Birth

Many childbirth experts believe that the more a mother knows about the birth process, the less fear and apprehension she will feel giving birth. Many childbirth preparation methods prepare both mother and father for the birth experience and teach relaxation and breathing techniques. The Read method, for instance (named after its founder, British physician Grantley Dick-Read), is based on the notion that fear leads to pain. The Read method includes childbirth education, exercises to improve muscle tone, and relaxation techniques. The Lamaze method (named for Dr. Ferdinand Lamaze) takes a psychological approach to managing labor. The Lamaze method teaches women to relax and breathe in response to pain, the theory being that this substitution of favorable activity for negative sensations reduces pain. The Bradley method focuses on deep relaxation and slow, deep breathing, and ascribes an important role to the father.