Natural Childbirth the Bradley Way: Revised Edition

The classic guide to an unmedicated childbirth, fully revised for the twenty-first century-with updated information and attractive new illustrations and photos throughout. For women birthing vaginally, 90% of Bradley births are drug-free! The Bradley Method, used and praised by women for almost seventy years, prepares you for drug and surgery-free childbirth and puts you in control by providing the tools to navigate evidence-based care. Certified childbirth educator Susan McCutcheon, one of Dr. Bradley's first students, now makes this natural approach to childbirth more accessible than ever. You will learn: Exercises and nutrition to get your body ready for birthing To defuse fear by understanding all aspects of laboring How to involve your partner as a birth coach and a fully engaged participant What's driving the induction epidemic and how to avoid an unnecessary induction What's driving the cesarean surgery epidemic and how to reduce your risk How to get the information you need to make informed decisions about your birth "The Bradley Method's simple objective, through relaxation, breathing, and visualization, is a birth free of the interventions frequently offered to women in the different stages of childbirth: fetal monitors, drug-induced labor, anesthesia, episiotomy, and Caesarean section. (Its) other defining feature, the husband's active participation in the delivery, is critical to this overall goal of an intervention-free birth."-Mothering