My interest in and passion for natural childbirth came about
after living overseas for several years. I experienced a crash in my overall
health under the treatment of doctors in a system where asking questions and
gathering information about procedures and options was considered impertinent
and disrespecting of the doctor's knowledge. When my husband suggested we
come to the U.S. to give birth to our first child, we began looking into the
vast world of childbirth, and thankfully, our searching led us to consider
options we hadn't even realized existed, such as out-of-hospital birth and
midwifery care.
A good
friend, the husband of a couple I knew well, enthusiastically raved to my husband about the
Bradley Method® and how thoroughly it prepared them for their son's birth. Our
midwife also recommended the class as one of the top options for preparing
ourselves for birth at their free-standing birth centre, which was almost a
4-hour drive away from where we were living. We took the series, had a very peace-filled, satisfying
birth, and we were spoiled for anything else.
I
noticed that I desired the very best birth experience for every pregnant woman
I encountered and found myself naturally supplying them with resources and
information on natural childbirth and related topics. It seemed logical to gain
the ability to make a bigger and more total impact, so I applied to complete
the coursework and training to become an affiliated Bradley® instructor. I have been teaching since March 2010.
We have
since had four other beautiful, healthy babies, all born at home. I
am so thankful for how the knowledge and skills we learned have positively
impacted our family and each of its members, as well as our attitude towards
pregnancy, prenatal care, labor, birth, life with a new baby and beyond!
I have also been privileged to be in attendance at two hospital births in Edmonton, one of a student, and the other a friend, as an assistant, and I have gathered input from all my students on their birth attendant/birth place experience, to help other expectant parents make informed choices about what is best for them. I have also offered breast-feeding help to many mothers informally and through attendance at my local La Leche League meetings.
No matter
which setting you may be considering for your own baby's birth, I know you will
benefit immensely from all that a series of Bradley Method® classes has to
offer.