Child Birth Classes

As we are now 21 weeks into my pregnancy it was time to start looking for classes. Mark and I both work retail and trying to commit to a regular class in the month of December would be near impossible. We are due in January so I figured we better start taking classes now. I am very interested in the whole subject of childbirth and pregnancy even before I was pregnant. I knew that I was interested in a natural childbirth but at the hospital. I feel like that is the safest route to take even if the pressures for medication are more probable. After researching birthing methods, almost obsessively since day one, I decided to find a local Bradley Method Class.

The Bradley Method focuses completely on a natural childbirth  by relaxation and coaching from your husband. This could also be coaching from a partner, mother, or whatever else but Bradley was quite traditional and calls his method "Husband Coached Childbirth". This method makes sense to me because it stresses that childbirth is a natural thing that your bodies are made to do. If you can learn the most you possibly can about labor and birth and prepare your body physically in advance for the event, then you can succeed in a natural delivery.

I don't think a medicated delivery is a bad thing it is just not what I have in mind. I think that having a baby could be a very empowering experience. I feel that after you finally get to meet your baby the pain is gone and I would like the opportunity to feed my baby, walk around after birth, and not have to worry about any side effects an epidural or any other form of medication might have on me or our baby. I also LOVE that Bradley includes the husband and makes him a necessity for the birth. I feel like there could be no stronger bonding moment between the two of us than working together to bring our baby into this world. I know that it will make that incredible moment of meeting our child that much more special.

I am fortunate that Mark is interested in the classes and the whole natural childbirth thing. We bought the book "Husband Coached Childbirth" and I am almost done reading it. When I finish I will give it to him. So far he seems interested and wanting to read it as well.  We have our first class next week so I will let you know how it goes.

Danielle