Which birth method(s) for you?

[peace_lily_mama]

Last time I read a Bradley book, but ultimately just went with my instincts in labor. I am wondering if anyone is trying or has tried hypnobirthing, waterbirthing, Bradley, etc. and what their experiences/opinions are. What are you going to do?

[philomom]

philomom

Bradley is the only way to go for me. I'm committed to a drug-free experience and have had my other births this way. I am pulling out my old workbooks and thinking about starting my "training" again or trying to find a teacher for a refresher course. It's been nine years since our last baby. For those of you new to Bradley, it is a twelve week course on childbirth, much like a taking a college class. There is required reading and exercises to pratice. Bradley has amazing results. They train your partner to be the coach-doula figure and help you relax during the rushes. They teach you to be a good consumer and be skeptical of standard newborn tests. Breast feeding is also covered in the classes.

[LadyWulf]

I have neevr put a name to anything i did during the first labor. I have never taken a class or read a book on methods. When i was in labor with my daughter i went into my own little world. I *guess* the closest thing to it would be hypnobirth. Everyone there said i looked like i was in a trance everytime i had a contraction. My second labor....well it went horrible and i had an epidural. I didn't even attempt the things i did with my first. It was one huge stressful event from the miniute i got to the hospital. This time we are planning for a homebirth. I plan to do the same things i did with my first labor. It worked wonderfully then.

[zebrabelly]

I took a Bradley class last time. I'm not into "methods" though and think you should do what your body tells you. HOWEVER.... I'm interested in doing hypnobirthing or something b/c Ihave a VERY hard time allowing myself to relax and Bradley breating stuff just wasn't enough for me last time. I mean, I did it naturally, but didn't relax into contractions at all.

b

[Aaudreysmom]

This time I am planning for a waterbirth at my birthcenter (same one I had Audrey in) With her I dilated 5 cm in the water in a a matter of 1 1/2 hours, I got out of the tub ans she was born 20 min later. This time I will get into the tub when the pain seems unbearable and try to stay until baby is born.

[annakiss]

Last time I did what my body told me to do. I think that prenatal yoga helped a lot, and will be doing that again. Vaguely interested in hypnobirthing, but also feel like the whole "pain-free birth" is a crock and actually rather counter-intuitive. But that's just me.

[spero]

I took a birthing class w/my first and we were taught mosting Lamaze techniques. It worked for me, but I wish I'd known more about the Bradley method then.

I waterbirthed my last two (using Lamaze breathing techniques), and would never want to have a baby any other way. It was fabulous.

I agree, though, that there is no one "correct technique". Birthing with your instincts and utilizing what seems best for the individual mom, baby, and situation seems appropriate to me.

[zebrabelly]

Originally Posted by annakiss

but also feel like the whole "pain-free birth" is a crock and actually rather counter-intuitive.

I agree. I've heard moms say they had pain-free births and I can't tell them they are wrong, but I certainly don't think it's for the majority of women. I am mostly intertested in it to work on relaxing and probably also fear-release.

b

[mlis]

We did Bradley with ds and it was awesome! I really liked it. I found all the information on what is happening really helpful. I was an engineer before becoming a sahm, so I really need to know WHY things are happening. When I was in transition, I was able to say, ok, I'm in transition, he is moving down, turning, blah blah and it helped me to stay focused and relax.

We are taking my midwifes home birth class this time, but I am also going to refresh my Bradley skills. Dh also liked it because he felt prepared and like he was a part of the birth, not just the dufus who stands there and says push push..

[Raven]

Instinct all the way baby! :LOL

[slightly crunchy]

I think mostly breathing and instinct. I agree that yoga was the most helpful to me, being in the moment and breathing through, that kind of thing. DH and I read the Bradley books and did the exercises faithfully, however during labor it just did not work for me. Part of it is that DH is perhaps not made to be a labor coach. But at the time, I also did not *want* a "coach".

This time I plan to do lots of yoga again, and visualization. And, since it will be a VBAC, a lot of positive visualization about a vaginal birth, and affirmations to myself.

[KonanKaren]

I just posted this on another thread and wanted to respond to your post because hypnosis worked so well for me. I also spent alot of my birthing time at home cause I wanted to be in the tub and the clinic I delivered in only had one communal bathtub/shower for the mamas (I birthed in Japan where the bathtubs are very deep water up to my neck...It was wonderful.) Next time I give birth I definitely want a water birth!
I used the "Hypnobabies" hypnosis program (I looked into hypnobirthing but decided on Hypnobabies instead, definitely more complete of a program, with alot more tools at your disposal), and it made all the difference in the world. I would highly recommend it and would definitely use it again if I have another baby. You can check it out on www.hypnobabies.com also there is a discussion group moderated by the woman who put this particular program together on Yahoo Groups. Its worth checking out....everybody on there was so helpful and knowledgable. Here is another thread with posts by people who used the "hypnobabies" as well as "hypnobirthing" program in case you are interested.

[peace_lily_mama]

I'd like to look into hypnobirthing, because I never really have, and I honestly don't know that much about it, but I think that I'll pretty much do the same things again - which was read a lot of Bradley, and do a lot of vizualization prep and stuff like that. I like Bradley, in fact, my MIL actually had him as the doc at one of her daughters births, and i will read the book and do the exercises, cause i think they work, but here are some things about it that I don't like:

- you must lie down to relax (i can relax while in other positiosn than the one given.)
- they sacrifice comfort for speed of labor (i'd much rather be a balls to the wall turbo birther!)

But, I really do like:
-abdominal breathing. i practiced kind of half assed last time, and i didn't ever get SO to do it with me. This time (right about NOW!) we are going to practice, because when i was in labor, abdominal breathing was one of the only things that helped me.
- being informed about what is happening with your body and using that in visualizations.
-all the test info, like someone else said.

Last time, the main room in the birthing center was taken, so I was stuck with the room w/out the tub. For a moment, I got into the regular bath tub, but the water wasn't full, and it was too cold, and it just turned me off, but I am so excited to at least try laboring in a real tub. I know it will help majorly! I'd love to birth in it, but I don't know if my birth center will allow it.

ANyway, thanks for all the responses, ladies, Very informative! ANd I love how all you ladies are so in tuned with your bodies and trust your instincts. What else would I expect from a bunch of MDC mamas!

[hubris]

We took Bradley classes when I was pg with Griff and when it came down to birthing time, I just did what came naturally...walking around a lot, relaxing in a dark room, tuning everything else out and just listening to my body. My mom said I was like a cat going under the porch...I just shut out the rest of the world.

I don't like relaxation methods that involve distraction or imagery. Instead I like to just tell all my muscles to relax, be calm and quiet (until I push, then I give a war whoop), and just let my body do what it wants to do. Worked pretty well...Dan and my mom said they couldn't tell when I was having a contraction (although boy, did *I* know when I was having one! :LOL).

Dan asked me if I wanted to take a refresher course...I told him that I'm pretty sure I remember how to give birth.