "Spiritual Midwifery". In talking with other women about their birth experiences, especially those who had C-sections, lack of mental preparation and lack of trust in their bodies are common themes of regret. As long as you are confident in your ability to give birth, you will be fine. Good luck!

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I loved our classes!! Well worth the $ and time. I highly recommend every pregnant woman takes it to REALLY learn what incredible things your body can do and how to work WITH it. Do it!!

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I loved our Bradley class. I took it for our first one. It is true that you might think it's a long class when you are paying for a baby sitter, and you've already done it, but you do learn a lot and it really gets you in tune with your body and pregnancy and gets you in a great frame of mind for labor and delivery. I loved our instructor, Zann Erick, ____@____.com or ____@____.com actually didn't even really refer to the book in our class, but she gave us a copy.

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A.,

The classes are awesome and worth it!!! Especially if you want your husband to be on the same page and be truly helpful and in tune with what you are going through! I am the one who could have taught myself all of it, but my husband was always too busy to read the books, etc. The classes really got him on board and made me much more confident with him as an asset in the delivery room and not just in the way.

D.

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Invaluable class!! You will learn more about your body - trust your body - and your husband becomes such an integral part of the process. A real gift to the fathers - and to you b/c he will understand what your body is going through more than most women! Yes - do it! You won't regret it.

Get some books by Ina May Gaskin and check out Ricki Lak's website www.mybestbirth.com But books CAN NOT replace a class where you share all your questions, concerns, experience and joys with other pregnant women. Experience is worth more than reading any book.

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Hi A.,
The Bradley classes are really informative, and since they are usually over a couple of months, it gives you time to really think about questions you want to ask.

My husband and I are also took a hypnobirthing class which was useful in terms of practicing relaxation techniques. I recommend that class, too.

I recently started reading the book, Birthing From Within, and I really enjoyed it, so I looked in to taking a class. My husband and I are signed up for one that starts this month. You may be interested in it, since you mentioned that you want to understand your body, the birth relationship, etc.

Here is the instructor's webpage about the class:
http://www.myoyubirthandyoga.com/Schedule_%26_Events.html

Her email is ____@____.com.

I hope you find a great class for you and your husband!

P.

I did not do the Bradley but did hypno birth. I use a book with cd. My dh did not want to go to a class but would read a book.

Do it A.,

My children are 13 and 10. My husband and I took the 4 month course, the first time and a refresher course for second birth. Our second teacher was more experienced and more helpful at allowing us to master the course as a couple. The time and cost is worth it. We are a stronger loving couple because of our time in Bradley classes together.

It will help you rely on your wonderful husband during the birthing process and you will remember this loving time forever!

K. Jonick

Hi A.- You really might want to look into a home birth. We had both our girls at home and both births were the most awesome, empowering, positive and spiritual experiences of my life. My husband would say the same thing although he took a little convincing the first time :) I never took any classes except pre-natal yoga (which really helped me to relax and focus) but when you meet with a midwife it is VERY different from having a baby under a doctors care in the hospital. We would meet for over an hour towards the end of my pregnancies and talk about expectations, my fears, what might happen etc. in addition to the basic exam. We didn't decide on a home birth until about the seventh month of my first pregnancy so I had been to an OB/GYN regularly prior to that and after one meeting with the midwife it just felt right. You develop a personal relationship far deeper than with a busy doctor. Everyone has to make their own choices about these things but looking into it cannot hurt. Good luck with however you choose to birth!

Hi A.,
I don't know much about the Bradley Method from personal experience; however, there was a couple in our hospital tour class that was practicing it on their own. They followed the classes on DVD (or video of some sort). They were not able to come into town regularly as they lived many miles from any town. I heard from our birthing class instructor that it wasn't ideal to use the videos because most people didn't keep up the exercises. However, it would be less expensive and perhaps give you another option.

Congratulations and good luck to you!!!
K.

Hi A.. I am a Bradley Instructor in the Bay area. Feel free to email me if you have any specific questions. I have worked with parents who have youngsters. It depends on whether the Bradley instructor is working individually with a couple or several couples. With a couple individually it is easier to have small children around. Just feel free to talk to the potential instructor(s) about their policy regarding children. It might work out that you wouldn't need a sitter. The important thing is your getting what you need to prepare for the birth.

R.

Buy the book first & see if you think you can figure it out - you've already had one baby so you know what to expect. Ricki Lake has a great book and documentary out about the birthin industry in the US. Definitley a good supplement to your research. I think the docu is called "The business of birth" saw it a few weeks ago on cable. I'm sure you can google it.
Good luck! I also really benefitted from pre-natal yoga and that's a class you can take solo so dad can babysit.
;)

After reading many books, I didn't follow a single "method." I combined many of the aspects into my own birthing experience. Like you, I wasn't sure if the commitment to Bradley classes was really for me. However, what really made me connect to my body was my choice for a home birth!! With a low-risk pregnancy, you can't get more natural than laboring, birthing, etc in the comfort and familiarity of your own home. I took a homebirth-specific Baby, Body, Birth class with a wonderful instructor. Unfortunately, her program doesn't extend to the West Coast. Whatever you decide, know that you don't have to agree with every aspect of a birthing "method." Congrats!!!!

Hi A.,
Congratulations on pregnancy #2 and your growing family. Congratulations too on a healthy 1st pregnancy, labor and birth. Laboring at home is key to unnecessary interventions. You are obviously committed to your baby and giving him/her the best possible birth.

I am quite familiar with the Bradley Method and wholeheartedly believe in it. When I was a child my mother taught "The Bradley Method", she often allowed me to sit in on classes. I believe that went a long way in teaching me to trust my own body.

When I was 19 I became pregnant and placed my son in an open-adoption, his adoptive mother took Bradley Classes with me and we had a good birth experience without interventions or medications. I had a daughter at age 24, I didn't retake the classes at that time but did re-read the books, do the excercises, and follow the nutrition guidelines and had another wonderful birth.

12 years later with pregnancy #3 my husband and I took Bradley Classes together (it was his first baby). He read the books, did the homework, learned how to support me physically and emotionally and was an excellent coach throughout labor and birth as well as during the pregnancy. About 6 weeks before our daughter was born we decided to change care providers and have a homebirth. My husband was well prepared and confident in our ability to give birth without intervention as long as everything remained normal that he was fully on board with our change of birth place. Bradley Classes taught us how to know what true complications are and we hired a skilled, competent homebirth Midwife.

I know the 12 weeks is a big committment, when you think about it though it's not so bad considering it takes our body 9 months to prepare for birth. The books are informative and I found the classes to be most beneficial. The classes are one more way to stay focused and kept us on track with our excercises and nutrition, it helped to have someone to talk to rather than just read about it. Your Bradley teacher will most likely be available by phone anytime you need to talk something over or need encouragement. I think the Bradley Method is an excellent way to learn about the birthing process and how to work with our body throughout pregnancy and birth.

We are expecting another baby in about 10 days, this time we did not re-take the classes but have reviewed the workbook weekly and are practicing relaxation techniques together. We are planning another homebirth and will of course follow the guidance of our Midwife if anything changes from the paramaters of normal.

Many Bradley teachers are willing to discuss price and deal with you some. They often feel the information is so important to pass on and want to get you the information at a price you can afford. If cost is a concern (considering you also have to pay a sitter) then discuss it with any prospective teacher.

If you have any further questions don't hesitate to contact me. I wish you the best for your pregnancy/labor/birth and family.
Best Wishes, K.