Natural Childbirth the Bradley Way Quotes

“Each woman must realize that she is the final guardian of her unborn child.”
― Susan McCutcheon, Natural Childbirth the Bradley Way

“Today, the lay midwife is a response to a growing home-birth movement. In my own community most physicians have decided to withhold prenatal care from the home-birther. This is judgmental and vindictive. These doctors have decided that home birth is not safe, and by withholding prenatal care they are doing their best to make sure it is unsafe. Often it is lay midwives who step forward to fill the void and help eliminate the unnecessary dangers of home birth. They are essential for screening out women who really should not have a home birth. For considerably less money than a physician charges, they spend many more hours with a pregnant woman before, during, and after the birth. and in most places they courageously face the opposition of the established medical community.”
― Susan McCutcheon, Natural Childbirth the Bradley Way

“Drugs and medical technology can be enormously beneficial when used to take care of real complications, but too often they are abused when applied to women birthing normally. These women are thus subjected to unnecessary risks. The key to this problem is informed consent, an ideal too seldom realized. Informed consent means that no woman during pregnancy or labor should ever be deceived into thinking that any drug or procedure (Demerol, Seconal, spinals, caudals, epidurals, paracervical block, etc.) is guaranteed safe. Not only are there no guaranteed safe drugs, but many of them have well-known, recognized side effects and potential side effects.

Informed consent should mean that no woman would ever hear such falsehoods as, “This is harmless,” or, “I only give it in such a small dose that it can’t affect the baby,” or, “This is just a local and won’t reach the baby.”
― Susan McCutcheon, Natural Childbirth the Bradley Way

“...I'll never forget going out to dinner with my parents to an elegant restaurant. My very proper Bostonian mother leaned over and said to me, 'Just what are you going to do if the baby gets hungry while we're here, dear?' The baby and I were already hooked up, very discreetly and my mother couldn't tell. I just chuckled and said, 'I don't know Mom.”
― Susan McCutcheon-Rosegg, Natural Childbirth the Bradley Way

“But after years of teaching, we have decided that a lot of mothers just aren't reading textbooks.”
― Susan McCutcheon-Rosegg, Natural Childbirth the Bradley Way

“Unnecessary Caesareans: Ways to Avoid Them”
― Susan McCutcheon, Natural Childbirth the Bradley Way

“My husband coached. He was instrumental in helping me to let the contractions go once they were over.”
― Susan McCutcheon, Natural Childbirth the Bradley Way

“out of five scientific studies (randomized controlled trials) of fetal monitors, four showed no differences in outcome for the babies whether the fetal monitor was used or not.5 Only one showed an improved outcome for the babies, and that study has been severely criticized for poor scientific methodology.6 Dr. A. D. Haverkamp of Denver told the Central Association of Obstetricians and Gynecologists in 1975 that research showed no difference in the health or survival rate of babies when internal electronic fetal heart monitoring was used to manage deliveries. But the big difference, he said, was in the cesarean-section rate. It was 16.5 percent in the group of women who underwent electronic fetal monitoring but only 6.8 percent in the group whose births were managed by frequent use of the stethoscope to check the baby’s well-being.7 Clearly, repeated scientific studies show that the baby does not benefit when the mother is electronically monitored. These studies show that the major difference in outcome when the fetal monitor is used is for the mother. The cesarean surgery rate is as much as tripled!”
― Susan McCutcheon, Natural Childbirth the Bradley Way

“Why in the world would any woman reject this modern technological machinery? You research the literature and discover that while you were trained to use the electronic monitor in medical school and during your residency, that, actually, babies do not benefit when electronic monitoring is used. Babies do just as well when only the stethoscope is used. But mothers don’t do as well when they are on electronic monitoring. They are greatly harmed by suffering a tripled rate of cesareans. Since the babies don’t benefit by this monitoring, then this increase of surgery represents unnecessary surgery.”
― Susan McCutcheon, Natural Childbirth the Bradley Way

“Everyone believes in "Informed Consent" until a woman does not consent.”
― Susan McCutcheon, Natural Childbirth the Bradley Way

“The sitting squat and lying flat on a delivery table (or labor bed) defeat nature’s plan. Both positions interfere with the normal, amazing expansion movements of your well-engineered pelvis. That’s why you want to do no more than the first three pushes in the sitting squat.”
― Susan McCutcheon, Natural Childbirth the Bradley Way

“Start coaching before it begins, about the time you think another one is due, so she isn’t caught unaware. Coaching before it begins sounds like this: “The next time you barely begin to feel that bag of muscles starting to flex, you want to greet it with a limp, yielding body, releasing everywhere all at once, welcome it; let it come on strong as you let go. At the barest hint of another flex beginning, embrace it by melting down into the bed.”
― Susan McCutcheon, Natural Childbirth the Bradley Way

“Another contraction begins Oops, no, it dwindled away before it got started. Contraction begins: 60 seconds long, 5 minutes apart Practice through it with your coach. Do not skip any practice contractions. Contraction begins: 60 seconds long, 4 minutes apart On this practice contraction, we are going to do a little play-acting and pretend that a contraction is starting to get away from you. You don’t think you can relax, you tighten up a bit, maybe clench your hand, open your eyes, contract your tummy muscles slightly, and breathe rapidly. Respond to your coach only after he has coached you firmly! COACH: Firm coaching does not mean harsh coaching, and, of course, you never criticize the laboring mother. Never tell her, “No, you’re doing it all wrong!” If you say something like that, her whole body will immediately go “twang” with tension. This is not helpful. Instead, look for tension, listen for frantic breathing. Give her specific coaching in whatever she needs help with, and continue to give it in an absolutely confident, warm, strong voice. Many women never get off the track with a single contraction. Others lose one or two. If they do, it’s not a big deal. It helps for both of you to remember what happens if she tightens up on a contraction. She just makes it last longer, and it’s very painful for her to work against.”
― Susan McCutcheon, Natural Childbirth the Bradley Way

“Contraction begins: 45 seconds long, 5 minutes apart COACH: Coach her from head to toe in relaxation and in quiet, relaxed abdominal breathing. Coach her in mental imagery (“bag of muscles” technique), keeping in mind the purpose of each technique. Breathing=Control Relaxation=Comfort “Bag of muscles” technique aids in perception Rub her back if there is any backache at all. You should be serious and alert. Don’t let tension build up. Be ahead of things, Coach. You see she is MORE SERIOUS NOW. Another contraction: 50 to 55 seconds COACH: Repeat the sequence above. Remind her not to hold herself still, imitating relaxing, but to really let go! In between contractions COACH: Offer her a wet washrag; wipe off her brow and the back of her neck, if she lets you. It can be nice, too, to have sweaty palms wiped. Continue to rub her shoulders in between contractions. Talk to her about relaxing. Do not let tension build up anywhere. The hours are going by. You see she is MOST SERIOUS NOW. Another 1-minute contraction COACH: Coach her in everything. Don’t forget key phrases: slack open mouth, loose limp hands. In between contractions COACH: About every hour and a half, remind her to go to the bathroom, and encourage her to turn over onto her other side. (A contraction is not your enemy. It is just your own big bag of muscles flexing for you, to get the door open. As you feel the flex, think of opening and opening.)”
― Susan McCutcheon, Natural Childbirth the Bradley Way

“You undoubtedly thought you did make that commitment to want to work with your labor, but then you’ve never felt a working contraction in your life, and it takes your breath away; it takes you by surprise and scares you a bit. That’s okay, but the sooner you make that commitment to want to work with your body and try lying down and going for it with the deepest relaxation you can achieve, the better it is”
― Susan McCutcheon, Natural Childbirth the Bradley Way

“But instead here you are standing up, making the contractions back off, perhaps back to 30 to 35 seconds. But they’re coming closer, so you think standing is making things go faster, but remember, it is the long, strong contractions that get your work done and open that cervix. If lying down brings on longer, stronger contractions and you’re getting up to get away from them, then you may be defeating yourself. Standing up may trigger closer contractions but frequently makes for shorter contractions”
― Susan McCutcheon, Natural Childbirth the Bradley Way

“Appearance of Sleep and Closed Eyes. Closed eyes are a guarantee that there will be no visual distractions. The woman who keeps her eyes open is trying to escape from the contraction, rather than go with it. The appearance of sleep is your ultimate goal.”
― Susan McCutcheon, Natural Childbirth the Bradley Way

“ONE: Darkness and Solitude. The laboring woman needs a dark or dimly lit room. Bright lights disturb concentration and she needs 100 percent concentration on relaxation to work properly with labor. Solitude while the two of you are working together is also important. This means no mothers or mothers-in-law. If children are to be present at birth, this is not the time to have them in the room, except for short visits so they can see that Mommy is doing fine. Solitude also means no pregnant neighbor from across the street, despite the temptation to show off a bit. It is very distracting for most women to have observers in the first stage of labor. The laboring woman finds herself wondering what everyone thinks about how she is doing. The coach, in turn, spends less time thinking about the laboring woman and more time on what the observers think of his coaching. A laboring woman is not performing. She should simply work for herself and her baby. Keeping the room (even a hospital room) dark and keeping observers to a minimum is the coach’s responsibility. Whether they are in-laws or hospital personnel, this requires tact, but it should not be left to the laboring woman to deal with. As her work gets serious, she will have other things to think about.”
― Susan McCutcheon, Natural Childbirth the Bradley Way

“Be forewarned—the most common error is to rub too fast. It must be a slow, steady, deep rub. And don’t make the mistake of changing the direction of the rub in the middle of a contraction, even though your arm may feel tired. You will get an instant cranky reaction. The laboring woman is acutely aware of the minutest details (even though she may not seem to be), and a sudden shift in direction is sure to distract her attention from relaxation. Be sure your rubbing motion is steady and rhythmic, with no jerky, uneven movements. A sloppy back rub may be even more disturbing to the laboring woman than the backache. She senses the coach is tired and not doing a thorough and careful job. She may also feel annoyed because he seems to lack empathy for the intensity of the sensations she is feeling. So to get the back rub right, it will be necessary to practice. It is a little like an isometric exercise, and you may be surprised at how hard she will want you to push. One coach said we should have told him to practice by rubbing a brick wall.”
― Susan McCutcheon, Natural Childbirth the Bradley Way

“woman to do well with labor: Be sure to rub exactly where it aches. Obviously, she will be able to tell you just where that is. The spot is not in the small of the back nor all the way down at the tailbone, but usually somewhere in between. You should rub this spot in a small, tight circle. She will tell you just where to rub, and she is the one to please. The heel of your hand or the front of your fist usually works best for this back rub. You may find it helpful to wrap your hand in a soft cloth, like an old T-shirt. Have your hand in place before the contraction starts. Don’t wait for her to tell you the contraction is under way and then try to put your hand on her back. That’s sloppy. It is exactly what the untrained husband does when trying to help his wife, and it’s exactly why she tells him to leave her alone. Rub with a slow, steady rhythm in one direction. If you break the rhythm it distracts her attention immediately and she may snap at you. Press your hand firmly into the back and then rotate it in a circular motion. Do not slide your hand over her skin. That is irritating and will soon leave a raw feeling. Press inward—it will require a lot of pressure—and let the skin move with your hand in that circular motion. This is a deep massage.”
― Susan McCutcheon, Natural Childbirth the Bradley Way