It makes no difference if it’s your first baby or your fifth. That precious moment when you see your infant for the very first time is miraculous. Perhaps it’s true that with your first child you want everything to be “just so,” but many times, first-time mothers find themselves on the obstetrician’s track and before long, nine months have gone by and you’re about to deliver a baby on the hospital’s schedule and with a Pitocin drip to help you progress. For many women this is fine, but for others who want to make the experience their own, it’s not. No matter what your choice is, knowledge is always power. Explore your options in our brief guide, then arm yourself with further reading. You’ll be holding your little darling in no time.
The Bradley Method
In 1947, Robert Bradley, M.D., developed this method of childbirth after observing the way animals go into an extremely relaxed state — a state similar to sleeping — when they give birth. The method emphasizes few or no drugs and little medical help during labor and delivery. The method also stresses good diet and exercise during pregnancy, teaches deep relaxation techniques to manage pain and educates the mother’s husband or partner in order for him to be an effective coach. Classes generally last 12 weeks and are held for both the mother and father (or other birthing partner). Both participants learn the deep breathing abdominal methods specific to the Bradley Method, and mothers learn relaxation skills to use during labor as well as various positions for labor and birth. For more information about the Bradley method, contact the American Academy of Husband-Coached Childbirth at 800-4-A-BIRTH (800-422-4784) or visit the website at bradleybirth.com.
Certified Nurse Midwives
Recent data recorded by the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) shows that the number of midwives attending births nationwide has increased dramatically in the past few decades. A study of trends in the attendance, place and timing of births in the United States from 1989 – 97 shows that seven percent of births were attended by midwives rather than doctors — up from nearly 4 percent in 1989.
According to the NCHS, 95 percent of midwife-attended births involve a certified nurse midwife (CNM) rather than a lay midwife. CNMs provide the same prenatal care as physicians, developing prenatal profiles and providing urinalysis as well as any necessary cultures. They most often attend births in a hospital or birthing center. To locate the birthing facilities in Greater Cincinnati that work with CNMs, see the “Greater Cincinnati Birthing Faciliies” located on pages 19 and 20 in this issue.
Lay midwives typically have no formal medical training, but often apprentice with an experienced midwife for a number of years. Lay midwives attend births at home or in a birthing center, working to develop a relationship with the mother-to-be to ensure that she has the birth experience she desires.
Doulas
To further your support base during your birth experience, you may choose to employ the assistance of a doula.
“Doula” is a Greek term that means “mothering the mother.” The three terms “doula,” “childbirth assistant” and “labor assistant” are used interchangeably to describe the types of services doulas provide.
In the belief that the way you give birth affects the rest of your life, the doula’s goal is to support both parents at each of their own comfort levels. A recent study published in The American Medical Journal suggests there are substantial benefits to including the assistance of a knowledgeable labor support person during birth. According to the study, labor is often less complicated, less painful and of a shorter duration when a labor assistant is present.
Doulas are typically certified by Doulas of North America (DONA) or the International Childbirth Education Association (ICEA). For more information, call DONA at 888-788-DONA or the ICEA at 952-854-8660; or visit dona.org or icea.org. To learn more about the doulas in Greater Cincinnati, visit cincinnatidoulas.org for general information and links to local doulas.
Epidural
The most common option for expectant women, an epidural numbs the pain of childbirth via anesthesia and is usually administered once the mother has achieved “active labor” (about three to four centimeters dilation). The anesthesiologist asks the mother to lie on her side or sit up in a hunched position, and a local anesthetic is used to numb the area before a medium-gauge needle is placed between the spinal cord and outer membrane of the back. Once the needle is in, a thin catheter tube is threaded through and the needle is removed. The anesthesia takes about ten minutes to work; pain relief is substantial.
How each woman “takes” to her epidural varies. In the best scenario, leg control remains, allowing for effective pushing ability. The medication can sometimes be quite strong, resulting in a loss of sensation in the lower part of your body. Be sure to discuss your epidural with your obstetrician beforehand.
Hypnobirthing
Based on research by Grantly Dick-Read, M.D., in the first half of the 20th century, hypnobirthing involves self-hypnosis during labor to eliminate what Dick-Read called the “Fear-Tension-Pain Syndrome.” The laboring woman learns to enter a state of deep calm, reducing anxiety and pain while staying alert and awake for her child’s birth. Local Hypnobirthing instructor Sharon Said explains that when a woman is free from fear, her body can relax and be free from the pain caused by tension. Don’t be afraid of the word hypnosis. It’s not about mind-control, but rather about a relaxed feeling. Said points out examples of everyday hypnosis, including daydreaming, being engrossed in a book, or the “zone” that runners or swimmers reach when working out. She is careful to also explain in her course that labor is not “sensation-less” and that women will feel pressure, tightening and stretching, but that the relaxation and hypnosis techniques help them to not interpret these sensations as pain. “Despite all the emphasis on comfortable birthing,” she says, “the goal in my Hypnobirthing class is not pain-free childbirth, but one free of fear, often resulting in painless birthing.”
Lamaze
Introduced in the early 1950s by French obstetrician Fernand Lamaze, this method of natural childbirth employs the use of controlled rhythmic breathing, progressive relaxation techniques and concentration on specific focal points to block sensations of pain.
The main objective of Lamaze is to teach new moms that birth is a normal, human process that need not be feared. Women and their birth partner(s) are taught that they can have a direct impact on how they deal with the pain and discomfort of childbirth. By learning what to expect, they are able to build confidence in their abilities and bodies.
Usually started in the seventh month of pregnancy, Lamaze classes are scheduled in six-week sessions, concluding a few weeks before the due date. For more information and a list of local instructors, visit lamaze.org.
Janet Pinkerton is a mother and writer.