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Husband coached childbirth

CupcakeMama08CupcakeMama08
in Natural Birth

I've been reading the Bradley Method book and so has my husband, but we have just started this process.  We both want him to be my coach, but we haven't taken any kind of formal Bradley classes or any other classes.  We just don't really have the time/money to do that. 

So I basically wanted to do a lot of research and have us practice techniques at home on our own.

So if you did the Bradley method, or anything like it, where your husband/partner was your coach, could you point me in the right direction to some techniques that worked for you? (Even if you haven't done it yet, but are planning to.)  Are there some good books or youtube videos to check out? Any tips would be helpful!  Thanks!!

P.S. If there is already a thread about this, I apologize and if you point me in the right direction, I'll gladly read that!

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Re: Husband coached childbirth

  • CupcakeMama08CupcakeMama08
    Well, we actually did take the childbirth class that the hospital offers, but that is it!
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  • sweetMay119sweetMay119 member
    I took the Bradley classes, and would highly recommend them if you are able. Not to say that you can't do it without, but your husband will need to do the reading with you to be successful. Many agree that this bradley book https://www.amazon.com/Natural-Childbirth-Bradley-Way-Revised/dp/0452276594 is much better than the one titled husband-coached childbirth. The book and class provide several relaxation scripts, as well as labor positions. I preferred hand and knees and using the exercise ball, but you likely won't know what you prefer until you are in labor. The big thing is to be able to recognize the different stages of labor...your husband should study these quite a bit. Good luck! 
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  • aylafsu88aylafsu88 member

    My DH and I are taking the Bradley class right now and we love it.  We are reading the book (@ ch 10) and think it is very informative.  The big thing that the class stresses is being prepared for birth both emotionally and physically.  So they really push doing the exercises like squats and pelvic rocks.  They also stress the mental approach to birth and have us practicing relaxation techniques each night.  The big thing the classes do for the husband is let him know what you are going through during each stage of labor, so that he can be prepared and have an idea of what you will need. You can get alot of this info from the book but it helps to have someone talk about it. The other big thing they push in the class is your breathing.  Bradley wants you to do abdominal breathing through an open mouth.  This helps relax your body and can help ease the pain of contractions.  They also suggest leaning over when you have a contraction which will put slack on the abdomen thus help ease contraction pains.  We have been working on these techniques (relaxation, squats ect) and they really do seem to help but I guess I wont know till I July!!

    I think if you practice the techniques at home you should be prepared!!

     

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  • Genevieve14Genevieve14 member
    DH and I took an abbreviated Bradley class and thought it was great.  I would try calling an instructor  in your area and ask if he/she ever does a shorter version of the class.  If nothing else, the class was really helpful for learning about all of the different options, having at least a little bit of an idea of what to expect, and (even though this sounds incredibly dorky) doing labor "practice" sessions.  I also read the Ina May book which I thought was really helpful, too.  Good luck!
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  • CupcakeMama08CupcakeMama08
    Thanks everyone for your thoughts!
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  • PansyPantsPansyPants member

    Make your husband a cheat sheet of all the things you read in the book that you think would be great to have him remember during labor. Drill him on all the positions and the ways he can help you manage pain and make sure that he knows it better than you do. 

    I completely forgot everything when I was in labor. It was like being a wild animal after about 8 hours of labor. I was so internally focused that I couldn't logically remember the ways to help myself. Thankfully my doula was our Bradley instructor. My husband and I had both taken a "nature does it's thing" approach and so I didn't make him learn as much as I should have.

    He didn't think to rub my lower back like she did, he didn't think to suggest the tub like she did, he was more caught up in listening to my unspoken requests and meeting them, i.e. he instictively knew when I was hungry and thirsty and would give me juice and slip me power bars, he knew when I wanted to punch the nurse and stepped between us and asked for privacy. The physical needs like position changes and such were things he totally forgot. 

    Just make sure your husband knows everything you want to remember in case you don't remember anything. 

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  • pithikakipithikaki member

    imagejnoone:
    We just finished our Bradley classes, and I'm sure they were good, but I really don't feel like it was money well-spent (classes were rushed, very little time for questions, I really felt more frustrated and overwhelmed than relaxed and confident I could deliver this way- but I'm still going to give it my all!).  I got about a third of the way through Husband-Coached Childbirth, but found it to be so dry and dragging.  I picked up Natural Childbirth the Bradley Way, and I love it!!  Easy read, to the point, very helpful (at least that's what I anticipate).  Good luck!

    Both of these books are awesome IMO, but the second one really cuts to the chase and has lots of pictures which I found really helpful.  Very no-nonsense!

    After the birth details, exercises, etc., it's mostly basic relaxation skills you're learning - ride the waves through your anxiety and pain and have hubby help you to focus on relaxing along the way.

    FYI, I also got the workbook online (I think it was half.com?) even though you're not supposed to really be able to have it unless you pay for the class.  We went through the whole thing but it was kind of redundant to us, especially after reading all of the other stuff.  That being said, I'm glad I spent the 10 bucks to get it and that we did try it to see if it was worth our time, so you might want to consider that.  Everyone is different, but for us we definitely got more out of it doing the study/research one on one together and solo than in a group with a leader - it's all what you're used to and prefer.  IMO If you do your research and study, I don't think you will be any less "ready" than if you had taken a course.  GL!

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