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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Patient Rights
Posted on September 25, 2015 at 9:39 AM |
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What is natural birth?
Posted on September 4, 2015 at 9:37 AM |
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The night we started our seventh Bradley Method®
class series in December 2011 played out like all other "first nights" of class. I am on edge all day long. I get nervous before our students
arrive: What if I forget anything? Will they like our class? Will our class run smoothly? What if I leave something I need for class at home? It made me pause and think for a moment. My short answer in class was, “Well, I guess
that depends on the person and their definition of natural birth.”
I pondered that question all night. Up until three months before that class, I would have said
that we had three natural births and were preparing for our fourth. And then we had our home birth experience,
which re-defined “natural birth” for me.
It turned out to be the most natural birth experience we had.
I can’t say our hospital births were completely intervention
free since we were always poked and prodded by something or someone. Heck, they weren’t even “un-medicated” – I
was administered some kind of medication with each one. With Puma, I had penicillin, Pitocin and an
episiotomy; I had penicillin with Night Owl; and penicillin and Pitocin with Charger. We did achieve three epidural-free vaginal births
with a very supportive OB, though, and for that I am grateful.
Otter’s birth gave us a new definition of “natural”. Here are all the things we DID NOT experience
during our low-risk home birth: - A transfer from our home to another location during active
labor - Forms to fill out - A wait in the triage area with other families in varying
states of apprehension - Vaginal exams to check the progress of labor - Heparin lock for access to veins “just in case” - Electronic fetal monitoring - Mommy-monitoring
Nurse coming in to check vitals - Calls to the doctor to report on my “progress” - Restriction of food or drink - Beeping sounds and hospital smells that inhibit rest or
sleep - Time on back for the convenience of the hospital staff - Episiotomy
Our midwives were called when my water broke and they came
to see how we were doing. The baby was
low and things seemed to be progressing, so they stayed. To this day I do not know what the deciding
factor in their staying was when our labor hit the start-stop mode…I do know I
am grateful that they didn’t leave us. I
would have felt like another “failure to progress” and who knows what that
would have done to my emotional state and our labor. (Click here for our homebirth story.)
At first, they checked on us every thirty minutes. They would monitor the baby with a Doptone to
assess her heart rate, and they would check my blood pressure to see how I was
doing. When it was clear that we were
both handling the labor well, they checked on us with less frequency while
still maintaining a trained eye on us to judge our fitness and make sure we
were still low-risk and doing well.
They asked questions.
They let me eat. They made sure I
was drinking. They checked in with Bruss
to see how he was doing and how he thought I was doing. They offered moral support and encouragement
that everything was fine although we were clearly not going to be one of those families
who can say their homebirth was their shortest labor. In an ironic twist of fate – this happened to
be our longest labor, and we were so grateful to be at home with trained care
providers who allowed my body and our baby the time they needed to figure out
the process and have a healthy mom, healthy baby outcome.
So now we know what all the possibilities are when a person
imagines “natural birth”. A woman and
her partner work together to welcome their child, free of interference or
invasive probing, supported by a team that completely believes in your
abilities and will help you welcome your baby gently and lovingly into the
world. It makes me wish that there were
no pregnancy complications so that every woman could have a gentle birth.
The reality is that the majority of our students coming
through class are just like we were with our first baby. They believe that a hospital is the safest
place to give birth and that an OB is the only person qualified to safely
deliver your baby. It would be irresponsible
to have a baby at home, outside of the “safety net” if something were to go
wrong.
I am so grateful that now there are many more Certified
Nurse Midwives ("CNM") working in hospitals.
They provide the level of belief in the natural process that we found at
our home birth, while still working at the hospital setting in which most people
feel comfortable.
If a student’s care practice does not offer midwifery care,
I hope that like us, they will find a supportive OB who respects their
proactive approach to achieving a natural birth and helps them find a way to
have the birth experience they want in the hospital. We have a very tender spot in our hearts for
our OB. Not only did she deliver our
biggest baby without an episiotomy, she also helped us have our most natural
hospital birth because she believed in our ability to birth.
There is also another option available to families in the Phoenix area. We now have several birth centers. Birth centers strive to be the happy medium between home and hospital for families that want to have the "compromise option". They can offer a more relaxed atmosphere similar to the home environment, and some provide medical options at the center that would not be present in a home birth. I feel it is our role as Bradley Method® instructors to help
every couple achieve the best birth possible for their children with a healthy
mom, healthy baby outcome. “Natural
birth” will be different for each of them based on their pregnancy and their
choices. What can you "control" in the childbearing year? A couple will probably have more options availabel to them in labor if the mother has good nutrition, maintains a daily exercise regimen to tone their back, belly and
bottom, and does some form of exercise for stamina. By attending classes every week they learn a
new relaxation technique that they can put in their labor toolbox. We explore many, many options available to
birthing couples today. What can you influence during the childbearing year? We work on
communication every class so that the couple is prepared to respectfully ask questions of their care
provider if they feel something they recommend goes against their dream of a natural birth, or to better understand their recommendations so that
they can make an informed decision. The choice of care provider will also play a role in the way to birth plays out - are you getting red flags during your prenatal visits? Do not ignore them - ask around and find the provider that respects your rights and your knowledge as a birthing parent of *your* child. They may be the expert in birth; you are the only one that knows your baby. Beyond that, the rest is up to what we would call God, or a Higher Power; some people call it Fate...whatever the belief system, we encourage our students to focus beyond the "how" of their birth story: - What will you learn from this birth journey? - Where will the transformation from Maiden to Mother happen for the woman? Where will the transformation from Stag to Father happen for the partner? - How will your partner disappoing you? How will they rise to the occassion, and maybe even surprise you? - What was your most brilliant moment? We look forward to sharing the information taught in Bradley
Method® classes with our students. We strive
to equip them with the tools they need to assess situations that present
themselves in pregnancy and labor. When we hear that a baby is born and nurses
readily at the breast, we know those parents worked together to achieve the
ultimate Bradley Method® outcome: Healthy Mom, Healthy Baby. What does "natural birth" mean to you? Disclaimer: The
material included on this site is for informational purposes only.
We are now enrolling for our Spring 2016 Series For more information or to register, please call us at 602-684-6567 or email us at |
Q&A with SPB: Healthy Pregnancy
Posted on July 6, 2015 at 11:46 PM |
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Question: What can I do to have a healthy pregnancy? Answer: A lot, actually! Come to Saturday's class to learn more about what any mom can do to lay the foundation for their Sweet Pea to have a healthy start in life. See today's VLOG HERE or click We are excited to announce another Healthy Pregnancy Classes at Modern Mommy Boutique this month! It is a two-hour class designed to introduce the basics of having a healthy, low-risk pregnancy that is best for mom and best for Sweet Pea. As childbirth educators, one thing has become painfully clear over the last five years...no matter how many things a family will "do right" during pregnancy, we just don't know what the birth journey will hold until they are on the other side, holding their baby. The one thing we can all share, in spite of whatever happens during birth, is the opportunity to give our Sweet Peas a healthy pregnancy. We all have the ability to be intentional; to provide a place for our baby to grow and be nourished through the pregnancy. If you or someone you know is interested in setting a great foundation for their child's life earthside, please join me! In the class, we will cover how to the foundation for a healthy pregnancy. We'll introduce basics like exercise (no previous fitness level required) and nutrition to build on to keep the mama and the Sweet Pea well, plus substances and environmental factors to avoid. We will also do a mini-relaxation workshop so that participants can have a few basic tools to practice during pregnancy and in the postpartum period. We know that meditation, even a minute a day, can make a difference! This class is designed to be an informative session to get your pregnancy off to a healthy start, or to make sure you are having the healthiest possible pregnancy! Couples in the first, second and third trimester are welcome. Included in the tuition is a 1-on-1 call follow-up call with Krystyna, as well as a take-home packet for you to use as you continue through your pregnancy. Tuition for the 2-hour session: $10/couple I hope you can join me - please call or text 602.684.6567 to register. JULY CLASS AUGUST CLASS Disclaimer: |
Q&A with SPB: Changing Locations During Labor
Posted on February 10, 2015 at 3:15 PM |
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I taped my first vlog this morning!! When to go to the birthplace is a common question we get from our students, who are still primarily choosing to birth in a hospital setting. This information is also applicable if you are transferring to a birth center or having a non-emergent homebirth transfer. A non-emergent transfer is the most common type of transfer when it happens in a homebirth setting. The midwife and patient decide together that the family wants a different kind of observation if they feel things might be shifting away from healthy and low-risk. So, with that being said, here is today's Q&A: Do you prefer to read about it? Check out these blog posts from our archive: Kudos and thanks to Jen McClellan at Plus Size Birth whose message to "Capture Motherhood" has inspired me to be okay in front of the camera again. This adventure into "vlogging" would not have been possible without her support and encouragement <3 What tips would you share with a family who wants more information about making the trip from home to their birth place? Disclaimer: |
Dr. Bradley's Nutrition Tips
Posted on October 14, 2013 at 1:45 PM |
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Keys to Labor: Pushing
Posted on September 30, 2013 at 7:34 PM |
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What Is The Bradley Method?
Posted on September 23, 2013 at 2:12 PM |
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Top Ten Reasons To Take A Bradley Method® Class
Posted on September 11, 2012 at 6:46 AM |
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Top Ten List: Reasons To Take A Bradley Method® Class We had the privilege of starting two new Bradley Method® Class Series last week. We are teaching a Friday night series with First-time parents, and on Sunday we are teaching our Bradley Method® "Next Class" with alumni families who are expecting baby number two. Some of the thoughts shared when we asked our students "why are you here today" inspired today's post. The first time moms who have been hearing that they are "crazy" because they want to "go natural" were so relieved to see a roomful of people who were making the choice to prepare for a natural birth, just like them. Healthy, whole food nutrition is a foundation for a healthy, low-risk pregnancyNutrition – Although it is seemingly basic, it is one of the
easiest things that a couple can control in their efforts to have the birth
that they want. More and more studies
are confirming what Dr. Bradley and Dr. Brewer knew – good nutrition is one
of the foundations for a Healthy Mom, Healthy Baby outcome. By making good, whole food choices that yield
a daily protein count between 75-100g of protein, a family can lay a good
foundation to have more options during a normal, low-risk birth. Comprehensive Education – Yes, we are definitely the
“longest” childbirth class among the list of recognized “brands”. By choosing our class series that is 12-weeks
long, you are choosing a method that covers many different aspects of
pregnancy, the process of labor, natural labor coping techniques, birth plans,
variations and complications of labor (and knowing the difference between the
two), postpartum care, breastfeeding and newborn care on top of the weekly
focus on communication, exercise and nutrition.
While there are other “brands” that teach shorter sessions, we are
confident that our approach allows couples the greatest opportunity to prepare
for the birth that they want and life together as a new family. Would you add anything to this list? 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. Krystyna and Bruss Bowman and Bowman House, LLC accept no liability for the content of this site, or for the consequences of any actions taken on the basis of the information provided. 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®. |
Bradley™ Classes and The Next Baby
Posted on September 4, 2012 at 11:34 AM |
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Relaxation Practice
Posted on July 6, 2012 at 11:07 AM |
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Our relaxation session in our last class was for both the
mother and the coach to make a list of positive things the mother could think
about during labor. They were then to
use these ideas during our relaxation practice/labor rehearsal portion of
class. Coach had a great list going that
included what he called his “secret weapon”.
It was going to be his “go to” story to tell his wife when the going got
tough in labor.
The time for relaxation practice/labor rehearsal
arrived. We dimmed the lights, put on
our relaxation music, our students got into their first “practice position”
from our diagrams of labor positions.
Then we did our first “practice”.
I timed the contraction by announcing how many seconds had elapsed (I
call out 15, 30, 45 and 60 seconds).
Coach started with one of the ideas his list. Mom did not like it – the story made her
laugh instead of relaxing her.
We did our second practice, trying out a different labor
position and the same scenario with music and lighting. I timed again and Coach went back to the
verbal coaching we have been using up to this point in classes, “words of
encouragement”. Mom reported feeling
much more relaxed and Coach made an “uh-oh” face.
I asked him what was going on since he had just coached his
wife through a great minute of relaxation.
He replied that his “secret-weapon” is a story that is along the same
lines as the story that made her laugh, and she prefers words of
encouragement…what was he going to do?
We reminded our couple that this is exactly why we practice
in class and we encourage them to practice at home. We are teaching them several ways that are
effective at managing the discomforts of labor so that they can fill their
toolbox with several different ways of relaxing mom. If you don’t practice before you get into the
hard parts, it’s unlikely you will be able to improvise since there are so many
ways to manage labor.
By the same token, we tell couples every labor is unique, so
it’s important for a coach to have a “Top Five” list of moms’ favorites so they
know what to try first. On top of that,
we remind them that the most important factor for coaching is to be
flexible. Sometimes coaches find that
the things that work in class do not work in labor. Sometimes the list of “Top Five” turns into
the one thing that works. And it has
happened that none of the coping techniques the couple liked in class helped,
and they pulled from some of the other relaxation techniques we had covered and
that they had practiced at home “just in case”.
It is exactly for those reasons that home practice is
vital. Mom can review techniques on her
own and create her list of favorites.
Coach can review techniques and practice scenarios in his head while he
is on his own. The most important
component is to practice together for the direct feedback. Practicing together builds the coach’s
confidence that he knows what he is doing and he will do well as a labor coach. It builds the mom’s confidence that she will
be able to rely on her coach. Our
personal experience is that this sense of safety and security, which leads to the
ability to complete surrender during the labor experience, is the key to
allowing labor to progress to the intensity that helps us meet our baby
earthside.
We reassured Coach to keep those stories in his toolbox
because laughter is actually a great coping technique. It’s not comfortable during a contraction
because it adds tension to an already tight body part – not ideal when a mom is
trying to work with her body. However,
laughter is great tool to reduce adrenaline.
This is a huge plus because adrenaline inhibits oxytocin. Receptors in the body can only accept one or
the other, not both. The other plus to
laughter is that it releases endorphins, which can act as analgesia and promote
a sense of well-being – both good things for a mom in labor to welcome their
child. We encouraged Coach to bring
those stories out between contractions – they definitely deserve a place of
honor in their personal toolbox.
I don’t liken labor to a final exam because sometimes the
most prepared couples end up with a birth that doesn’t go according to their
wish list and I don’t want to convey to them a sense of failure. It is true that labor will test the couple in
ways that they probably have not been tested before, and the more they practice
at home, the better prepared they are for their experience. Although the weekly assignment is for twenty
minutes per day, even one minute of practice is better than none to build a
couple’s confidence. Being prepared for this experience will definitely improve
the likelihood of having the labor they have practiced for. Whether they have a “textbook” birth or a
birth with variations, our happiest couples are the ones that feel they used
their information from class and worked together to choose the birth of their
child as a team for a Healthy Mom, Healthy Baby outcome.
What has been your experience? More about laughter and endorphins:
http://stress.about.com/od/stresshealth/a/laughter.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Endorphin
More on labor positions: Disclaimer: 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. Krystyna and Bruss Bowman and Bowman House, LLC accept no liability for the content of this site, or for the consequences of any actions taken on the basis of the information provided. 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®. |
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