Dr. Bradley said
"The loving encouragement from a trained coach can do more for the comfort
and relaxation of his wife than any amount of medication."
Kendra has been teaching the Bradley Method of Natural
Childbirth since 1999. Kendra and her husband heard about the Bradley Method
shortly after marrying in 1989. They had 2 Bradley births in 1995 and 1998.
The adventure to teach classes began after their second birth in an elevator.
Just as people are different, each delivery was unique, but the one constant
was the encouragement and support from her husband. Kendra's passion is to
teach your husband to be your doula. Sometimes due to circumstances, your
support person is your mother, sister, or friend. She encourages anyone
attending your birth to prepare by attending classes with you.
Students can return to the next class series and tell their
birth stories. It is a joy to hear the husband or support person say that
before taking the class, they felt nervous or fearful about the birth
process, but after taking the course, he approached labor with confidence and
commitment. They felt prepared and understood the labor process and how
to assist their wives. The new mothers always say they could not have done it
without their partners' love, support, and encouragement.
With this in mind, unless you are planning your birth at a
birth center, the current covid19 hospital restriction is one support person at
your birth. Of course, it will be your husband! This class focuses on preparing
him for one of the most important events of your life. He will not be a
spectator!
As a mother, you will be physically, mentally, and
emotionally prepared through pregnancy, labor, and birth (See Course Content
for class details). The classes are longer than most childbirth classes
because, like a marathon runner in training, you also need the same
preparation. No one just takes a one-day training class to run a marathon
and then run the race. You will also experience a community with couples
in your class sharing pregnancy concerns, encouraging each other, and sometimes
becoming long-time friends.