Quote:
Lamaze
The Lamaze method is the oldest and most popular technique of childbirth preparation in the U.S. Each year, over one million babies are born using this method. Lamaze uses distraction through active concentration, patterned breathing techniques, and focal points to help women escape the pain of childbirth. The method teaches women that through controlled breathing they can control pain. Lamaze partners are taught coaching techniques and massage to help reduce the perception of pain even further. Women also learn about labor and birthing positions, communication skills, as well as information on the postpartum period and breastfeeding.
Quote:
Bradley
The Bradley Method emphasizes an extremely natural approach, disavowing the safety of sonograms, episiotomies, and regional anesthesia, and encourages the use of midwives instead of doctors. The Bradley Method was initially nicknamed the Husband-Coached Method for its then-revolutionary idea of including the husband in the birthing room, and believes that women cope better and have more positive birth experiences with their husbands present. Practitioners also believe that father-infant bonding develops faster when he is present at the birth. The Bradley Method encourages good nutrition and exercise throughout pregnancy to ease discomfort and prepare the muscles for birth, and instructs the woman to turn inward to relax and work with the contractions while continuing to breathe normally.
Quote:
Hypnobirthing
Hypnobirthing is a fairly new technique, but it is gaining in popularity around the country. It advocates exercises to condition the body for labor, self-hypnosis to achieve a state of peace and calm during the birthing process, and abdominal breathing.
Quote:
Water Birth
A water birth is exactly what it sounds like, giving birth to baby underwater. Warm water decreases hormone levels, blood pressure, the amount of pain, and adrenalin, the "fight or flight" hormone responsible for making stress level skyrocket and blood pressure rise, all while increasing endorphin production, which inhibits pain. Since perception of pain is influenced by anxiety level, the amount of pain experience while bathing also ebbs.
A lot of the discomfort associated with labor is caused not by baby's movement within a woman, but by the pressure gravity puts on skeleton, abdomen, and breasts. Water eliminates the power that gravity has over womans body and allows many positions to be much more comfortable. Water can also work on womans body parts to make them more cooperative. It encourages the cervix to dilate and makes the perineum more elastic, which means that it's less likely to tear. If it does tear, it's less likely that the tear will require a great number of stitches or an episiotomy. The warm water (between 90 and 101 degrees) can also make woman contractions more efficient by increasing the blood supply to the uterus.
The humidity and moistness of the air coming off the water can ease woman breathing. With breathing eased, the pressures on body lessened, the stress level lowered, and the pain decreased, a woman can expend all her energy laboring. Water births have been associated with faster delivery and less blood loss, though evidence supporting these claims, like most claims about water birth, is more anecdotal than scientific at this point.
Many people believe that water delivery is easier on babies as well. Water equalizes the pressure on baby, allowing optimal blood and oxygen flow during birth, and it has been credited with correcting minor malpresentations, like a misaligned head. Water is also said to be a gentle introduction for the baby to the world outside woman womb. Most midwives and doulas can help prepare for a water birth at home or at a birthing center, and most newer hospital units have birth tubs available. Waterproof fetal monitors are even available so that you can enjoy the benefits of both our technological age and this age-old method of pain relief.
And one funny fact that I found out. Womans during labors swears. A lot. Especially to the husband.