Natural childbirth is an umbrella term for any of the specific types of planned natural birth. Three popular methods include the following:
1.Lamaze. Lamaze emphasizes natural birth and offers a variety of relaxation methods to deal with the pain (although an overview of anesthesia and pain relief is included for women who prefer this). Patterned breathing, visualization, guided imagery, massage, and coaching from a partner are all part of this program, the premise of which is that it is possible to block pain messages to the brain. Find out more from Lamaze International at
http://www.lamaze.org.
2.The Bradley method. This method was the first to introduce the idea of husband coaches in the delivery room and emphasizes the teamwork approach to bringing a baby into the world. This method does not try to block out pain, but rather encourages concentrated awareness that teaches the mother to trust her body and work through the pain, emphasizing relaxed abdominal breathing and relaxation exercises. Find out more about the Bradley method at
http://www.bradleybirth.com.
3.Grantly Dick-Read. Dr. Dick-Read died in 1959, but his theory of natural childbirth remains the basis of many childbirth classes today, and his book Childbirth Without Fear (HarperCollins, 1959) is still widely read. The Grantly Dick-Read method relies on education about the birth process and relaxation exercises during labor to reduce the fear of childbirth and therefore the pain.
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