Bradley second-timers?

Genevieve14 · June 2012

I took a Bradley class when I was pregnant with DD and thought that it really helped during labor. I'm now expecting again, and am wondering if anyone has any thoughts on preparing for #2? I don't feel like I need the whole Bradley class again (nor do I have time any more!), but I really felt like I was so prepared for DD1. I want to feel that prepared again.... What have others done to prepare for a second drug-free labor/birth?

pixieprincss · June 2012

We're reviewing our class workbook and reading Natural Childbirth the Bradley Way, which is a GREAT refresher. I am practicing relaxation and deep breathing regularly and doing some of the exercises (not as much as I should be).

lily225 · June 2012

I didn't do the bradley class with any of my pg's. I did the regular hospital class before my first and had a med-free labor. I decided to just read the bradly book before my second in attempts to have a more relaxed and "under-control" labor for my second. That helped immensely. Maybe just re-read one of the books as a refresher?

wannabigfam · June 2012

I was freaking out about this exact thing. Our Bradley course instructor offered a free repeat of the course, but unfortunately she moved out of state so that wasn't an option. To repeat the course w/ another teacher AND pay for childcare for 12 weeks for our son was going to be close to $600. We can't afford that! Although, avoiding a c-section is worth so much more than $600 to me, so I was honestly still on the fence about it. The bradley teacher said she hasn't had anyone repeat it except for those who didn't end up going natural the first time and felt unprepared. My first was a beautiful unmedicated childbirth, but I just felt so prepared and this time I don't feel prepared at all!

The instructor offered to do a 2-session private lesson for us for $100 OR we could come to 2-3 of the classes of her bradley class that is going on right now to review the parts we thought were most helpful (for me, positioning for labor & relaxation positioning, stages of labor, etc). We went back and forth and decided that joining in on 2-3 classes would be best because we were worried a refresher course might seem "disjointed" (she said she hasn't done one before and we weren't sure how great it would be).

On top of that, I went back and forth on hypnobabies - thinking it was too weird for me at first. However i listed to the free track on the hypnobabies website and found it very relaxing. So I went ahead and purchased the self-study course w/ the plan of selling it for about 50-75% of what I paid after the birth. I will start the hypnobabies self-study next week & also will review my bradley method workbook starting next week. We will go to 2-3 review bradley classes next month and hopefully we will be prepared! My plan during labor is to NOT listen to the hypnobabies CD but just use the techniques learned from listening to them - I like silence while I labor :-)

So this plan will cost us just about $200 which is much more affordable for us, and then I'll get about $75 to $100 of it back when I sell the hynobabies course.

And honestly, I think that at least for me, the only thing I really HAVE to do during labor is relax and stay calm. Therefore I think all this preparation is just to get my mind in the right place that I AM prepared and therefore can do it. I'm more afraid of this labor b/c the first went sooo well & sooo fast and didn't hurt at all, so I'm thinking "it can't be that easy again" and "what if i think it will be that easy and I'm not prepared and it's horrible?" Thus the preparation :-)

robyn2201 · June 2012

Dh and I were just talking about this the other night. We need to pull out the book and go over it. My plan is to once a week go over a lesson. Starting sometime soon. I am thinking about asking my doula/bradley instructor if we can sit in on one of her classes, probably the class that goes over the different stages of labor. Not sure yet.

stahlop · June 2012

sweettalkin417:
Dh and I were just talking about this the other night. We need to pull out the book and go over it. My plan is to once a week go over a lesson. Starting sometime soon. I am thinking about asking my doula/bradley instructor if we can sit in on one of her classes, probably the class that goes over the different stages of labor. Not sure yet.

The different stages of labor class is the best one to sit in on IMO. My doula was also a Bradley instructor and when I was in early labor, this happened to be the class she was teaching, so we went to it (I wasn't due for 2 weeks so it was just good timing). Definitely helped me figure out what was going on when I was actually in labor.

StefandTodd · June 2012

Planning to go through our workbook, do the exercises, etc. I didn't read the Bradley book (the one PP mentioned) last time, so I might get that and read it this time. I'm seeing a homebirth MW who recommended the nutrition/Brewer's Diet stuff...so I'm also trying to do that (mostly just keeping track that I'm getting enough protein).

CTri17 · June 2012

I didn't do a class for either birth, but I did review the bradley book , but probably should have done more. But I had 2 successful natural home births!

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