Helping a daddy get ready for labor

[MaerynPearl]

A friend of mine (yes honestly this is about a friend) cannot find any Bradley classes in her area... and her honey is dyslexic so my offer to have him read The Birth Partner was... shall we say... less than helpful.

Do any of you have any other ideas for how she can help him prepare for the childbirth? The only classes she has around her that she knows about are Lamaze (no thanks!)

Their area is sort of... out there. Not horribly close to huge cities so they are at a lack for a lot of stuff (they do have cities but... I grew up in a similar area so her choices are pretty much closed down) so MOSTLY I guess I am looking for any info on online courses or videos that he could watch?

[hollytheteacher]

Any chance they make "the birth partner" dvd version? And if so i want to get it too....

[~Adorkable~]

or for that matter i wonder if anyone has put bradley classes on dvd?

[c'est moi]

maybe talk to the lamaze teacher directly and feel her out. i know a very AP mom/doula/mothering.com kind of woman who teaches a lamaze class. it's totally not what you would expect of "lamaze." apparently lamaze instructors are given a lot of latitude about what they teach.

[HopefulJo]

A local Bradley teacher here offers an online course, with videos she put together herself. I don't know if she only takes local clients or if anyone can sign up. PM for her email address if you (or your friend) would like to look into it.

Disclaimer: the instructor comes highly recommended in the area, but I'm not halfway through my first pregnancy yet, so I haven't actually taken the class, and I plan on actually *going to* a Bradley class, rather than doing an online course. Can't speak to it from personal experience.

[BlackSheepPDX]

Look for audio books, too. My adopted eldest is dyslexic and has major success with those.

[hollytheteacher]

I also wanted to add that where I go to prenatal yoga, my instructor also does a couples class. It is two hours and she goes through many different positions and ways the partner can help. I wonder if there might be something offered like that around them?

[sarahn4639]

If it's actually Lamaze verses a generic childbirth class at the hospital that everyone calls lamaze because it became synonymous with childbirth ed, then it should be good. The true Lamaze method is very good, natural, non-interventive childbirth prep.

I would recommend videos like The business of Being Born if they are planning an out of hospital or non-interventive birth so he can see what "routine" birth looks like and why it's not the best. Gentle Birth Choices also has a few different births, but it also covers the disadvantages of hospital birth and is pro out of hospital birth. There is a childbirth ed series available on DVD, I think it's called Laugh and Learn about Childbirth. My library has it but I haven't watched it so I can speak to it being good or not. Also, there is something called The Pink Kit which is, I believe, a DVD childbirth ed class. I'm not positive on this one though I do know it is supposed to be really good at "mapping" the pelvis and helping women that have heard the too small pelvis stuff.

also have her contact local doulas, they may know some private instructors or be able to offer so assistance even if they aren't certified.

[treeoflife3]

could she read the birth partner TO him? My husband isn't dyslexic but he doesn't focus well so I often read him things that are important to me. It helps him focus as well as creates a good place for us to have conversations about the topic to really drive the point home.

[neonalee]

Originally Posted by treeoflife3

could she read the birth partner TO him? My husband isn't dyslexic but he doesn't focus well so I often read him things that are important to me. It helps him focus as well as creates a good place for us to have conversations about the topic to really drive the point home.

This was my thought exactly. We didn't read it aloud, but we did read it at the same time. For us it also proved a jumping off point for some great conversations. Even better, it helped me feel like he was really invested in the pregnancy and I learned a lot as well. In fact, I'm re-reading it now to prepare