Bradley Method

[anna1sttime]

Hi
My Name Is Anna And I Am New Here. I Will Be A 1st Time Mom In Dec And I Am Looking Into The Bradley Method. I Will Be Delivering At A Local Hospital But I Would Preffer No Drugs If Possible. I Can't Afford Classes. I Am Going To The Lll Meeting Monday To Hopefully Get Info And Maybe Find Some One With A Book To Lend Or Suggest. Any Info Is Appreciated. I Really Don't Know Anything Yet. I Would Be Interested In A Water Birth But I Doubt My Ins Would Cover It And They Don't Have That At The Hospital Where My Dr Is At.
Thanks!!!

[jenmamahen]

Most LLL groups have a lending library of books that you can check out and take home until the next meeting. You should be able to find books on natural childbirth there. You can also try your local library.

[Belle]

I would suggest the library as well. The Bradley method classes were SO worth it to me. My daughter's birth went wonderfully.

By the way, welcome to MDC!

[EmmalinesMom]

Welcome to MDC!

The classes offer such great information and practice sessions...it's really worth it if you can find a way to take them. Perhaps a teacher in your area will take payments or barter a bit?

I had a wonderful natural birth in a hospital, with my Bradley teacher as my doula.

[anna1sttime]

Thanks for all the advice. I am working on $ with my limited budget. I will keep educating myself in the mean time.

[hubris]

Congratulations on your journey into motherhood! I hope you have a healthy pregnancy.

Before I recommend books, I'd like to say that one VERY important part of working toward a natural birth is your choice of birth attendant. It's incredibly important to have a physician who understands, respects, and supports natural birth. The attitudes and policies/procedures of the nursing staff who will support you in labor are also very important. Take a HARD look at those elements. For the women I know who wanted a natural birth but didn't end up having one, it was almost always because a birth attendant pushed unnecessary medican intervention. I understand that insurance is an issue - as it is for most of us - but want to encourage you to examine this as soon as possible so that *if* a change needs to be made, you can do it sooner rather than later, and have more time to find something that works with your insurance.

I've had two natural (unmedicated) hospital births, but educating myself about medical interventions, advocating for myself, being mentally prepared for birth, selecting attendants carefully, and having a fabulous supportive DH and pro-natural-childbirth mother (who acted as my doula) were all the key to those experiences.

With that in mind, classes are great but if you can't take them, definitely start reading!! Books I would recommend:

Ina May's Guide to Childbirth (Ina May Gaskin)
Birthing From Within (Pam England)
The Birth Book (William and Martha Sears)
Active Birth (Janet Balaskas)
Natural Birth the Bradley Way (Susan McCutcheon)

Inter-library loan could probably help you save money, if your local library doesn't have these titles on hand.