In line with our quest for a completely unmedicated, natural childbirth, in addition to selecting an out-of-hospital birthing location (more on that in a future post), we enrolled ourselves in classes for a brand-new method of natural childbirth called Brio Birth. I was introduced to the idea of this new method while acting as a labor support person for some dear friends of ours. They asked me to attend classes for The Bradley Method of Husband Coached Childbirth with them. That's where I met the most amazing woman in the field of childbirth education, Angela Taylor, of Taylor Your Birth. Angie, as we call her, is a living, breathing encyclopedia of all things childbirth, breastfeeding, and beyond. When it came time for us to choose our childbirth educator, there was no choice; it HAD to be Angie.
Brio Birth is similar to, but entirely different from, The Bradley Method of Husband Coached Childbirth. While both methods rely on a birth partner of the mother's choice (usually the father of the unborn baby) and using natural techniques for pain reduction, Brio Birth is proud to take into consideration current advances in evidence-based research while using modern teaching materials to share their passion about the safety of natural childbirth.
Normally, our Brio Birth education would take place over the course of 12 weeks, but due to some unforeseen circumstances in Angie's life, we are taking a condensed 8-week course in the privacy of our home. Part of me feels that we are missing out on bonding with and learning from other like-minded couples that comes with the group class setting, but the rest of me really enjoys the personalization of the education we are receiving on a one-on-one basis. Our classes are more like conversations between the three of us versus Angie dictating the material to a room full of pregnant couples. In a classroom situation, Angie would be obligated to address all three types of birthing locations (home, birthing center, and hospital) and the intricacies that go with each. In our private setting, we get only the information which pertains to our situation, which leaves loads of time for questions on our part and story-telling on Angie's part.
We are going into our fifth class this week, and while I completed the Bradley Method class as an "Assistant Coach", receiving this information as it pertains to MY labor and birthing is a completely different experience. Knowing that I will soon be applying this knowledge to the birth of my own baby is both exciting and frightening at the same time. It is Angie's contagious enthusiasm for the natural process of childbirth that has helped reinforce what Dameone and I already knew was possible.
To read more about Brio Birth or to find a Brio Birth Educator in your area, please visit their website by clicking here.
No comments:
Post a Comment