Giving birth to a child, without any doubt, is the most significant phase of a woman’s life. Delivery also rolls in with difficulties and complications. To facilitate the pain and complications the easiest method that may ever come to your mind maybe opting for a C-section which is considered “easier and safer”. Do you know that an unnecessary C-section invites more harm for you (and maybe for your baby) in the future? Without getting into a debate here, we’d just say that C-section is NOT the way God intended childbirth to take place, though its increased prevalence is a matter of concern.
Here come the importance of the Lamaze method of childbirth which is used by one-fourth of all mothers and most popular among the childbirth methods.

What Is Lamaze Method Of Childbirth?

Fernand Lamaze was a French obstetrician who popularized psycho prophylaxis, which is a method of childbirth preparation and pain management around the 60’s of 20th century in the United States. This child birth classes take the name from him and have become the most widely known childbirth classes taught all over the world. Lamaze method also attains its popularity in India as this method helps to manage the delivery pain without any involvement of drugs.

What Is Emphasized In A Lamaze Class?

• The class emphasis that the labor should start by itself rather than by inducing
• Special importance is given to rhythmic breathing in the Lamaze classes. The foremost aim of this special breathing technique is to shift the pregnant woman’s focus from the pain
• It will also teach how, where and when to apply cold and warm compresses to ease the discomfort during delivery
• The class also will teach how to benefit from massage, walking, changing the positions during delivery, and hydrotherapy to ease the pain and to cope with the labor and delivery in a very comfortable manner
• It will not also encourage the mother to lie down on her back during delivery
• The labor partner will also get coaching on how to encourage and support the woman undergoing labor pain. The class will provide the labor partner particulars on:
  • Possible complications that may arise during delivery
  • How to effectively and efficiently communicate with the hospital staff if some emergencies set in
• The class also provides tips for interacting with the baby and most significantly tips for breastfeeding

When Should I Take Lamaze Classes?

You can start to take Lamaze classes anytime you wish after the first trimester. It is also recommended to skip the last two months, as you may feel difficulty in enjoying and learning the class towards the end of the pregnancy. Moreover, if you take the course as early as possible, your muscle could attain firmness earlier. Most of the women are found to attend the Lamaze classes around the seventh month.

What Is The Duration Of A Lamaze Class?

14 hours is the optimum duration of the Lamaze class including six or seven classes each with a duration of 1 ½ to 2 hours. There will be several other options also from which you can select one that suits you. The classes will generally be conducted over the period of 5 to 7 weeks. Only a limited number of couples are included per session.

What Are The Highlights Of Lamaze Class?

The purpose of Lamaze classes is to help a pregnant woman to acquire faith in her body’s ability to give birth naturally by teaching her how to react or cope with the labor pain with least suffering.
A Lamaze class covers a range of possible issues concerning labor and delivery.

• Using the controlled and focused breathing techniques the Lamaze class will initiate the relaxation of the mother
• Using the videos of real birth and normal labor Lamaze class eliminates the fear factor from the mother’s mind
• Meeting the fellow couples and exchanging experiences will help in providing extra information regarding some doubts or worries that may come into your mind now and then
• The breathing procedure helps the mother to take her mind away from the labor pain by paying attention solely to the repeating pattern of breathing

Finding the merits and demerits before practicing something is very important especially when you are pregnant. Lamaze method, though accepted worldwide has some disadvantages too.

What Are The Advantages Of Lamaze Methods?

• The psychological counseling that included in the Lamaze childbirth class will help in avoiding unnecessary tension
• Involving the partners (more often husbands) in the class helps the women to attain an emotional support not only during the class but also the presence of the well learned (regarding the delivery) partner during the delivery helps to have more control over the birthing process
• As the class taught the women to cope up with the pain, fear and anxiety she will be able to face the delivery more confidently
• More often the Lamaze method will not rely on the pain killers or epidural, which can be stated as the most important advantage

What Are The Disadvantages Of Lamaze Methods?

• Lamaze method demands a lots of endurance and execution on the part of the pregnant woman, which all pregnant women may not be capable of
• As the advantage of the birth classes is more because of conceptual reason than the bodily cause, the effect of Lamaze method on pain can be very little. The breathing technique, though, is able to reduce the effect of the pain cannot eradicate the pain altogether. After all, logically thinking, it is the natural share of birth
• Even though some hospitals (very few) offer this class at no-cost, most of the hospitals charge Lamaze classes which are not wallet friendly for many couples

How Can I Get Information Or Find A Lamaze Class Near Me If I Wish To Attend?

Always attend the certified Lamaze class for getting the best result. You can visit https://www.lamaze.org/ which is the international website of Lamaze which can provide you all the particulars required.
Another thing that you should keep in mind that, as we can expect for an unexpected development during delivery, the final decision regarding the delivery (depending on your health condition) definitely belongs to your doctor. So never resist your doctor’s plan if he think you are in need of some medication to eradicate the pain at a particular point during delivery. Lamaze method is not inveighed against medication if essential. Read more on Labour and Childbirth in our section here