Lamaze Method of Childbirth

Among your options to give birth, the Lamaze method is a natural childbirth technique, developed by French Obstetrician Dr. Ferdinand Lamaze in the early 1940s, and used in the United States since 1959. This is an alternative method to the traditional medical intervention in labor, basically influenced by Soviet childbirth practices, a technique commonly taught in childbirth classes nowadays.

Dr. Lamaze observed the breathing and relaxation techniques in pregnant women under the supervision of a monitrice (midwife), focusing on breathing to cope with labor. When Marjorie Karmel wrote a book about her experiences with this technique in the late 1950s, “Thank You, Dr. Lamaze" opened a new option for many women fearing the medical intervention in labor and delivery.

Considered a Pavlovian birthing method, the Lamaze method is the most widely used technique to ease pain and discomfort during labor and delivery, with the aid of mind distracting by using imagery, focusing, visualization, movement or touch along with breathing to relief the pain, promoting the inner wisdom of self-control.

You can work with the labor process using Lamaze techniques to reduce your pre-partum pain, as well as the childbirth pain. During delivery, Lamaze method works in conjunction with hot and cold packs placed on your lower abdomen and changing positions, to remain in a more natural upright position.

Today, Lamaze International is an organization envisioning a world of confident women choosing a normal birth. This organization offers orientation to mothers-to-be, their partners and family, but also prepares educators that teach Lamaze techniques worldwide, as well as information services for the health care professional.

Pregnant women are taught in several coping strategies, apart from breathing, all of them toward the same goal; help them to "learn how to respond to pain in ways that both facilitate labor and increase comfort". Achieving this is easy with self-knowledge, physical exertion, breathing lessons, and relaxation and envision techniques.

Learning how to distract yourself from discomfort and pain with rhythmic patterns of breathing, keeping your mind not focused on the pain, and focusing on breathing during labor, delivery is also easier, particularly with professional support at this stage and the help of your partner, who is educated to be encouraging and supportive during the process.

Lamaze classes are intended for couples and consist of at least 12 hours to receive video instruction on normal labor, delivery, and early the postpartum period, with breathing and relaxation techniques, including natural pain relief strategies, such as walking, position changes, massage and hydrotherapy, breastfeeding and early interaction with your baby.