Natural Child Birth Class

My mother, who is rather petit, had two completely natural births; My father is a very well respected acupuncturist; And I’ve always been the type of person to avoid even taking Advil at all costs. This is to say that despite being pre-conditioned to having a natural childbirth myself, when I became pregnant I had many doubts. I recall a phone conversation with my mom, after a particularly firm bowel movement, during which I shared my disbelief that women could bear children vaginally – honestly, how could they fit? I also doubted my ability to handle the pain without my dad there to do acupuncture (we lived on opposite coasts). Thankfully my friend, Google, led me to the Bradley Method.

Going to the Bradley classes helped my husband and me understand my body, the changes it makes to accommodate childbirth, and the choices and agency we have in the birthing room. Though I was enthusiastic about the class and the prospect of having a natural childbirth, it was the consistency of the classes and the repetition of the information and empowering message that transformed this “prospect” into will and reality! Simultaneously the classes took my husband from a place of, “Well maybe I’ll be there, but just near your head where I won’t see blood,” to a place of confidence and deep desire to be an integral part of the birthing process. Sharing this connection, trusting each other more than we ever had needed to before, and believing in a common goal for the health of our first child was so powerful; it was enough to allow me to let go of the “need” for my father/acupuncturist to be present – in fact I wouldn’t have wanted anyone there other than my husband and midwife. Over the twelve weeks, our Bradley teacher took us on an irreplaceable journey that gradually built self-belief through education.
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