1. Childbirth Choices Section6.3

2. What is Prepared Childbirth? It is a method of giving birth in which pain is reduced through the elimination of fear and the use of special conditioning exercises. Most women instinctively know how to give birth. The childbirth classes help prepare them. Class members learn what happens during labor and delivery, tour the maternity area, learns to cope with the discomforts of labor. Usually the father or someone else who is going to serve as a partner or coach will join the mother in these classes.

3. Childbirth Classes Bradley method- without the side effects of drugs given during labor and birth. It teaches families how to have natural births. Lamaze method- it focuses on using controlled breathing techniques to cope with labor.

4. Who Will Deliver the Baby? Woman can choose from many different professionals to deliver the baby: Obstetricians – specialize in prenatal and postnatal care of the mother and baby. Family doctors- general-practice doctors who also deliver babies and provide prenatal and postnatal care. Licensed midwives- two types: – certified nurse-midwife is a registered nurse with advanced training in normal pregnancy and birth; – Lay midwife- special training in the care of pregnant woman and normal deliveries, but doesn’t have a nursing degree.

5. Where Will the Baby Be Born? Until this century most babies were born at home. Today most babies are born in hospitals. Hospitals now offer a variety of services. These services, often referred to as family- centered maternity care include: – Classes help prepare parents. – Special programs help young children get ready for having a baby sibling.

6. – Programs encourage fathers and other family members to help the mother through labor and delivery. – Birthing rooms provide comfortable atmosphere for labor and birth. – Options allow women to choose the position they prefer for labor and delivery. For example, a woman may walk, rock in a chair, soak in a tub. – Special steps may be taken to make the birth pleasant. For example, lights dimmed, music playing. – Plans allow the mother and her baby to stay together for all or most of the hospital stay.

7. Some hospitals offer what is called the LDRP concept. – It is a special unit where the woman labors, delivers, recovers, and spends her postpartum stay all the same room. The baby stays with the mother; and the father can stay too.

8. Alternative birth center- separate from the hospital, has homelike rooms for giving birth. – These centers emphasize prepared childbirth and usually offer the kinds of services that are part of family-centered maternity care. – Licensed midwives handle births at these centers. – Usually only accept mothers who have a low risk for complicated deliveries.