Chandler, Arizona
Sweet Pea ​Births
Sweet Pea ​Births
...celebrating every swee​t pea their birth
...celebrating every swee​t pea their birth
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Strength In Numbers
| Posted on June 2, 2011 at 10:56 PM |
comments (1)
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Mother's Day Birth Story
| Posted on May 11, 2011 at 12:05 AM |
comments (26)
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  Today is Mother’s Day in Mexico. Since our roles as a mother can stand another
day of recognition, I figure why not – let’s have another day of good
wishes. I will start off by wishing all
the moms a Feliz Día de
las Madres! We had an incredible birth story over the weekend, and
probably one of the most intriguing ones we will have as instructors of The
Bradley Method®. With the mom’s
permission, I am going to share their birth story today. Their baby was born at 35 weeks and both mom
and baby are doing well. The dad
“caught” their daughter as mom was getting out of the hotel bathtub! One of the topics we cover over the course of the series is
Emergency Childbirth. We do this for the
“just in case” instance when a couple has an unintentional unassisted
birth. Let me be clear that The Bradley
Method® does not endorse unassisted deliveries, meaning that a conscious
decision is made to not have a
trained professional present at the birth of a child. However, the American Academy of
Husband-Coached Childbirth® acknowledges that sometimes parents don’t recognize
the signs of labor (especially first-time parents) and babies will come when
they are ready. Our curriculum addresses
this circumstance in recognition that it is better to give some basic information
about how to handle this situation rather than leaving a mom and her coach
unprepared for the outside chance that they find themselves having to deliver
their child outside of their planned birth setting. In one of life’s little twists, I had just been loaned the
text “Emergency Childbirth: A Manual” by Gregory J. White, M.D. on Friday. It is recommended reading for all Bradley
instructors and I started reading it over the weekend. The Bradley Method® designed their Emergency
Childbirth class section from Emergency Childbirth,
a joint publication of the U.S. Department of Defense, Office of Civil Defense,
the U.S. Department of Health, Education and Welfare and the American Medical
Association. Little did I expect to hear
yesterday morning that the class information was put to good use by one of our
students! When I first shared the story with mom’s classmates, the
other moms were incredulous. How could
she not know she was in labor? Was her
labor short? Was labor going to be so
easy that their babies are just going to appear without a big fanfare? Well, this is the story as best as I can put it together for
now. I still haven’t gotten to hear the
story from Mom and Dad together – when we do, I will film it and add it to our
Birth Story video archive. Here is Baby
Caroline’s Mother’s Day birth story: Mom and Dad had been planning and practicing for a homebirth
with a midwife. They decided to take
Bradley Method® classes so that Dad would know how to coach mom through labor
while the midwife attended to mom’s and baby’s needs as the labor
progressed. Their hope was that the
Mom’s mother would also be in town as an assistant coach. Either way, Dad was ready to be Mom’s go-to
guy. Mom was woken up on Friday morning by a strong sensation in
her abdomen. In Arizona, per statute
R9-16-108 (see Reference 1), a midwife cannot attend a birth unless mom is
between 36 and 42 weeks of gestation.
Since Mom was only at 35 weeks gestation and their midwife was heading
to Florida to see her grandchildren, she decided not to pay attention to the
tightening. She also had a conversation
with her sister who is studying to be a midwife and failed to mention the
tightening to her. Looking back, Mom
reflected that she didn’t want to be told to go to the emergency room, so she
decided to move on with her day. Saturday found the couple down in Tucson spending time with
Dad’s family and enjoying the Mother’s Day holiday weekend. Mom was baking bread with her sister-in-law
and SIL noticed that Mom was pausing every once in a while. Mom told her SIL she was having some
contractions but she was only 35 weeks, so it couldn’t possibly be labor,
right? SIL concurred that it was
probably just her uterus getting ready for labor. After celebrating Mother’s Day with Dad’s family on Sunday,
Mom and Dad were getting ready to head up to Phoenix for Dad to attend a
conference. Mom finally had a
contraction that took her breath away, and she told Dad, “Let’s use this one to
practice our relaxation.” Dad agreed and
started with a back rub, moved to the front where mom curtly told him “Don’t
touch my uterus!” He continued with a
back rub and then worked his way forward again and Mom had to tell him not to
touch again because it was too uncomfortable.
(Students: what phase of labor is
she in?) Mom admits upon looking back now that she was just in
denial. They made the drive from Tucson
to Phoenix and got to the hotel. Mom felt
a gush of water and thought that she had wet her pants. She was hot and sweaty and she threw up once
they were in their hotel room.
(Students: what phase of labor is
she in now?) She was very uncomfortable
and decided to lie down. She told Dad
that she must have a really bad case of food poisoning and that the best thing
to do was lie on her side and be still and relax through the terrible
discomfort she was experiencing. Dad did
his best to comfort mom at this time and stayed by her as she was in bed. All of a sudden, Mom declares that she has to have a bowel
movement. She sat on the toilet and was
pushing, but nothing was coming out of her anus. She checked and couldn’t believe that she
couldn’t pass this painful stool. Mom
and Dad agreed that a bath would help Mom relax her muscles and then maybe she
could relieve herself. So Dad drew the
bathwater and Mom got in. Dad reported
that Mom felt instantly relief in the water, so that made them feel better. Well, the next thing they know, the bath water turns
red. Now the couple is truly concerned
and they call 911. Dad reports that the
911 dispatcher “didn’t buy” the constipation story and told Dad to have Mom get
out of the water and see if he could see the baby’s head. Mom lifted herself out of the water, and Dad reports that in
the very next instant, Baby Caroline made her appearance. Dad caught their daughter and it was official
– not only was he a Bradley Dad, he became a Bradley Dad who caught the baby! Mom relayed that the next few minutes were very
peaceful. Baby Caroline did not cry, yet
she was breathing on her own and very alert.
She says that they admired their daughter and held her and enjoyed their
incredible accomplishment – their new baby and her incredible birth story. When they got to the hospital, Baby Caroline
was declared to be a 10 on the Apgar scale and she weighed in at 5 pounds, 5
ounces. What did Mom and Dad do well as per the instructions we
cover in class? - They stayed calm, and Dad reassured Mom that everything
was okay (although Dad says if we hear the 911 tape it will sound like he “lost
his mind”). - They kept their hands away from the birth canal. - They verified that their daughter was breathing well after
she was born and put her face down on Mom’s abdomen to stay warm. - When the baby was crowning, they did not pull on her, they
just let her be born naturally. - They did not pull on the cord and let the placenta
(afterbirth) come naturally. They ended up going to the hospital in an ambulance and have
had many unwanted interventions due to their “unsterile” birth. I am happy to say that after two very trying
days at the hospital, the family finally seems to be getting the support they
need and hope to be released with their very healthy baby girl tomorrow. I want to thank the family for allowing me to share their
incredible birth story with you. I hope
that you can read this and recognize that childbirth without drugs is possible,
and that if you don’t pay attention too soon, you can manage most of your labor
without too much trouble. Mom slept both
Friday and Saturday nights because she ignored her labor! She looks great, has good energy and her body
is busy making food for their baby thanks to the rest she got during their
labor. As I mentioned earlier, The Bradley Method® does not endorse
unassisted deliveries. An experienced
childbirth couple probably would have recognized the signs of late first stage
and/or transition and gotten to their chosen birthplace with ample time to
deliver with a trained assistant. In this
couple’s case, they were too far from home to make it there and their midwife
was not available, so their birth plan would have changed to a hospital birth
at the last minute. I am so happy that
“all’s well that ends well” and that Baby Caroline will have a very unique
birth story to share for the rest of her life! References: (1) http://www.azsos.gov/public_services/title_09/9-16.htm#Article_1 Disclaimer: The
material included on this site is for informational purposes only.
It is not intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical
advice. The reader should always consult her or his healthcare provider to
determine the appropriateness of the information for their own situation. This blog contains information about our classes available in
Chandler, AZ and Payson, AZ and is not the official website of The Bradley Method®. The views contained on this blog do not necessarily reflect those of The Bradley Method® or the American Academy
of Husband-Coached Childbirth®. |
A Good Bradley Method® Outcome
| Posted on April 22, 2011 at 10:41 AM |
comments (0)
|
 Information Desk: What is a good Bradley Method® outcome?
One of the reasons we chose to be Bradley Method® students, and then later
decided to become affiliated with the organization is that The Bradley Method®
puts the responsibility squarely on the parents for the outcome they have with
their birth. They also emphasize
the ultimate goal of Healthy Mom, Healthy Baby. Natural childbirth tends to be characterized as anti-establishment,
anti-hospital and anti-doctor.
Depending on the instructor and the delivery mechanism, it can be all of
those things. It is easy to blame
the establishment, the hospital or your doctor when things do not go the way
you planned or the way you wanted. When I hear “bad” hospital stories from moms who wanted to have natural
births, I wonder if they prepared for the birth the way we learned to prepare
for a birth. I wonder if they
hired labor support professionals to ensure that they had the labor they
wanted. I know that sometimes
despite having done both of these they still have bad outcomes. In that case I wonder if they knew it
was okay to change care providers or their birthplace to get a better chance at
the birth they wanted. I had touched on my hand analogy to explain The Bradley Method® in an
earlier post – here it is again. The palm of the hand is Relaxation – the key to the Bradley
Method. Then there are five fingers – Exercise, Nutrition, Communication,
Consumerism and Education. This holistic approach is what makes the Bradley Method® so successful at
preparing the Mom and Coach to have a spontaneous vaginal birth with little or
no intervention. We make every
effort not to bias our students as to what kind birthplace is chosen or who
their care provider is – we train the team to work together to prepare for
their athletic event and to think about which questions they could be asking
all along the way. The team is taught one relaxation technique every week – at the conclusion
of the class they have twelve different relaxation techniques that cover the
physical, mental and emotional aspects of relaxation that a mom needs to
achieve in order for her labor to progress without interruption. We also train coaches to look for signs
that one of these needs isn’t being met.
With this training, they can evaluate what kind of relaxation they could
try to help mom get into the deeply relaxed state she needs to be in to cope
with the strong sensations of labor. The team is taught the importance of exercise to help mom have the stamina
and the strength necessary to withstand and succeed at labor. The key of what birth is at its core is
in the word “labor” – a mom is going to have to work to have her baby. The team is encouraged to have mom do
some form of safe cardiovascular exercise on a daily basis for mom to have the
stamina she needs for the length of her birth. Whether she labors a few hours (an intense, short birth) or
several hours (a prolonged multi-hour or multi-day event), every type of labor
has a better outcome with mom who has the stamina to handle her particular kind
of labor. The Bradley Method® also teaches pregnancy-specific exercises to target the
three B’s of birthing: the back, belly and bottom. These exercises are safe to start during pregnancy even if
mom does not have a regular exercise program in place. They strengthen and add flexibility to
the areas that will be worked during the process of labor and that mom will
need to have strength and control over for the pushing phase of labor. Nutrition is a key component to a healthy pregnancy and a good outcome for
mom and baby. The Bradley Method®
teaches the Brewer Pregnancy Diet, based on the work of Dr. Tom Brewer who did
years of study and research to decrease the incidence of pre-eclampsia and
toxemia of late pregnancy. The
couple is encouraged to have mom strive for 80g – 100 g of daily protein,
consumed through a well-balanced diet that includes dairy, eggs, protein
sources, leafy green vegetables, other fruits and vegetables, grains, a daily
vitamin C source and fats and oils.
The variety of foods in their closest “whole food” form provides all the
protein mom needs as building blocks for her and the growing baby, as well as
all the essential vitamins and nutrients needed for a healthy mom and baby
through pregnancy and post-partum if the mom continues with the new habit she
has formed. Communication is an important part of class every week as well. We do communication exercises to
strengthen the bond between Mom and Coach. We encourage the team to phrase things in a positive way so
they are constantly building up and encouraging their partner. We also work on non-verbal
communication since most moms will reach a point in the labor when they can’t
talk any more and the Coach needs to be able to read his partner’s non-verbal
cues so he can keep coaching her and meeting her needs so she is as comfortable
and supported as possible through the most trying aspects of labor. Consumerism is taught so that couples can make choices based on true
“informed consent”. Informed consent
in the realm of The Bradley Method® means that a couple has heard about
different options available to them in class, has read about their options
outside of class to come to their own conclusions about what they do or do not
want during their pregnancy and birth, and that they have had conversations
with their care provider to discuss their choices and ensure that their care
provider will honor their decisions for their pregnancy and birth. We also teach our students a series of questions that they can ask if they
have to make a decision without access to the Internet and extra reading
materials, or if time is of the essence.
Again, many of the decisions that a couple is faced with in these
situations are options that they may have opted against in the event of a
normal, uncomplicated birth. Our
hope is that the students did their homework and read up on them when they were
opting against them, and have a basis to form a decision when deciding what
kind of intervention is best when the labor indicates that interventions may be
necessary for a Healthy Mom, Healthy Baby outcome. Education is another key that makes The Bradley Method® so successful. Our syllabus teaches a couple what is
normal and what they can expect in a normal, uncomplicated pregnancy and
labor. We teach our couples what
the warning indicators are and what the true medical emergencies are in
pregnancy and labor. We teach our
couples how to have good outcomes if they end up with a cesarean or if they
have an unplanned labor setting and end up giving birth outside of their chosen
birthplace. We teach breastfeeding
and postpartum planning. The theme running through all of these aspects of our classes is that it is
up to the parent to have the birth oucome they want. If all they plan to do is show up for class, at least they
can get the information and one opportunity to prepare for their labor every
week. It would be less likely for
the couple that doesn’t do work outside of class to have their ideal birth. If a couple takes all the instruction to heart, and does their daily
exercise, faithfully tracks and meets the nutrition goals, practices relaxation
and runs through a labor rehearsal every day, completes the study guides and
they do their own research on the information offered in class to come up with
their own conclusions and have good discussions with their care providers, then
they are more likely to have the birth they want. My mantra is Practice Makes Prepared.
It is not a guarantee, however all the preparation makes for a healthy, low-risk
mom who can withstand the trial of labor because she is physically ready,
emotionally ready and she has the utmost confidence that her coach is just as
ready as she is to do the work that is ahead of them when they face their labor
together as a prepared team. Has every one of our students had a textbook Bradley birth? According to my count, only two from
the eight that have had their babies already had completely intervention free
births. Whatever their outcome,
they drew on the information from class to labor as long as possible without
intervention. Sometimes situations
do present themselves when parents need to choose which of the options out
there they want to use to speed labor, ease labor or avert a cesarean. However, I can confidently say that most of them were very happy
with their birth stories and felt like they made good decisions about the interventions
in their births. So, given that a Mom and Coach team has prepared for their birth in the way
that best suits them, a good Bradley Method® outcome is one in which the
parents accept the responsibility that their birth is their choice. They feel good about the decisions that
they made through the course of their pregnancy and labor, knowing that they made those
decisions based on their personal needs and the ultimate goal of Healthy Mom,
Healthy Baby.  Disclaimer: The material included on this site and blog is for informational purposes
only. It is not intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional
medical advice. The reader should always consult her or his healthcare provider
to determine the appropriateness of the information for their own situation.
This site and blog contain information relevant to our classes available in
Chandler, AZ and Payson, AZ and is not the official website of The Bradley
Method®. The views contained in this site and blog do not necessarily reflect
those of The Bradley Method® or the American Academy of Husband-Coached
Childbirth®. |
Our textbook Bradley Method® Birth Story
| Posted on April 15, 2011 at 10:49 AM |
comments (62)
|
Although each one of our births was amazing in a different way, our second birth was the closest to a textbook "Bradley" birth. I refer to our child as "Baby" because we didn't find out the sex during our pregnancy.
For our current students, you will read that we weren't the best students at doing our practice together - thank goodness we had hired a doula! She made the difference again, although looking back, she did it in such a way that Bruss was the hero of the birth. Here it is for you to read:  Since almost three years had elapsed since our last birth,
Daddy Bruss and I decided it would be a good idea to re-take the Bradley
Method® Class, and hopefully, finish the 12-week series. We had to take
the classes with a new teacher since our first teacher didn’t have a class schedule that
fit our due date. It was a great
opportunity to get a different spin on the same material.
I also think we paid more attention the second time around since we knew the
information was critical if we wanted to have a completely unmedicated and intervention-free birth this
time. Although our practice as a team didn’t improve a great deal, I did my solo
homework much more diligently.
Based on our last birth, I did more walking, more squats, more Kegels and perineal
massage in hopes of having a better labor this time.
You would think that as second time parents, we would know what labor was
and when it started. So, this baby decided to play games and test us
out. We went to the hospital two times in the week before our due date, and
both times they sent us home because we were only in pre-labor.
The third time we went, my water had really broken. This was on September 28,
2007, around 3:00 in the afternoon. We said good-bye to Ysabella and
Grandma and left for the hospital around 4:00 p.m. My labor didn’t stop once we
got to the hospital - yeah! I attribute this to being calmer the second
time around and thus, the”fight or flight” instinct that stopped us the first
time around didn’t have a chance to throw a monkey wrench in the process this
time.
Our first triage nurse was convinced that she had to give me pitocin even
though it wasn’t on our birth plan. We just smiled at her and said,
“Order what you need to,” knowing it was shift change and I would just take it
up with the next nurse if I had to.
The next triage nurse was cool with our natural labor birth plan, got us
checked into our labor and delivery room and sent Doc to deal with us. We
were fortunate to have the same doc from our OB group that had delivered
Ysabella, and he and I had a little discussion. We talked to him around 7:00 PM, and he was willing to give me
the same 14 hours that he had given me with Ysabella. He also gave me
fair warning that I was going to work hard, “as if you were going to run a
marathon”.
Ironic - that is exactly what the Bradley Method® uses as an
analogy in preparing for labor and delivery. Birth is an athletic event,
and if you are going to perform as a top athlete, you condition your body with
proper exercise, nutrition and mental attitude to win the event. I
assured Doc that I was ready to “run the marathon” and would appreciate the
opportunity to do so. Away he went and labor kept progressing.
Labor progressed according to the chart we studied in Bradley class. (If you have a Student Workbook, it's the chart on pages 38-39 that Bruss likes to refer to in class.) First stage, late first stage, transition, and second stage.
We walked, we used several squatting positions successfully, and I slept
between contractions this time. As a side note, this is only possible with great coaching - mom has to trust that the Coach is watching the clock and that she will be woken up before the contraction starts. Good job, Daddy Bruss! Our doula Madelon was with us again, and
she helped us through the tough spots with her low, gentle voice and her steady, loving hands.
Before we knew it, I was at the, “Oh my gosh, you people better figure it
out because I AM GOING TO PUSH THIS BABY OUT WITH OR WITHOUT YOUR COOPERATION,
THANK YOU VERY MUCH!!!”
They called our new doctor (the OB practice call schedule had a shift
change in the morning), who was cool with my birth plan. Although she had not seen a successful
Bradley Method® birth yet, she was willing to assist us and give us the support
we needed. She got in there with the olive oil and did a perineal massage
to gently open and soften the vaginal tissues so that they would stretch around
the baby without tearing.
Baby came out after a few pushes - I think it was four good ones and the
head came out, then another push and the shoulders, and then one more good push
and the rest of baby came out. Bruss Reynaldo was born at 8:49 am on
September 29, 2007 - his due date. It was such a thrill - we had done it
by letting my body follow nature’s course, and guess what?? Baby Bruss
was 11 pounds, 1 ounce - and I barely tore at all!!! Doc gave me a couple
of “cosmetic” stitches (seriously, who’s looking??).
The mood in the room was giddy, excited, awesome. No one could believe
how big Baby Bruss was, or that he had come out naturally. He was not the
biggest baby that day, but he was the biggest natural delivery. And just
like they testify in the book, Husband-Coached Childbirth: The Bradley Method®
of Natural Childbirth, by Dr. Robert Bradley:
an hour later I was walking around the labor and delivery wing,
stretching my legs and chasing down the Bruss’ in the nursery.
It was the most amazing event - 18 hours of letting nature take it’s course
with an unbelievable reward at the end of our “marathon”. After
experiencing this, I fully understand why people choose to push their body to
the limit in endurance contests - finishing the “run” is one of the most
satisfying and fulfilling affirmations of the human experience.
Disclaimer: The material included on this site is for informational purposes only.
It is not intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical
advice. The reader should always consult her or his healthcare provider to
determine the appropriateness of the information for their own situation. This blog contains information relevant to our classes available in Chandler, AZ and
Payson, AZ and is not the official website of The Bradley Method®. The views
contained in this blog do not necessarily reflect those of The Bradley Method®
or the American Academy of Husband-Coached Childbirth®. |
The coach’s role in pregnancy and labor
| Posted on March 29, 2011 at 10:29 PM |
comments (1)
|
 The very active role of Dads (Mom’s coach) in pregnancy and labor separates the Bradley method from most other childbirth education.Krystyna and I have had three wonderful Bradley inspired births. Our active partnership in the 40+ weeks of pregnancy AND dozens of hours of laboring for each one of our children has deepened our relationship and well prepared us for deliveries that closely met our pre-labor birth plans. Indeed it is the active partnership, planning and communication that sets a pregnant couple up for the highest probability of positive outcome for their coming birth and beyond. In our classes we work with coaches to focus and further the following attributes to best support their partners in pregnancy and delivery. A coach needs to be:
Committed- The act of commitment is binding yourself intellectually and emotionally to a course of action. As a coach what are your goals for the pregnancy, birth and beyond? Choosing pregnancy/birth goals with your partner is the first step. Commit yourself to doing that first. There should also be regular review of your goals to ensure that they continue to meet your needs as you both progress through the pregnancy. Once you and your partner are on the same page with the pregnancy goals then there is a further level of commitment to achieving those outcomes. Truly there should be nothing more important in your lives than a healthy pregnancy/birth for Mom and baby. From experience I can tell you that the time will go by VERY quickly. I recommend that you sweep aside all other obstacles to focus as much energy as you can on your partner, her pregnancy and the birth itself. Enthusiastic- The energy and attitude that you bring to your job as coach for your pregnant partner directly impacts the outcome of the pregnancy and birth. Of course that doesn’t mean that your enthusiasm will guarantee a great outcome but certainly your lack of involvement and enthusiasm will dramatically lower the chances for a great outcome. Coaches focus on being eager to take part and support in whatever way you can, whenever you can for your partner. This is a wonderful time. Be excited for whatever challenges you may face through the pregnancy and birth. Enjoy the process for this time will pass in a blink of the eye. Strong- Coaches, your partners are in the process of bringing a new life into this world. It is a amazing process and gift. From the inception of the pregnancy through the birth there will be numerous times that your partner will need your strength. Especially for first time Moms, she is venturing into the unknown and she will have doubts/concerns/fears about many things, not the least of which is whether she will actually be able to give birth. Realize that she will have these concerns/fears. From experience I can tell you that with each pregnancy/birth there will come the time when she will need you to be strong for her when she cannot. Be ready for that time and be prepared to be there for her when she needs it most. Understanding- During the pregnancy your partner is undergoing tremendous change and is devoting huge energy to the baby and its growth. Your partner and the baby need every amount of understanding you can muster during the physical and emotional roller-coaster of pregnancy and birth. Learn as much as you can about the birth process. Every birth is unique so study not only the ‘standard’ birth process but also find out what can and will vary. Prepare yourself for as many likely outcomes as possible and be prepared to support your partner regardless of what happens. Krystyna and I like to say that we have had four honeymoons. The first after our wedding and then three on the birthdays of our children. There is nothing that compares with working with your partner to bring a new life into the world. Realize that even though you are not the one giving birth that your active involvement in the pregnancy and birth directly impacts that quality of the outcome. Best Wishes, Bruss Bowman Disclaimer: The
material included on this site is for informational purposes only.
It is not intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical
advice. The reader should always consult her or his healthcare provider to
determine the appropriateness of the information for their own situation. This blog contains information about our classes available in
Chandler, AZ and Payson, AZ and is not the official website of The Bradley Method®. The views contained on this blog do not necessarily reflect those of The Bradley Method® or the American Academy
of Husband-Coached Childbirth®. |
Should we get a doula?
| Posted on March 16, 2011 at 1:42 AM |
comments (17)
|
 I am going to share about doulas today. I apologize for the late posting. It has been a marathon week already - and it's only Tuesday :) Last night our class focus was on nutrition and how
important it is for both mom and baby to be well-nourished. Since today’s post is going to be about one of
the questions that our students had after class was over, I am going to direct you
to Dr. Brewer’s website for more information on nutrition in pregnancy: If you have any specific nutrition questions, concerns or questions,
please feel free to write me and suggest a specific nutrition topic you would
like to read more about. There were two questions that I found interesting that came
up after class.
2. Since
we are taking these classes and our husbands are learning to coach us,
should we have, or do we need, a doula, too? The first question is going to
require a little research so that I can fulfill my role as a Bradley Method®
teacher and provide information for you to use as a starting point for more
research, rather than offer my strong opinion on the matter. I am going to answer the second
question as today’s blog post, by sharing some of the birth stories our students have shared
with us over the last year. First of all, what is a
doula? A doula is person that is
knowledgeable about birth through their own experience and/or observation and
participation in other births, they have experience with a variety of pain
management techniques, and they have at least a basic knowledge of the
interventions and augmentations that can be used in labor. They specialize in supporting a couple
through their birth experience. From our own experience, I would say a
good doula knows that her place is to support the couple, and do everything in
her ability to make sure their birth plan is followed, all while playing in the
wings and staying off center stage. As in all professions, doulas vary
in their abilities. It is a good
idea to interview several since they are going to be sharing a very intimate
moment in the life of your family.
Find one that has an experience level you are comfortable with in
regards to the variety of births they have attended and their comfort with
medical jargon, and one that has a similar, if not the same, philosophy about
birth as Mom and Coach. You also
need to know if they will speak to your care provider on your behalf during
labor, or if they want you to be the only contact person with your care team. Our two students that had
completely natural, intervention-free, uncomplicated births within the last
year had a support team that helped Mom and Coach in the hospital. Interestingly, both Coaches said that
they could not have been the coaches they were for their wives without that
support.
For both of these coaches, their mother-in-law (MIL) served as a doula: the coaches had
a loving support person with them that was aware of their desires for a natural
birth, and they had a vested interest in having the couple work together as a
team. The first family had a
coach-by-accident situation, where MIL drove them to the hospital, and she
never went home. She was
interested in making sure her daughter was okay, and when it became apparent
that Coach was not going to leave her side, she was ready and willing to step
in to find staff when needed, get ice, get water, give Coach a break as needed
so that Mom was never alone. When
we went to see new family in the hospital, one of the first things Coach shared
with us as we were admiring their beautiful child was that he couldn’t have
done it without his MIL. And she
was equally effusive about her son-in-law. She couldn’t believe how much he knew about birth, how supportive
he was of her daughter, how tender and calm he had been through the whole
process. The second family had an
intentional Assistant Coach scenario.
They took us at our word: in the very first class of a series, we tell
our students that they are welcome to bring any assistant coaches or doulas to
class with them free of charge in order to ensure that they are going to have
the birth experience they want for their baby. This family brought in four different family members who
were interested in being at the birth, all at varying degrees of participation,
but wanting to participate nonetheless.
All the family members got to sit in for one or two classes and
participate in the evening’s labor rehearsal. This family’s plan was to move
from their home to the MIL’s house when it looked like labor was progressing
past early first stage so that they were halfway to the hospital. The plan was to get into more active
labor at MIL’s house, and then make the last transfer to the hospital when
contractions were four minutes apart or less, and they had this pattern
established for an hour. Well, everything went according to
plan and according to Coach, they, “had a perfect Bradley birth, no problems at
all. Our birth story will be kinda
boring…” When we heard their birth
story in the hospital, Coach conveyed the same feelings as the previous Coach,
he couldn’t have done it without the extra pair of hands and the emotional
support provided by his mother-in-law. My last birth story to relate you
can also see and hear for yourself.
Cody and Olivia were sure that they wanted to have the birth experience
just the two of them. Although
they did have a vaginal epidural-free birth, they ended up with some interventions and felt that they could have
benefited from an assistant coach.
After the fact, they agree that the one thing they will definitely do
differently the next time is to hire a doula that can support Cody and among
other things, give Cody a bathroom break when he needs one! You can see their perspective here: We chose to have doulas at all
three of our births. With our
first pregnancy, Bruss was traveling so much and missed almost half of the
classes we attended. We had
started late in our pregnancy, so we only attended nine classes out of the twelve
week series. When he was absent, my aunt came with me so that she could
be my labor support if Bruss was stuck out of town when labor started and/or
our baby was born. We figured our
best chance of having the birth we wanted was to hire someone who was
experienced and knowledgeable about the Bradley Method® to be our extra pair of
hands. Our prayers were answered
and we were able to find another Bradley Method® teacher who also did doula
work. We looked at her fee as an
“insurance policy” that we were going to have the natural birth we wanted. We had such a great experience
with our doula – she was everything we expected and more: she lent a calming
presence to us as first-time parents; she would listen to the medical
information relayed by the staff, ask us what we heard, and then clarify or
fill in the gaps to enlarge our understanding of the situation. And she did it all while letting Bruss
play the leading role in our birth. We had such a wonderful
experience, that we invited her to be part of our second birth. Even though we did take a complete
Bradley class with that pregnancy, and Bruss was able to attend 11 of the 12
classes, we still wanted the “natural birth insurance policy” in the hospital
setting. Once again, she provided
the objective eye we wanted and the support we needed as labor intensified and
we had our perfect Bradley birth. With our third labor, we found ourselves grateful to have the assistance
of one doula and one very dear friend throughout the course of a 46-hour
labor. So it goes to show that even
experienced natural birth couples need a helping hand, in our case two sets of
helping hands. The choice to have a doula is a
personal one, and each couple needs to weigh the expected benefits versus the
fee for service. Whether you are
having a hospital birth or a home birth, your care team is primarily concerned
about the mom and the baby, and they usually wait to get involved until labor
is in the late stages, whereas a doula gets involved whenever the couple feels
the need to call them to come to the labor. In both settings, the Coach would benefit from having
someone who could “coach The Coach”. I hope that our student’s stories
and our own will offer some perspectives on how a doula can benefit a laboring
couple. In any decision, weigh your particular needs and concerns before you make any decisions. As always I invite you to
leave a comment and let me know how a doula helped you in your labor. If you have any questions or concerns,
feel free to share those, too. The
material included on this site is for informational purposes only.
It is not intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical
advice. The reader should always consult her or his healthcare provider to
determine the appropriateness of the information for their own situation. This blog contains information about our classes available in
Chandler, AZ and Payson, AZ and is not the official website of The Bradley Method®. The views contained on this blog do not necessarily reflect those of The Bradley Method® or the American Academy
of Husband-Coached Childbirth®. |
The Bradley Method® 12 Point Goals
| Posted on March 8, 2011 at 2:52 PM |
comments (57)
|
 Since our new students did not present us with any questions
last night, I thought I would talk a little more about what we try to achieve
as instructors and why we are advocates of The Bradley Method®. I am going to give you our personal
insight on the stated goals of The Bradley Method® classes:Natural childbirth – As
in a vaginal, unmedicated, intervention free birth. Dr. Bradley knew that as intelligent human beings, we had to
be able to do as well or better than our mammalian counterparts in nature, and
by applying his observations of perspiring mammals giving birth, he came up
with the core principles of “how” to give birth using The Bradley Method® that
we teach in class. Dr. Bradley’s
proven, evidence-based principles are helping families achieve an 86% vaginal,
unmedicated birth rate. Active participation of the husband as coach – Dr. Bradley discovered something surprising in his
clinical trials, taking place at a time when husbands had been relegated to
pacing in the waiting rooms: women were calmer in the loving presence of their
husbands! Having a father present
happened quite by accident during one birth, and he observed how calm the
mother was in the presence of her husband, and how she became more agitated
when he left the room. He
wondered, “Could a loving husband be human nature’s anesthetic?” So he started inviting more husbands in
to the labor rooms with the same result, and hence the term “Husband-Coached”
was coined. He saw the value in
training a couple to give birth naturally, and he relegated himself to the role
of “life-guard”, stepping in only when needed, and lending his expertise as an
obstetrician at the moment of birth. In this day and age, some Bradley instructors have adopted
the word “Coach” when we talk about the loving support person in classes. Expecting couples are not always
married these days, and not all couples having babies are husband-wife pairs
anymore. There are also cases
where the husbands are not comfortable with childbirth, so moms will opt to
bring another loving support person with them to be their Coach during
childbirth. Excellent nutrition, the foundation of a healthy
pregnancy – “You are what you eat” rings
even truer when a woman is pregnant.
Not only is she feeding her body, she is also providing the building
blocks for an entirely new, independent human being. The Bradley Method® teaches the pregnancy nutrition program
developed by Dr. Tom Brewer, which specifically addresses the needs of the
pregnant body and the growing baby.
His well-balanced, high-protein eating plan ensures that a mother’s food
intake is full of naturally occurring vitamins and minerals that the body needs
for proper function, and protein – the building block of human cells. To have Healthy Mom, Healthy Baby
outcomes, you have to build Healthy Moms and Healthy Babies to begin with. Avoidance of drugs during pregnancy, birth and
breastfeeding unless absolutely necessary – As
stated by the American Academy of Pediatrics, Committee on Drugs, “No drug or
chemical – whether prescription, over-the-counter or food additive – can be
regarded as having been proven to be entirely free of potential harm to the
fetus.” (Pediatrics, Vol. 51 No.2) Regarding the development of the blood-brain barrier: “The
cerebral capillaries are much more permeable at birth than in adulthood, and
the blood-brain barrier develops during the early years of life.” (Review of
Medical Physiology, 16 edition, 1993) Given these two findings by credible medical sources, Bruss
and I took it to heart that we were ultimately responsible to ensure our
children were chemical-free to the best of our knowledge. We made changes in beauty and health
care products to eliminate metals and unregulated ingredients. We consciously evaluated our food
choices and learned to eat more whole foods instead of foods full of additives
and preservatives. We educated
ourselves in the process of labor so we could embrace it and work with it free of
anesthesia, and to the best of our ability, free of other drugs as well. Training: “early bird” classes, followed by weekly
classes starting in the 5 or 6 month, continuing
until birth – It is never to early to
learn about the process of childbirth, relaxation is a great “life” tool, and
the nutrition and exercise component of the classes make for a healthier
overall pregnancy. The more time
coaches have to prepare an athlete, the better the athletic performance. In the mother-coach-birth dynamic, this holds true as
well. The more the mother can
trust that her coach is knowledgeable and ready to coach her, the more relaxed
she can be during the labor and birth process. The better nutrition she practices, the better prepared she
and her baby are for the course of labor, no matter how long or short it may
be. The better physical condition
she is in, the more capable and ready she is to work with her body and get into
a variety of helpful positions that aid in baby’s progress during labor. Relaxation and natural breathing – Relaxation is the key to The Bradley Method®.
Abdominal breathing is conducive to relaxation because it works with the body’s
natural rhythm, and we strive to teach couples to break the Fear-Tension-Pain
cycle. With the release of tension, labor won’t necessarily be
“pain-free”, however, it will be less painful than if a mother holds her breath
and adds more tension on top of the contracting muscles. A mother that is able to let the tension out of her body can
let the uterine contractions work efficiently to bring about the birth of her
child. Mothers and coaches learn to work with nature’s process and take one
contraction at a time, embracing them with the knowledge that each contraction
brings them closer to the birth of their baby. We also teach normal, abdominal breathing. It’s what we do when we sleep, and what
most women do when they are relax instead of holding their tummy in for various
and sundry reasons. “Tuning in” to your body – In a state of relaxation, a mother is able to “tune-in” to her baby’s
needs – I think of it as finding the “frequency” for the universal baby
channel. Dr. Bradley observed that
a culture had lost the memory of childbirth. Personally, we found that our instincts do not change. When we were completely relaxed, we
could draw the “tools” out of our “birth tool-box” as we needed them in
labor. What kind of things would
relax me? What kind of comfort
measures did I need? Which
position did I need to be in to accommodate our baby’s changing position in my
body? In a state of complete relaxation
and the help of a doula, the answers came to both of us and we were able to do
what we needed to do to make our labors progress without anesthesia. Immediate and continuous contact with your new baby – Babies want their mothers. I had a moment of clarity when I heard this statement at Birth Circle, “Every minute apart from the mother is
100% longer than the baby has ever been apart from the mother before.” More research is showing that human
mothers and babies imprint on each other just as we know it happens in other
animals: separate a baby from it’s mother and she will literally kick it out of
the nest. When mother and baby
have a natural, unmedicated birth without complications, there is no reasonable
explanation for the separation of a mother from her child. Breastfeeding beginning at birth – Breastfeeding is another “natural process” that
is in reality, a learned behavior.
Many hospitals have lactation consultants on staff now, and they are
there to coach mothers and babies on their first steps to a successful
breastfeeding relationship. We
dedicate a portion of every series to lessons about breastfeeding. The
Womanly Art of Breastfeeding, by La Leche League International is one of
our suggested texts; and we encourage every couple to attend at least two La
Leche League meetings throughout the 12-week class series. When it comes to breastfeeding, there
is no such thing as too much education.
Every nursing relationship is different according to circumstance, and
we encourage our students to have the contact information to a variety of
breastfeeding resources – you just never know who or what is going to click
with your learning style or particular needs. Consumerism and positive communications – Birth is just the beginning of a lifelong commitment
to the safety and well-being of your child. It is important to learn questions to ask of people who want
to “do something” or “try something” on your child – just because they are
unborn doesn’t mean that they aren’t going to be affected by decisions you are
making or the “something” that well-meaning friends, family or care providers
suggest. We take time every class to talk about positive
communication – communication that leads to a mutual understanding and a
positive interaction. This is important
when we convey our wishes to our care providers and our birthplace. We found it was important to know how
to communicate with each other during labor: early on I could talk, later I
didn’t want to be touched, let alone talked to sometimes. Bruss needed to learn how to read my
cues and help me anyway. As we discovered, these little people we bring into the
world do much better when we are a united front, and they try to “divide and
conquer” even when they lack the words to state their purpose. Our marriage has been enriched by the
communication exercises we practiced in class, and as we like to say, we have
had four honeymoons throughout the course of our marriage. Each birth has made me fall even more
in love with the person I was completely in love with on the day we got
married. For us it has been true
that we “grow in love” every time, more love for each other and more love in
our hearts for our children – love is infinite! Parents taking responsibility for the safety of the
birthplace, procedures, attendants and emergency back-up – As parents, we our the first line advocates for
our children. It is up to us to
give them a voice when they can’t speak for or defend themselves. If something does not “feel” right,
then be proactive and do more research, ask more questions – it’s okay! Chances are that if you offend someone,
they probably are not the best fit for your circumstances or needs. Educate yourself on the procedures done during pregnancy,
labor and after the baby is born:
where did they come from?
Why are they necessary? Are
they really necessary? What do you
want done now? What can wait? I phrase these as questions because
there is no right or wrong answer – each family needs to decide together what
is best for their child. No matter where you are going to give birth or what kind of
care provider you have, ask about their back-up plan. Not all providers are on-call 24/7. If they aren’t, how do you feel about
their on-call partners? If you are
having a homebirth, who does your midwife call in if/when she needs a break or
a second opinion? Where does she
transfer to in the event of an emergency situation? All these are questions to answer before the emotion and
intensity labor and delivery. Know
all your options ahead of time so that you can ask for adjustments or changes
when you have time to make reasonable, well-thought decisions. You will never regret asking for help
or information – you will generally regret the lack of information that leads
to an uninformed choice. Parents prepared for unexpected situations such as
emergency childbirth and cesarean section –
Not too many childbirth methods cover these topics. It is assumed that all will go well, and generally, it
does. As a general rule, a woman
has to be in good health to achieve pregnancy in the first place. However, in the event that you leave
too late for your birthplace, or you don’t call your midwife in time, we teach
moms and coaches what they can do and what needs to be left up to the
professionals. In a time when statistically 1 out of 3 women will have a
birth via cesarean section, I feel it is not just good practice, but our
personal responsibility to inform our students of the after-effects of a
cesarean birth, as well as how they can have the best postpartum experience
under the circumstances. We do
everything we can in class to teach our moms how to stay healthy and low-risk,
and how to manage their labor with their loving coach so that the chances of a
cesarean remain low. However, some
students will choose to have an induction or an intervention, and once you
start on this path the stage is set for what Bruss calls the “Schlitterbahn”
effect, otherwise known as the “slippery-slope” where one intervention leads to
the next…and the next…etc. We want
to let couples know about all their choices so they are well-equipped to handle
any twists and turns that may happen in the course of their labor. I hope offers a little more information on The Bradley
Method® and why we find it such a valuable and worthwhile way to spend our
Monday nights! We were so honored
to have three more couples choose our classes to help them prepare for the
births of their precious sweet peas! A little history on The Bradley Method®, in case you are
interested: The Bradley Method® was created by Dr. Robert Bradley who
saw a need to bring birth back to it’s natural state as God designed in
nature. Having grown up on a farm
in the Midwest and witnessing a variety of perspiring mammals give birth
peacefully and unassisted, he was surprised to discover that human mothers
seemed to have forgotten that birth was a “natural” event in the circle of
life. During his time as an
obstetric resident, he was appalled by the practice of the “knock ‘em out, drag
‘em out” births: laboring women were heavily drugged in twilight sleep or with
an epidural, tied to beds and immobile, giving birth via forceps or vacuum
delivery because they were unable to push out their children with their own
strength. Their babies were being
born limp and apparently lifeless, literally having to be spanked to “wake”
them up and take their first breath. He asked himself these questions: “Why do all other animals peacefully and joyfully give birth
unassisted? Why can’t the human
animal do this? What makes the
difference?" In his quest to discover
the answers to these questions, he took a cue from the births he had seen
growing up and applied those principles to his human patients, training them to
give birth and prepare themselves for an athletic event at the end of a
pregnancy: the unmedicated birth of their child. As an aside, I have to say my personal experience as a
person of color leads me to comment on Dr. Bradley’s apparent cultural
ignorance. He assumes in his book,
Husband-Coached Childbirth, that all women were suffering from the
effects of a medically-managed, drug-riddled birth. He completely ignores the
fact that there were other cultures in which midwifery care was common due to
racial prejudice (not being allowed in hospitals), cultural practice, rural
setting or economic circumstance that made a hospital birth out of the
question. Both of my parents were born during the time frame when Dr.
Bradley was working and crafting his method as outlined in the book. Being of Latin-American descent, our
culture was still homebirthing during this time, and both of my parents had
unmedicated, midwife assisted births at home in Puerto Rico and Texas,
respectively. In the era of racial “equality” and with the rise of medical
insurance, more people have access to hospital birth. Now hospital birth is considered the “normal” way to give
birth across more cultures her in the United States. In that vein I am grateful for Dr. Bradley’s work, because
without his method, my husband and I would have been left out on our own to
figure out the natural birth “thing”.
It wasn’t until my grandmother, who had eight homebirths, scoffed at the
idea that I was being taught to give birth that I truly realized that birth IS
a natural process and I had nothing to be afraid of. If she could do it, then so could I. Disclaimer: The
material included on this site is for informational purposes only.
It is not intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical
advice. The reader should always consult her or his healthcare provider to
determine the appropriateness of the information for their own situation. This blog contains information about our classes available in Chandler,
AZ and Payson, AZ and is not the official website of The Bradley Method®. The views contained on this blog do not necessarily reflect those of The Bradley Method® or the American Academy
of Husband-Coached Childbirth®. |
Dr. Ross, DC makes a house call
| Posted on February 22, 2011 at 1:01 PM |
comments (226)
|
 Dr. Kevin Ross, DC has been our chiropractor since I went to see him
for help with Bryan’s breech presentation. He is trained in the Webster Protocol, which as he explained
to our class last night, it’s NOT a turning technique. It’s an adjustment that addresses the
imbalance in the pelvis. Once the
pelvis is aligned, then the baby can safely turn head down. They may be unborn, yet they are smart
enough to avoid tension!! We were
very blessed that his “magic hands” worked to align my pelvis and Bryan turned
head-down 11 days before he was born. We invite him to come speak to our classes for a couple of
reasons. Being a Bradley Dad
himself, he is a champion of natural birth. He and his wife took Bradley Method® classes in preparation for the
births of their two older children, and they had three homebirths. He is also passionate about
chiropractic care during pregnancy and childhood. He is a favorite of La Leche League leaders and lactation
consultants. They consider him a great
resource and he is recommended to moms who are having breastfeeding
challenges. One of the fringe
benefits of infant chiropractic care with Bryan was having our nursing
relationship stabilize within two weeks after his birth, instead of the 4-6
weeks it took with our older two children who didn't receive chiropractic care as infants. Since last night was our postpartum care class, we asked Dr. Ross to
come speak to our class about what they should expect as “normal” for their
infants and we also asked him to participate in our labor rehearsal. He started his presentation by using his spine model and his
baby doll to show our students about how a baby progresses through the birth
canal. He re-iterated what we
strive to teach in our classes:
given a normal, uncomplicated birth, a mom’s body and the baby know how
the baby needs to get out, and they can do it without any outside manipulation
or maneuvering as the baby exists the birth canal. He really emphasized to the families that they could trust
mom’s body to do what it is designed to do. He also used the spine and baby to demonstrate why it is
that some babies seem to have a “favorite side” when they nurse. As he likes to say, mom’s breasts are a
matched set: they look the same, feel the same, and for all intents and
purposes are the same size. There
is no reason other than a misalignment from the birth experience that would
cause a baby to choose one side over another. He explained that if a baby has tension in their spine, it
is uncomfortable for them to turn to one side, therefore it lends to the
appearance that baby favors one breast over the other one. Dr. Ross made use of the spine model to demonstrate why lying in a
supine position on the bed (on your back) is so painful during labor. He reminded the students that
studies have shown it’s the best way to slow down a labor, which then leads to
a host of interventions. He
suggested that if our students want their labor to progress as it was designed
to do, mom should stay off her back.
Thanks, Dr. Ross! The first thing he showed us for labor rehearsal was how to
deal with “back labor”. Back labor
is generally caused by a baby who has the bony part of the head against mom’s
spine, called “sunny-side up” in the vernacular and “occiput posterior” in
medical terms. In two of the
graduate birth stories we heard, babies in a posterior position had slowed their
labors down. Dr Ross has a very
specific way to address posterior presentation without physically manipulating
the baby. He also shared a way to help open the inlet of pelvis during
early and active labor, and then open the outlet of the pelvis during late
first stage labor. We practiced
this in side-lying position, as well as in a labor scenario where couples would
be walking between contractions and then either squatting or standing against
the wall during a contraction. Having Dr. Ross visit was informative on so many
levels. Unfortunately, although I
had my video camera and my still camera ready, I was so caught up listening
that I didn’t take pictures or video to share today! Next time…the picture at the top is thanks to Bruss' quick shot with his phone camera. For more about the Webster Protocol, please visit Dr. Ross’
webpage: http://rechargeyourlife.com/drross_chiropage/webster_turning.html Disclaimer: The
material included on this site is for informational purposes only.
It is not intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical
advice. The reader should always consult her or his healthcare provider to
determine the appropriateness of the information for their own situation. This blog contains information about our classes available in
Chandler, AZ and Payson, AZ and is not the official website of The Bradley Method®. The views contained on this blog do not necessarily reflect those of The Bradley Method® or the American Academy
of Husband-Coached Childbirth®. |
Coach's Class
| Posted on February 19, 2011 at 5:53 PM |
comments (37)
|
Thanks for your patience through all our technical difficulties. Part 2 of the Birth Story is up! Olivia, Cody and Baby CJ share their Birth Story
This family was the first family to deliver from our Fall
series, and they wanted to come share their story during our Coach Class. Olivia felt that their labor would not
have been what it was without Cody’s great coaching, and their Birth Story is
shared in two parts via YouTube. Please click on the accompanying links to hear about their birth, their
feelings about taking The Bradley Method® classes, sleeping during labor,
coaching, and their view on the somewhat controversial baby-led vs. scheduled
baby care.
Olivia uses the word “lucky” in regards to their experience
several times in the video, and you’ll see it in the answers below as
well. I see it as not just luck,
but a reflection of how prepared they were: Practice makes Prepared. They showed up to class every week, paid attention to mom’s
exercise and nutrition, and practiced their relaxation outside of class
time. All those things added to
the “luck” that was with them throughout their labor and delivery.
I transcribed the Question and Answer portion of their
presentation. I also added some
notes that be of interest to reader’s who haven’t taken Bradley Method®
classes. Feel free to read all the
questions, or jump to the ones that apply to you and/or interest you.
Question:
Which hospital were you at? Answer: Banner Gateway – we really liked Banner
Gateway. Our Labor and Delivery
room was huge – it was awesome.
Our recovery room was really comfortable. The nurses are awesome. There are great nurses there – everyone was really
good. Cody: One thing we forgot to mention [during
our Birth Story] was having to get the student [nurses] out. There were a couple of times they tried
to bring students in.
Olivia: And Cody was like, “No, sorry, get
out.” Which at that point, I
didn’t care if the whole Mormon Tabernacle Choir was in there. You really do lose modesty; you don’t
care. You’re so uncomfortable; it
feels like everybody is down “there” anyway.
Question:
This week is “Coach’s Week”.
Is there anything you want to tell the coaches that you learned from
Bradley classes, what you learned through the process of labor, any
recommendations? Cody: I know it’s a lot of pressure, but you
are kind of, like, the only one there.
And I think you need to take that responsibility on for your wife to
feel comfortable. She is not going
to feel comfortable knowing that there is any responsibility on her. I think you need to take ownership of
your birth plan, anything that happens; if it doesn’t go the way you want it
to, that’s your job to make sure it goes the way you two have discussed. And I would also suggest having some
help there…that’s what stressed me out the most…having to go between the baby
in the nursery and mom. It would
have been nice to have someone there with us, or at least in the waiting room,
where you could say, “Hey, come here” so no one would be left alone.
Olivia: Even a doula; we thought about a
doula and considered it, and we were, like, we’ll try it just us. And I think that next time, we probably
will [have a doula]. It would be
nice for Cody to be able to go and just leave me in the room.
Cody: I would also say have an arsenal of
what works that relaxes your wife, and go through those and be familiar with
them. If the first time you do
them is when you’re in labor it’s not really going to work. And with us, as with other couples that
I heard, what worked for them the most before labor didn’t work for them in
labor, so have an arsenal of things that you can use. And also I think the most useful thing
for me was knowing the signs for the stages of labor, how it progresses and
helping her recognize them. That
kind of gave her confidence, that, “This is good!”
I would also suggest taking a lot of time off of work. I loved having just the three of us at
home. It made the whole "getting
used to" having another person in the family more enjoyable. It was a celebration of CJ being
home. I took three weeks off of
work – it was really nice.
Question:
Did you put together a “Coach Book” for yourself with some of the
materials [from class]? Cody: I actually had little cards of the
stages. I printed up a
pocket-sized version of those and reviewed them. We actually wrote down what we would do in certain
situations. We wrote down, “We’ll
be at home until we have these contractions.”
Olivia: You know, that [student workbook] is
really great. Review it as much as you can before – have it with you in your
head, because you won’t forget.
You (gestured at the coaches) especially won’t forget. You’ll get nervous, but you’ll
remember.
Cody: She did go through and mark the things
we’d need to know in the moment with tabs. We had it with us, but there was never time to look at it. Olivia: He did
get to review it before we went to the hospital, and he was really on top of
it. He did all the homework every
week…luckily, he knew what he needed to know.
Question (from a coach): That’s my thing is, I am worried that once I am in the
moment, am I just going to blank out? Olivia: You won’t - you will be amazed. It’s exciting – it’s super-exciting and
you will be super-excited and you’ll remember. You really do – you’ll be surprised how much you
remember. It’s actually funny to
say this, but it’s such a natural thing – it just happens. There were a couple of times where I
was scared and that’s why it was really lucky that we know that was part of it:
being scared, being a little unsure of yourself is all a part of it. So knowing that actually made it a
little more doable. And it is
doable. People would tell me
before, women that had babies naturally: it is painful, and it’s the hardest
thing you’ll ever do, but – you can do it. I am excited to try again with the
next one knowing what I know now.
It makes me feel even more confident.
Question:
How much did he weigh? Olivia: 8.5 pounds
Cody: All the
protein she ate.
Olivia: Good stuff! The [Brewer] diet is awesome – it’s a really great
thing. In the beginning [of the
class series] I was opposed to writing down everything I was eating and annoyed
with it. Now I actually pulled out
my nutrition sheet the other day and I was like, “I’m going to start doing the
[Brewer] diet again!” I felt
really great eating all that protein and he’s been really healthy.
My note: The Brewer Diet is taught by all Bradley Method®
instructors. It was developed by
Dr. Tom Brewer to help pregnant women achieve optimal nutrition during
pregnancy, eating a well-balanced diet from all the food groups and achieving a
daily protein intake between 80-100 grams of protein. By following his dietary
suggestions, research suggest that the baby’s birth and overall health outcomes
are improved; while minimizing the mom’s possibility of developing
pre-eclampsia or toxemia of late pregnancy. Statement (from a mom-to-be): I don’t know what to expect. Olivia: No matter
who you are, it’s going to be different.
I would like to tell you what to expect, but it will be different for
you. It will be so worth it. And if you have to use the drugs, don’t
worry about it. There were times I
was so consumed with having the baby naturally that it stressed me out. Well, what if I needed the drugs? Just letting go of that helped. My note: The
Bradley Method® classes teach couples how to ask questions regarding interventions,
including drugs used during labor and delivery. Especially if they are in a non-emergency situation, we
teach that you can ask questions.
At a minimum, couples can ask “why” is an intervention indicated, that
they know “what” the intervention entails, what some alternatives might be, and
then evaluate whether the benefits of the procedure or drug being offered
outweigh the risks to mom and baby.In addition, we talk about being prepared to make
choices. We discuss possible
deviations in the course of a natural labor, and invite our couples to talk
about what their choices might be as they formulate their birth plan so that
they are mentally prepared for dealing with those options ahead of their actual
labor. Closing advice from Olivia: Regarding the end of labor: You do get an energy surge – you think that you don’t have
anything left, and then you find that you do. And after the baby is born, there is another adrenalin rush
– I didn’t go to sleep until 11:30 that night (CJ was born at 7:30 am). Regarding breastfeeding: Breastfeeding is challenging. If that’s what you are planning on doing, it’s good to take
some classes. And it’s nice to
talk to other women who are doing it.
That was probably more difficult even than the delivery, was getting
used to the breastfeeding. The
material included on this site is for informational purposes only.
It is not intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical
advice. The reader should always consult her or his healthcare provider to
determine the appropriateness of the information for their own situation. This blog contains information about our classes available in
Chandler, AZ and Payson, AZ and is not the official website of The Bradley Method®. The views contained on this blog do not necessarily reflect those of The Bradley Method® or the American Academy
of Husband-Coached Childbirth®. |
Second Stage Labor
| Posted on February 8, 2011 at 12:26 PM |
comments (23)
|
| Our class last night was themed
around second stage labor. Simply
stated, the whole point of labor is BIRTH. You want to have and hold your baby! We spent some time sharing about
general preparedness for labor.
Did our couples have any concerns?
Was there anything that still needed doing before baby arrives? Are there any things that they still
want to learn before they face their labor? Do you think we asked these
questions to being nosy – not necessarily… The progress of normal,
uncomplicated labor hinges on three factors: the mother’s physical, mental and emotional state. Our goal was to start to open the door
for our couples to think about what kinds of things might hamper or hinder
their labor. After all, although
it is entirely euphoric, who really wants to work longer than they absolutely
have to? After waiting nine months
in anticipation for our child, why wait any longer? In our classes, we teach “normal”,
as in a labor that progresses without situations where medically necessary
interventions are indicated. We
practice for a normal, uncomplicated labor. We want to make sure mom progresses as efficiently as her
and baby’s bodies are meant to be working together. Since each labor is unique
to the mother/child pair, we are talking very generally. The length of labor, the positions that
will feel good during the pushing phase can all vary per mom/per pregnancy. So having said that, here are some
key questions to ask. What are things to remember that
will help you during labor? MOMS: The work you will be doing is productive – after all the
discomfort and effort is done, you WILL be holding your baby! We also work a lot on real-time
practice to remind mom that she can handle just about anything for 60 seconds,
and that her body will give her a rest between the surges. The more deeply a mom can relax, the
better her body will work through the course of her labor. COACHES: We ask coaches to know what kind of things does mom find
relaxing. Is it a type of music, a
poem, a picture? Is it something else entirely? How does she like to be
touched? Does she have any
“hands-off” zones? Where or how
does she feel the most secure and how can you replicate that at your birth
place? COUPLES: We also encourage our couples to think about all their birth
options and plan their birth. Once
they complete that task, we encourage them to know their birth plan inside and
out carry extra copies with them.
Ideally, they work with their care team in preparing it so that the main
care provider can sign off on the choices mom and dad have indicated on the
plan. Parents are more likely to
have their birth plan followed if the medical team knows the doctor is fully
invested in the couples’ choices. We
try to equip parents with the tools they need to be communication experts. Once they are at their birth place,
knowing what you want so you can invite every person who walks in the room to
help you achieve your goals is more likely to get your care team to support you. For hospital births: without the nurses
“buy-in” you may find yourself working against your assigned team-mates. Remember that every one is there with
mom’s and baby’s best interest in mind, and although you may not agree on the
path to get there, if you ask nicely, they will at least give it a good try
before shutting down your choices.
If everything goes well, maybe you will find you helped create another
advocate for natural birth. What are things that will help
you be a better coach? The
answer here is simple and difficult when the focus is on mom: take care
of yourself. Make sure you are
following the same guidelines we set for our moms: Eat, drink and rest as necessary. Additionally, coaches need to wear comfortable shoes and
clothing. Bruss always recommends
that coaches bring two pairs of shoes since you are on your feet – coaching is
not a spectator sport!! Show up
clean and bring your toiletry bag so you can stay clean. Labor and birth can be wonderful goopy,
gooey affairs, but you probably won’t feel good about yourself if you have to
smell goopy and gooey without any chance of cleaning up occasionally. The
other thing we ask coaches to think about is their back-up team. We ask them to make sure you have the
resources you need to help jog your memory, or invest in a doula, and again,
ideally, they have both the notes and the doula to help mom birth baby. A doula can be a your Bradley teacher,
a paid assistant that helps “Coach the coach”, or the couple may invite family
members to be dad’s extra set of hands. What do you want to remember to
do during your labor? EVERYTHING
they learned in class. Just
kidding. The
idea we emphasize over and over again is Healthy Mom, Healthy Baby. If all a couple’s decisions hinge
around ensuring that outcome, you would be can hard-pressed to consider any
decision a bad decision.
(Sometimes we have bad judgment when we’re tired or under the influence,
so rest and coherency are must-have during labor.) Again,
we know from our experience as students that it is impossible to remember everything we talk about in class. My mom’s wish list would read like
this: 1. Believe
in yourself, your baby and your body – you and baby will find a rhythm and
barring any medical complications, you can birth your baby without any
interventions. 2. Get
lots of rest – all the things that you think are important pale in comparison
to your need for sleep. A
well-rested mind and body can be the difference between a natural labor and one
laced with varying degrees of intervention. 3. If
you have ANY “emotional baggage” deal with it. It can range from not wanting to poop during delivery, to
not being sure if you trust your birth place, to not being sure you are ready
to be a mom, and anything and everything else in between. If you are having any doubts, even if
they seem trite to you, or if you think they sound silly; talk to someone you
trust. If you don’t deal with them
or get answers, your body can potentially slow down or change the course of
your labor. Ask yourself, “Is not
dealing with it more painful than the anticipated pain or recovery from a medical
intervention that becomes necessary?” If I were going to make a wish list
for things I would want a Coach to attend to before they got to the hospital,
these would be it: 1. Memorize
your 6-point Coach’s checklist for every contraction – be able to do it in your
sleep! As listed in The Bradley Method®
Student Workbook, page 37, your role during a contraction is: -
Check her position -
Check her relaxation -
Rub her back -
Guide her breathing -
Time contractions -
Talk to her 2. From
all the questions we teach you, come up with your own “informed consent”
question list – some favorites are, “What do you expect to gain from doing what
you propose? What are some other
possible options to what you are proposing? Could what you are seeing, could it be normal? How much time do we have to make a
decision?” 3. Believe
in your heart of hearts that you are the “something” she needs and don’t be
afraid to put yourself out there for her.
You loved her enough to want to spend your time with her, you loved her
enough to make a baby, now show her that you mean it. It will be hard watching the person you love the most in the
world become extremely uncomfortable
- that’s why it’s called “labor”.
She has to work for many reasons, such as: to make the hormones to bond
with the baby and make milk, to listen to her body and your baby to find the
best way out, it’s a path of self-discovery – all these things and more that
don’t come easily. We can also
assure you that this work you do together is some of the most meaningful time
you will spend together in your relationship – give it all you have, and then
dig deeper down and find more ways to support her. As a couple, you will never regret
taking the time to plan, prepare and strive for the birth you want for your
child. Additionally, you will
always have the sense of accomplishment that, no matter what your birth outcome
is, you faced it together. The
birth-day of your child is also the day your family was born. The birth of a family – it can be a
very special day for that fact alone. The
material included on this site is for informational purposes only.
It is not intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical
advice. The reader should always consult her or his healthcare provider to
determine the appropriateness of the information for their own situation. This blog contains information about our classes available in
Chandler, AZ and Payson, AZ and is not the official website of The Bradley Method®. The views contained on this blog do not necessarily reflect those of The Bradley Method® or the American Academy
of Husband-Coached Childbirth®. |