Typically, people hear the word "Lamaze" and immediately think of childbirth, especially since it was frequently referenced in late 80's and 90's sitcoms. Not jogging your memory? Maybe the "hee-hee-ho" breathing will trigger the recollection, or perhaps you are just too young, and I am old. Either way, Lamaze has been around for a long time, since the 1960s, and is pretty well known amongst the birthing community. Although Lamaze classes are much less common than they used to be, many of the more mainstream birthing preparation courses use techniques first taught in Lamaze.
What Is Lamaze?
The main idea behind the Lamaze method was to teach birthing individuals that childbirth is natural, regular, and safe and that most interventions are unnecessary unless medically indicated. That said, here are some of the fundamental keystones of the Lamaze method. First, the Lamaze method teaches that labor should begin on its own unless medically indicated that induction is needed. It is true that labor that starts on its own tends to go more smoothly and requires fewer interventions than induced labor.
Birthing Positions
Another critical teaching of the Lamaze method is that birthing on one's back should be discouraged. Instead, the birthing individual should be encouraged to walk around, move, and change positions frequently throughout labor. Although I disagree with discouraging any position that feels right to the person giving birth, I do agree with the fact that forcing someone to give birth on their back is a horrible idea. Movement can be beneficial for working through the discomforts of labor and getting a baby into a more optimal position. I typically encourage some movement change every hour or so. Still, the individuals birthing in my care usually do this simply by listening to their bodies and intuition.
Having a Support System
Lamaze is a big proponent of the birthing parent having some support system at birth. Be it their mom or sister, spouse, partner, or a doula, it is important to have a team who can help you by offering physical, mental, and emotional support throughout the entire process. Doulas are actually scientifically proven to decrease the number of interventions and the potential for trauma. I highly recommend getting yourself a doula, and I had one at every single one of my births.
Being Aware of Interventions
Lamaze also teaches about unnecessary interventions, and you will typically be taught about the cascade of interventions that can occur during childbirth in your education courses today. It is the idea that interventions usually start slow and eventually cascade one into the other as they do things to the body, requiring different medications and interventions. I think anyone considering an intervention must be given a complete picture of the possible risks, benefits, and alternatives to each intervention to make a truly informed choice about their birthing time.
Trusting the Process
Unlike how pushing is taught in a hospital setting, Lamaze believes that birthing parents should follow their body's urges when it comes to pushing and trust their process in bringing their baby earth side. This is all well and great and typically what occurs when someone does not have an epidural, but once an epidural is in place, it is expected that a birthing parent will need coached pushing because they don't always feel the sensations as they would without an epidural. Even at home, we have moments where a first-time birthing parent needs us to help coach them through pushing and figuring out how to work with their body and not against it. I find it beneficial to sit on my hands while a parent begins to push and only step in if things are going abnormally longer than expected or if we get abnormal vitals on the parent or baby. This ensures that if someone is meant to have a hands-off pushing experience, they will; if not, they can slowly ease into the idea of getting support and help through this process from their midwives.
Bonding with Your Newborn
Lastly, Lamaze prioritizes a focus on bonding with your newborn, specifically in the first few hours after delivery. Skin-to-skin time and snuggles are great ways to encourage nursing and proper bonding between the parents and their baby. We love to prioritize getting that golden hour snuggle session, and hospitals are also improving at prioritizing this time. There has been a big push to have more babies in the hospital room rather than at the nursery, and it comes down to the knowledge that bonding and togetherness in these first few days and weeks help ensure the newborn's survival and promote nursing.
The Lamaze Classes
If you take an actual Lamaze course, you will find that it has about 12 hours of instruction and that the instructors prioritize keeping the class size small. And even if you don't take an actual Lamaze course, it is fun to keep track of these beliefs that come from the Lamaze courses and have evolved into other classes.
Whatever course you take, I highly recommend taking one before your birth, especially if this is your first time. As I always tell my clients, you do not know what you do not know. These courses provide the information needed to ask the right questions, make informed decisions, and learn more about what to expect from childbirth. Do your research and choose a course that most aligns with you and your needs during this pregnancy; it will pay off and leave you feeling more confident than you initially felt going into the course.
