What method did you use?

iLoveblueberries

Hypnobabies? Hypnobirthing? Bradley? Lamaze? A combo?

Looking for ideas for birth 2.
Hypnobabies worked okay but ended up not really being the right fit for me. I like the idea of Bradley but my husband was a hot mess during birth! He is so wonderful but in birth....its just not his thing. If it wasn't for my mom stepping in....I would have had a complete breakdown.

What worked for you?

mb314

We did Bradley.  I found it useful for DH to understand natural birth and how to be a good coach.  The relaxation techniques didn't do a lot for me, but I think that's my personality.  I did find the labor positions helpful, and I learned a lot in the classes.  I did have a natural birth, and in the thick of things, what got me through was being able to labor in the tub.  That was the #1 thing that made me be able to deal with the pain.

tokenhoser

"Hiring a doula."

If your DH isn't a great rock to lean on in labour, I highly recommend a doula. I also prepared in other ways - read lots of books, did yoga, exercised to stay generally fit. We've hired a doula again. For me, I want help in the moment and I don't really feel that weeks of classes or exercises from a book will help me achieve that. I needed physical support and someone telling my DH what to do. 

aylafsu88

I did Bradley and love it.  The method focuses on H/SO coached support during L&D which I really liked. It also educated my H on what to expect and how to handle things.  He was really prepared for L&D and did a pretty good job.  However, I did have a doula.  I love my H but I did not want to rely on him for a really long, exhausting labor.  Our doula was great and stepped in when H needed a break.  She also helped calm me down when I was freaking out during pushing.  My H just kinda stood there and watched me scream and flail around.  My doula was the one to step in and get me under control again.

Have you considered a doula with your second?  Maybe your mom could go to the Bradley classes with you.  The Bradley classes focus on partner support but that does not have to be a man. Your mom could step in and train to be your support for #2.

robyn2201

We did Bradley.

Since you have already had a LO and know what to expect from actual labor how about just hiring a doula? It sounds like you just need help during the process of labor. A doula would be able to recommend positions to labor in, words of encouragement, massage, or even pressing a tennis ball into your lower back if you had back labor. Our doula was amazing for both of our births.

iLoveblueberries

We have already hired a doula! A definite must have for me!
However, I still want other approaches that I can use and know so I feel more prepared and empowered within myself...if that makes sense.

tokenhoser

I'd recommend reading:

"The Birth Partner" by Penny Simkin

"Natural Childbirth the Bradley Way" by Susan McCutcheon-Rosegg 

iLoveblueberries

I have the Bradley book but I don't have the birth partner book....ill look into it!

Mrs.AmyDylan

We did Bradley, but my DH is very good in birth (which we learned). Ironically, the initial reason I wanted a natural birth was to move around during labor (not stuck in bed) and for a water birth. I had a super fast labor and a chest cold when DD was born, so I labored in bed exclusively, but moved to the tub to push. 

I echo hiring a doula. Taking twelve weeks of classes doesn't guarantee YH is better in birth. If you thing hypnobabies prepared you enough I don't know that more classes are necessary. Good luck! 

iumegan716

I read the Bradley book and hired a doula.

AmyRI

None of the above.

The hospital birth class we took was loosely based on Lamaze, and I took prenatal yoga classes. Mostly I just did whatever felt right in that moment and I was able to verbalize to DH pretty well and he was great at doing whatever it was I needed. That turned out to be a lot of counter pressure and lots of hand holding and squeezing.

RMama2012

AmyRI:

None of the above.

The hospital birth class we took was loosely based on Lamaze, and I took prenatal yoga classes. Mostly I just did whatever felt right in that moment and I was able to verbalize to DH pretty well and he was great at doing whatever it was I needed. That turned out to be a lot of counter pressure and lots of hand holding and squeezing.

 Same here!  Counter pressure is ultimately what got me through.  I did lots of reading but I didn't take any classes or follow any method.  My MIL applied counter pressure for hours to get me through.  For transition, there wasn't anything to be done though.

That  night, after my baby boy was born, my MIL was complaining about her arms and shoulders hurting and my FIL joked about who gave birth, her or me LOL!

kriskell

Bradley.  I can't say how it works though, because we haven't had the baby yet.  But I highly recommend their philosophy and their strategy for preparing.  It was a great experience for us (we just finished our series of classes this week). 

ssmb_clarinet

No specific method. Read Ina May's book and researched natural pain relief and relaxation methods but that was it. I am sure it helped that LO was born 40 minutes after we got to the hospital...if it had taken longer I may have wished I had a method to fall back on!

abell77

Bradley Method.

RachelM05

The course we went through was called "Brio Birth". Similar to Bradley. It focused on partner coaching and different relaxation techniques. Some of it seemed silly to me pre-labor, but I ended up using a lot of the techniques during labor and don't think I could have managed a natural birth without the things we learned in our class.

mrs.JL

Bradley Method