Disappointed in Bradley Instructor - Is this Typical? - Page 2

[LadyCatherine185]

Just my experience/opinion---

I read the Bradley birthing book, as well as Ina Mae's Guide to Childbirth, and we had a CBE (who is also a friend of my SIL's) do a "run through" one night with us. I did lots of reading on MDC. I picked what I wanted from each "method" I read about. It was good, IMO, to read about lots of different methods of laboring, because until you are in labor, you don't know how you/your body will react. The good thing about the Bradley method is that your partner is trained in how to help you through your labor.

I gave birth in a hospital under the care of a CNM. I had a wonderful, drug-free birth. I did have to be induced but that is another story, but I was able to labor in the tub, birth ball, etc etc. I had a birth plan. I had a doula (not professionally trained, but my SIL). I had my extremely supportive husband. And a midwife that I trusted. It is definitely possible to have the birth you want in the hospital, as long as you have a birth plan and a supportive midwife. Have your midwife read over your birth plan before the birth and ask lots of questions.. make sure that you are both on the same page about any interventions, hospital routines/policies, etc.

[terra-pip]

Don't let anyone cause you to have fear of the hospital...honestly, just be 100% informed of all hospital policies etc. Are they going to force you to have an IV even if you say no?...no...you are a patient with rights. Be politely assertive, have a good detailed birth plan, be comfortable with your MW/OB that you chose, and don't bother listening to the fear mongerers. That's my advice. I had a natural birth in a birthing center and a natural birth with an OB in a hospital and plan on having my third at the same hospital with a CNM...I never felt my ability to have a natural birth like I had with my first was threatened in any way. Listen to your body...don't look at the doc or nurses as any sort of authority figures, they're not. It's your body.

And there are a million other ways to get information about natural birth than a bradley class.

[honeybee]

I have not taken Bradley classes (although I have a couple friends who teach them), so I can't speak about that, specifically.

But I remember feeling very frustrated and scared about attempting to have a natural childbirth with my first in the hospital once I started becoming informed. And I was just reading internet forums and then I read Henci Goer's Guide to a Better Birth. It is really shocking to find out all the ways hospitals routinely interfere with labor. At the same time, I was just not in a mind-set to accept homebirth as a possibility for myself. It was just totally outside of any realm of experience.

I think some of that fear feeling of of how hard it is to have a NCB in a hospital is something we just have to work through on the way to becoming better advocates for ourselves. The more we know, the more plans we can make (like hiring a doula and helping our partners be educated through something like Bradley), and the more pro-active we can be. Then we can work through and discard the fear once we have confidence in our choices and are surrounded by supportive people.

One thing that reduced the fear eventually for me, was how supportive my family doctor was. I was not getting any of the red flags others talked about. When I chose to refuse the routine u/s, we discussed it once, she gave her opinion, and then she just asked me if I still felt the same at other appointments, and she never pushed her views on me. I always felt she respected my choices during pregnancy testing, etc. so I knew she would respect my choices during labor and birth. And, she made it a point to be at all her client's births, whether she was on call or not, so that gave me another level of comfort. We also had some education with our doula, and knowing she would be there helped me feel confident, as well.

I think it is important to have a good childbirth education experience, so I agree with the Bradley teacher who posted about talking to your instructor.

And FWIW, I did have a good, unmedicated hospital birth.

[terra-pip]

Originally Posted by honeybee

I think some of that fear feeling of of how hard it is to have a NCB in a hospital is something we just have to work through on the way to becoming better advocates for ourselves. The more we know, the more plans we can make (like hiring a doula and helping our partners be educated through something like Bradley), and the more pro-active we can be. Then we can work through and discard the fear once we have confidence in our choices and are surrounded by supportive people.

^this. I don't hold to the belief that women are victims in any way. You don't sign away all your rights or ability to advocate for yourself as soon as you're admitted. I like to believe women can be strong and know how to do what they feel is right wherever they birth. Of course there are some horrible practices out there...but don't settle for it. Being pro-active and informed and confident is always better than fear and playing a victim role if you should birth in a hospital. Or really anywhere for that matter.

[AustinMom]

To the OP:

I am a VERY new Doula and most of my studies and research and Data has been around homebirth and normal birthing. I'm not practicing now as I'm 7 mo preg. but plan to become very active within the next year. I did have my 'first' doula client last week as she was a friend and asked me to be there and I was SHOCKED SHOCKED SHOCKED as to how her birth was handled. She wanted a natural birth, but said, if I want an epidural, I want it. I said ok, it's about informed choice and you deciding. She stated her OB was supportive of anything she wanted and that she (the mom) would be making the decisions, not the staff.

Well...her water broke, no contrax, went to hospital to check fluid to make sure, and they put ALL kinds of pressure on her to stay, be induced, get vaginal exams, IVs, ect. All of which is not surrounded by recommendations based on research and when the told her what the 'recommended' and they left, she asked me, and it was total opposite of what they said. So it created a lot of conflict because based on what I"m learning, hospitals want you to do it their way. The mom was at the point of crying twice just in the few hours we were there, after they pulled the risk of cord prolapse, infection, dead mom, dead baby card, she decided to stay, and was induced the next morning. So much for normal birth.

So, in saying that, when you interview care providers (and you can always switch up until the baby is born I know moms who switched at 37 weeks) make sure you give them a circumstance such as "if my water breaks, what do you suggest/recommend' "if my baby is breech, how soon do you recognize this and what measures do you take to turn him/her?" etc, to find out how they really practice and how supportive they truly are going to be during you labor and birth.

Do I think you can have a beautiful birth in a hospital, yes, but I"m sadly starting to believe that less in less, as I feel a beautiful birth does not include all the fighting and emotional bribery some women go through. Obviously this depends on your hospital, and I'd say you really do have to have a Doula (and supportive partner) and trust BOTH of them and trust your own decisions based on facts, not on habits.

Much Love!

[Greenlea]

My Bradley teacher wasn't like that. She is a doula and an apprentice midwife as well. She was very informative and helpful. Out of the 10 couples in the class only one was planning a home birth. The rest were doing hospital births. I had my DS at the hospital with a CNM, no meds, waterbirth, no intervention. It can happen.

One thing though is I did have to watch out for some nurses who still wanted to push the intervention type birth on me, as my midwife wasn't there the whole 12 hours I was in the hospital.

Be strong and you can have the birth you want.