Birth is the most sacred of passageways. There is nothing more beautiful, profound or powerful than the process of bringing forth a child, given especially to you, into the world. As women, most of us will give birth less than a handful of times. We have the opportunity to seize this moment and give birth in a powerful way that brings fulfillment to the heart and gives our children the gift of the healthiest pregnancy, birth, and babyhood we can possibly give. There is only so much one can control, but in the areas that we DO have control, there are a wide range of choices that can have profound effects on your health and the health and delivery of your baby. We CAN give birth well. In my opinion, giving birth well means taking full responsibility for childbirth choices and then surrendering to the forces of birth. When couples are informed of the wide range of choices they have and make decisions based on facts rather than myth or fear that is where true empowerment lies. Couples who work together as a team form a bond through the birth process that not only enhances their lives as parents, but also as husband and wife.
I have been teaching The Bradley Method? for five years to over 100 couples. I am the mother of three children, all born without medications using The Bradley Method? techniques to cope with the sensations of labor. My class is fun and informative and very much focused on the mother and father as a team. Couples find me to be approachable and tell me they felt well-prepared and able to give true informed consent to their childbirth choices. I love watching fathers become empowered in their role, and mothers become confident in their abilities. I believe the greatest asset I bring to the Bradley classroom is a deep trust in the natural birth process as well as knowledge of both medical and natural birthing options.
"I feel very fortunate to have met Jamie and learn about the Bradley Method. The knowledge I gained in class changed a crucial and important part of my life, for my baby's health and my own. I learned about the many options and rights of birthing which "none" of my friends, who were also gestating, ever learned or heard of in their classes. Jamie helped me understand what questions I should ask my doctor, how to identify if this doctor is the right one for me, how to physically and mentally achieve a natural birth experience without an epidural, what to know and expect after the little one is born, and all this helped me feel well equipped, confident, and ready to give birth. I stopped being nervous and scared. With all the useful information taught in class, I confidently made decisions and I was "in control" of my birthing experience instead of "being controlled." Jamie is a great listener, comfortable to talk to, and is the most helpful in answering questions to a T." from Melissa