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Curious about childbirth? Wondering how you can prepare for your own healthy pregnancy, labor and birth? Hoping to reduce your chances of a cesarean birth or seeking a VBAC birth (vaginal birth after cesarean?) Seeking a more satisfying birth experience with less interventions? Unsure what childbirth prep classes to take? Are you an expectant dad wondering if/how you can help your wife?

There is a lot a woman can do to have a super birth experience. First, she can learn how to stay healthy and low risk in pregnancy in our classes and learn simple exercises for comfort in both pregnancy and and labor. Of equal importance and value, we help the expectant mom and the labor support of her choice (typically baby's father and/or close friend/relative) prepare during pregnancy for the big day! This is no simple crash course, but a fun, comprehensive series that covers pregnancy, nutrition, exercise, all about labor and birth, role of the labor support and tips for breastfeeding and parenting. There is no other internationally known course that is designed to prepare the expectant mother and her birth partner for birth as we do. It really is a two-for... We prepare you for your birth and we prepare your birth partner for the role of doulo or doula at a very reasonable cost, worth every penny.

So, you get it... Nutrition, exercise, rest, relaxation are important to growing a healthy baby. But what about the actual method, and the need for baby's father and/or other labor support to attend the classes? 

Is this childbirth method evidence based?

Absolutely! 

The techniques used are natural and easy to learn. The method is based on meeting the needs of a woman in labor for the various stages. The requirement of a prepared labor support is also evidence based. An extensive review of related literature in 2017 regarding labor strongly supports the premise that women who have continual support in labor are more likely to have a better experience and better outcome for mother and baby. Here is a summary(direct quote) of the benefits of continuous labor support from this extensive review of literature about women and childbirth (pdf doc)

Benefits of Continual Support in Labor

What are the benefits of continuous labor support?
Per the 2017 update, across all relevant studies, women with continuous labor support seemed more likely to have had:
    Spontaneous vaginal births (with neither vacuum extraction nor forceps)
    Shorter labors

Women with continuous labor support seemed less likely to have had:
    A negative birth experience
    Any pain medication while giving birth
    Regional pain medication (such as epidural or spinal)
    An instrumental vaginal birth (with vacuum extraction or forceps)
    A cesarean birth
    A low 5-minute Apgar score (rating of the baby’s status shortly after birth)

Each of these outcomes was statistically more likely for women with continuous labor support versus none.

https://www.nationalpartnership.org/our-work/resources/health-care/maternity/continous-labor-suppor-cochrane-review-2017-takeaways.pdf

George and I, Nancy, are here to help! Since 2009, we have been teaching natural, evidence based, and time-proven principles that really work and not only make your birth go easier but help with bonding and breastfeeding too. Make no mistake. Roughing it with no classes or with a crash course is not optimal for something as important, strenuous and variable as pregnancy and childbirth.

Ideally every expectant woman should take measures in pregnancy to stay healthy and comfortable in pregnancy and to learn about the birth process and non-medical comfort measures for labor since there is no guarantee she will get her medication "soon enough" or that it will even work as it is expected to. Fewer medications and interventions not only lead to a more satisfying experience but are encouraged by the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology.

We glean from contemporary research and resources as well as from 20th century natural childbirth experts to bring you the best possible childbirth education. We are Bradley-certified childbirth educators whom are well-respected by midwives and obstetricians in our community and are known for our high success rate of couples achieving childbirth without need for pain medication. We encourage others to follow in our footsteps and become Bradley Method® educators.

The Bradley Method® is the most comprehensive childbirth education available. Bradley instructors are known for their commitment to quality, up-to-date education and the most satisfied students, those achieving a drug-free birth and those few requiring interventions. Bradley couples go into their birth so well prepared that if things are not "textbook", birth doesn't simply happen to them. They have natural alternatives to many potential interventions. They are able to make wise choices with their birth team, knowing they have done everything within their power to have a healthy baby and safe, healthy, satisfying birth experience.


Our Mission

We are committed to helping expectant couples in our community prepare for childbirth because we believe and have experienced first hand that evidence-based education, practice and continuous support in labor are key to a more satisfying and healthier childbirth experience. Since 2009, we have been co-teaching small group classes and private lessons by appointment, couple to couple, preparing baby's father for the role of primary labor support following the model established by Dr. Robert Bradley, author of Husband-Coached Childbirth and also presented in Natural Childbirth the Bradley Way by Susan McCutcheon and Erick Ingraham. We have had hundreds of satisfied parents that have taken our classes and recommend us to their friends and family.

We serve the tri-state area (CT, NY, MA) and beyond with live, interactive broadcasting via Zoom and other current technologies. We also teach at an office in Fairfield and from in private homes when possible.


Instructor Profile

George and Nancy reside in southwestern CT, and are parents of four grown children whom were all birthed with out pain medications. Nancy learned about natural childbirth in high school, when a friend loaned her a paperback book, The Immaculate Deception. Soon after while attending college, she was preparing for a report on the role of the expectant father in childbirth. Her primary resource was a book, Husband-Coached Childbirth by Dr. Robert Bradley, known as the "father of fathers." The book was so practical and insightful compared to other resources she had studied, that she determined when the time came for her to start a family, it would be "the Bradley way." Thanks to George and Dr. Bradley, George and Nancy confidently succeeded in having four exciting, memorable, healthy pregnancies and surprisingly manageable birth experiences without need for pain medications.

George and Nancy are certified instructors of the Bradley Method® of natural childbirth since 2009. Previously, Nancy worked as a registered nurse at DePaul Hospital, Norfolk, VA and also as a private duty nurse in the Tidewater area. In southeastern Connecticut, she was a volunteer lactation counselor and co-leader for Shoreline Nursing Mothers Group as well as a private duty nurse. She has a BSN degree from University of Bridgeport. She currently is a direct support for a mentally challenged client and for extended family. George is a graduate of Regent University of the State of New York with a BS in technology and works as a manager in the fuel cell industry. He is also a Veteran of the U.S. Navy and active in IEEE as a member and regional leader. They both have had teaching roles professionally and personally over the years.

George and Nancy enjoy sailing, travel and spending time with their family including four grandchildren whom were birthed using the Bradley Method.


Contact Information

Most students contact Nancy via email and she typically responds within a workday. You may also call and leave a message including your name and due month or date and any initial questions you have. We can send a general info email that answers many questions about our classes. Please provide your due date, location traveling from and evenings or weekend times you are available for classes. Though our schedule is usually occupied by group classes, If you have an irregular schedule and our schedule permits, you may take private lessons by appointment.

Telephone
H&W: 203.924.9395
Postal address
[Address available upon request]
Email
General Information: optimalchildbirth@att.net
Webmaster: optimalchildbirth@att.net

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* DISCLAIMER: This website is for informational purposes only and is not medical advice.
Please consult with a qualified health care provider regarding your specific needs and concerns.

This web site contains information about our classes available in greater Fairfield and greater New Haven Connecticut
and is not the official website of The Bradley Method®
The views contained on this web site do not necessarily reflect those of The Bradley Method®
or the American Academy of Husband-Coached Childbirth®.

Copyright © 2020 Optimal Childbirth
Last modified: 09/30/2020