The Lamaze Technique
The Lamaze technique is an approach to pregnancy and childbirth that emphasizes natural health care and pain management methods. Many people associate Lamaze with the controlled breathing exercises women have been taught to manage pain during childbirth. This is only one component of this comprehensive approach to health care during pregnancy and labor, which urges women to avoid medical interventions in childbirth unless they are medically necessary.
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History
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According to Lamaze International, this technique was first introduced by French physician Fernand Lamaze in 1951. It spread to the United States in the '50s. Two American women, Elisabeth Bing and Marjorie Karmel, began teaching classes in the Lamaze method in 1958. They went on to form the group that is now known as Lamaze International, which offers education and advocacy for the Lamaze philosophy of pregnancy and childbirth, which focuses on natural childbirth.
Labor
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The Lamaze approach to childbirth is rooted in the belief that labor should begin on its own, and not be induced artificially. Lamaze practitioners teach that labor begins naturally when your body knows that your baby is ready to be born. Induction has become more common in American births, both for medical reasons and for convenience. The Lamaze technique recommends against inducing for convenience, and urges that women only induce if there is a clear medical reason, such as a pregnancy that has lasted more than 42 weeks, an infection in the uterus or other health problems in the mother, such as high blood pressure or diabetes.
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Positions
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The Lamaze technique encourages women to seek positions of comfort during their labor, and to not remain flat on their backs in a hospital bed throughout the process. Lamaze classes teach women to practice various movements, such as lunges, slow-dancing, stomping and squatting, that can help them manage pain during labor. In a lot of hospitals, women are discouraged from moving around because they are connected to an IV and an electronic fetal heart monitor. Lamaze recommends that a mother in labor be hooked up to these devices only when medically necessary so that she can feel more free to move around. The theory is that these kinds of pain management, paired with relaxation techniques and controlled breathing, will make her less likely to need pain medication or other birth interventions.
Support
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A mother's spouse or partner plays a role in the Lamaze technique. Lamaze practitioners believe women should have continuous support during childbirth to make sure they get the kind of care they want. Your labor partner should be with you continuously throughout your labor. In some cases, women may want to hire a doula to perform this role. A doula is a trained professional who can provide emotional and physical support to a woman before, during and just after childbirth. Even if a husband or partner can be there for the birth, these loved ones can sometimes become frightened by the pain that childbirth entails. A doula can reassure everyone that the labor is progressing normally, and can provide support if a loved one needs to take a break or take care of other children.
Classes
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Lamaze classes are widely available. According to Babycenter.com, they typically consist of 12 hours of instruction and include a maximum of 12 couples. Classes will cover what to expect during normal labor and birth, breathing exercises and relaxation techniques to manage pain during labor, epidurals and other medication to manage the pain of labor, how to communicate with your health care provider and basic tips for the post-partum period.
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