Expert care delivered at every stage of your pregnancy at all locations of The Mother Baby Center.
The Alexander Technique
The Alexander technique is a movement and relaxation method that uses gentle stretching to address pain and tension. The traditional Alexander technique, which is often used by actors and dancers to get the mind and body in sync, has been adapted for pregnancy to help with labor breathing and finding focus to make birth more comfortable.
You’ll learn to cope with pain through conscious control over your posture and movement. If you have aches and pains during pregnancy, this method might also offer some relief. (Make sure to check in with your doctor about unexplained pregnancy pains before starting any exercise or stretching program.)
The Alexander technique can be good for preparing your body for childbirth, but you might also want to take more traditional birthing classes to learn what happens during labor and delivery, medical interventions, postpartum care, etc.
Hypnobirthing Method
If you (or your partner) are anxious or fearful about childbirth, HypnoBirthing might be a good technique for you to explore. To some, HypnoBirthing, also called the Mongan Method, is a philosophy because it teaches you that severe pain does not have to be part of labor if you’re able to remove fear and anxiety by staying in a highly relaxed state.
The HypnoBirthing method assumes the labor and delivery will not use pain medications or unnecessary medical interventions. Instead, this method uses self-hypnosis techniques that help laboring women and their partners replace fear with positive messages, special breathing techniques, and meditation. In one study, 80% of mothers who had taken a HypnoBirthing labor class elected not to have an epidural.
Proponents of this method say the skills learned to support childbirth also help reduce discomfort, pain, and anxiety in other stressful situations.
The Bradley Method
Remember the example of the 48 flavors of ice cream person from above? If you think it’s impossible to be over-prepared, then this childbirth class option might be perfect for you.
The Bradley Method covers all aspects of childbirth, birth methods, medical interventions, relaxation techniques, infant care, and whatever else you’d like to talk about. It’s a 12-week course (so start it in your second trimester) and focuses on techniques to help you in all stages of labor.
This method also prepares parents-to-be for an unmedicated delivery] and is designed to help mothers accept pain as a natural part of the birthing process. It focuses on deep abdominal breathing and focusing attention inward (versus choosing an external “focal point” as in Lamaze). Partners are engaged equally and taught to be the “coach” during labor. According to a study, 86% of participants in the Bradley Method had a drug-free delivery.
The Bradley Method birthing class is a pretty big time commitment, but that also means you’ll cover a lot of information and probably get to know other like-minded parents.
Birthing From Within
If you’re the kind of person who likes to reflect on the emotional and psychological aspects of an experience, this could be the best pregnancy class for you. Birthing From Within was developed to explore your feelings, goals, and expectations about your pregnancy, birth and parenthood.
Birthing from Within birthing classes usually involves journaling, drawing, and other exercises to process your desires and fears related to childbirth. The exercises can be done in class or privately, which can be helpful for someone processing past trauma or fears. Birthing From Within touches on pain management techniques and birth preparation, so it might be helpful to also take a more traditional childbirth class.