Almost every day someone asks me to explain the “difference between Lamaze and Prepared Childbirth Education classes”. Let’s start with Lamaze.

Dr. Ferdinand Lamaze developed his technique to encourage mothers to look outside her body-to a focus point to cope with the pain associated with childbirth. This new method got its start in 1960 and was referred to as “Psychoprophylaxis” method. In the last forty years Lamaze has become more of a philosophy which acknowledges women’s inherent ability to birth their babies by exploring many different ways to find strength and comfort in labor. You can find more information about Lamaze by visiting www.Lamaze-childbirth.com.

The Prepared Childbirth Education Class at Birth and Beyond teaches parents to understand the mechanics of childbirth. This includes the stages of labor, internal and external monitoring, vaginal birth and Cesareans. We will use relaxation methods, message techniques and birth ball postures and floor exercises to help ease the discomfort of labor and birth. Additionally we will fully explore the options for pain relief in labor.

Although we encourage as little intervention as possible in first stage labor, we must acknowledge that there are obstetricians who practice a more “hands on” approach to labor, i.e., early induction, rupture of membranes to induce labor and internal monitoring. The Prepared Childbirth Education Class is designed to help parents to navigate their way through these procedures. There are many studies done all over the world which indicate that a more managed labor can expedite the labor process and decrease the number of cesareans. There are also so many studies that dispute these findings and encourage a more “hands off approach”. This is something that each new parent to be must discuss with her own physicians prior to labor. I hope these explanations help you make your way through this exciting time!

Liz