Product: Laugh and Learn About Childbirth - Lamaze and Beyond (2003)
Rating: 4.0
Not quite everything I was hoping for
I've always enjoyed Amazon.com's service and will continue to purchase items from the webpage. I'm sad that this last product I purchased wasn't enough for what I wanted. I will start with the positives, first, though. I liked the straight forwardness of the information being given on this DVD. I liked the setting with the different couples. I liked the visual aides and explanations of what to expect for labor and delivery. What I could have done without is the sometimes too much information about how amniotic fluid smells or comments about bodily functions that are not really relevant to pushing a baby out.Now, my purpose for even purchasing the DVD in the first place was to learn the lingo that nurses and doctors throw around when tending to someone in labor, like +2 station and 75% effaced. This gets explained beautifully in the DVD. I wish there had been more explanation of breathing techniques, however, or more demonstrating of them being used in actual labor as I couldn't realistically see the benfit of them. You're gonna breathe hard during labor anyway. I have had six children already and am on my seventh, but only had the sixth one of my kids pushed out without drugs, only because my labor was so fast. By the time I got to the hospital, I had progressed in my labor far enough that my doctor did not arrive in time to deliver my baby. I had no idea I was ready to push upon arriving at the hospital because I always went to the hospital at the very beginning of labor and then got an epidural to take care of pain the rest of labor and delivery, so I never knew what my body was really going through since the epidural blocks ALL sensations of the lower half of your body.This DVD supplies very basic information on labor and delivery. It's good information, but basic. I'm glad it was only $40. I believe one needs as much information as one can possibly get concerning childbirth. I had no idea going without drugs during labor and delivery was so much better than with them. The recovery to get over the drugs in the body is not very fun when you really are trying to enjoy your baby but are so doped up that you hand your baby off to your spouse to sleep off the drugs. No good. I am happy I purchased the DVD and have the information but, I just want to say, if you're having your first baby, get into a setting you can ask questions or ask others about their experience. This DVD doesn't supply everything you need to know like the new pushing method presented seemed like it took a heck of a lot longer to push out your baby than the more direct pushing method you see on TV programs. I wish the DVD explained why the new way was better more.I have learned that one will always learn something new everytime one has a baby. It's inevitable, believe me. This was a nice starter program, but make sure you do get all your questions answered before you are in the middle of labor, is my opinion after viewing this DVD.