Think about what you would do if you had a painful headache. With this in mind, Dr. Robert Bradley designed a program of relaxation and education to teach women how to relax completely in labor, so that they can give birth comfortably without medical intervention.
Many women are under the impression that high technology is necessary for a good birth outcome.
On the contrary, much routine intervention benefits neither the mother nor the baby. Instead, unnecessary interference can be distracting and disruptive to the birth process, interfering with relaxation and actually increasing rather than reducing the risk of obstetrical complications. With good preparation and education, most women find that such interference is neither needed nor wanted, and that following the natural birth process is the most efficient and satisfying way to have a baby. A thoroughly prepared coach knows what to expect in labor and is therefore better able to facilitate the laboring woman's ability to birth normally. The presence of an effective labor coach not only reduces the need for medical interference, but also increases the couple's satisfaction with their birth experience.