Childbirth Preparation Education: Lamaze

For the procreators, it’s a moment of ceaseless exhilaration and an event that will remain etched in their memory. The child is a precious gift from God that carries a bundle of joy for the parents he is born to, who manifest their jubilation with expressions such as, “You are my angel, my cutie, my sweetie, my beloved…” and so on. He not only brings happiness, but also profound meaning to the lives of his parents — He is the link that emotionally deepens and strengthens their bond. And so, it’s the responsibility of the expecting parents to ensure that they leave no stone unturned in discharging their pre-parental duties, which factually begins from the first sign of pregnancy till childbirth. 

     

Why Lamaze?

Medical journals have documented the known side effects and hazards of interventions in childbirth. They also record how a series of other interventions ensue interventions at the time of childbirth. For e.g. Epidural analgesia, an injection administered into the lower back which causes numbness of nerves and thus provides rapid relief from pain, has serious repercussions in the form of sudden drop in blood pressure, difficulty emptying the bladder, arduous labor, fever etc. These are the possible side effects which gradually led to the development of other interventions to treat the above effects, namely, fetal monitoring, urinary catheter to drain the bladder and employing medical tools to move the baby out. Quite evident, these treatments inflict side effects in their own way, not just during childbirth but also in the post-natal stage, adversely impacting the health of the mother and consequently the child. 

There have been various birthing techniques, and over the years the science of these birthing techniques has evolved as well, but interestingly, the era of 1940s, which used the techno-medical model or the interventional method of childbirth witnessed one of the most bizarre ways of its implementation, wherein the mother-to-be was routinely sedated, knocking her unconscious and in that state the baby was delivered with the help of forceps — A method jocularly termed by Dr. Robert A. Bradley as knock-em-out, drag-em-out obstetrics. 

1950s too saw a more rigid practice of routine maternity care to an extent that it led to the belief that bottle-feeding was more sanitary and better than breast-feeding — a belief now regarded as both unscientific and outdated. And this is how natural childbirth technique made inroads. 

Enter, Lamaze’s technique. This approach deals with childbirth in a more natural and holistic way, the practice of which begins much before the childbirth, but almost eliminates the need for any kind of medical intervention, unless deemed necessary, thus ruling out the possibility of side effects as well. The technique is all about grooming the mother-to-be, both physically and psychologically, to help her face her examination day and moment, technically called, the delivery.

Pregnancy is natural process and so is childbirth, it's the feeling of this confidence that is required to be instilled in mother-to-be who is afflicted with fear that has its roots in different sources. Therapists in Lamaze class assist in allaying these fears so that she can start “believing” in her body — meaning, fostering a progressive temperament that her body is designed by nature in a way that she can give birth naturally — presently, a mindset largely absent among women all over the world. But how can this be achieved? It can be, primarily by way of empathizing and leading by example. Secondly, as part of the course, mother-to-be are also required to practice certain techniques which include — breathing techniques, how to relax in labor, spontaneous pushing, breastfeeding techniques, using birth ball etc. 

How it’s done

When someone hears of “Lamaze” what instantly pops in his/her mind is a scene of a pregnant woman lying on her back practicing labor exercise and making sounds such as “hee-hee-hoo-hoo”. Well, if that’s what you pictured, then you got to update your knowledge of Lamaze — it’s no more the same. Lamaze has come a long way and is now perceived and promoted more as a philosophy than as a mere “method”.    

  

This philosophy is centered on six care practices that make a pregnant woman naturally opt for an intervention free childbirth:

·            Allow labor to begin by itself

·            Take short strolls and change postures throughout labor

·            Be accompanied by loved one for continuous support

·            Keep intervention at bay unless deemed apt

·            Spontaneous pushing in gravity-neutral position

·            Place child and mother in direct skin contact soon after the baby is born to strengthen their bond

Lamaze classes are normally held at a birthing center or in a hospital education room by trained Lamaze therapists. The classes are required to be attended by the supportive partners along with the mother-to-be to support her throughout the labor.

There are a number of Lamaze breathing techniques which begins with “cleansing breath” technique, which involves deep, slow inhaling through nose and slow exhaling through mouth. Lamaze mainly emphasizes on the concentration aspect of breathing which helps pacify the mind from stress, than how fast or slow it is done.    

In principle, Lamaze of present times is more a philosophy of childbirth, than a set of superficial methods. It’s quite impressive in terms of its comforting philosophy and a set of adorable practices, but, not everything about Lamaze can be covered here due its vastness; nevertheless, we have been able to at least scratch its surface. More detail about the method can be obtained from its official website www.lamaze.org