Understanding the need to be prepared, you have likely decided that you need to attend some type of childbirth class. While the sky is the limit on types and styles of natural childbirth, we have outlined a few of the most popular methods below:

• Lamaze - The Lamaze Technique is a prepared childbirth technique developed in the 1940s by French obstetrician Dr. Fernand Lamaze. It was developed as an alternative to the use of medical intervention during childbirth. Dr. Lamaze was influenced by Soviet childbirth practices, which involved breathing and relaxation techniques under the supervision of a "monitrice," or midwife. The Lamaze method gained popularity in the United States after Marjorie Karmel wrote about her experiences in her 1959 book Thank You, Dr. Lamaze.
• The Bradley® Method - teaches women that having a loving supportive coach will allow them to experience natural unmedicated birth. It is a system that teaches self-awareness, learning to turn the stress of labor into the motivating factor of childbirth. It encourages mothers to trust their bodies and to deal with pain through breathing, relaxation, excercise, nutrition, and education.
• Hypnosis - Using hypnosis induces a relaxed state that, in theory, will lead to less tension and pain during childbirth. Many people who use hypnosis during labor report a pain free birth.
• Water Birth - Water birth is a method of giving birth, which involves immersion in warm water. Some believe that this method is safe and provides many benefits for both mother and infant, including pain relief and a less traumatic birth experience for the baby.