I'm not much of an athelete, but I love a good bike ride. I like the analogy
of a tough uphill bike ride to describe birth.  For me, giving birth is like
riding your bike up a very steep hill. You work and work to climb the hill.
You aren't sure how much further you have to go. The fear that you are not
strong enough to reach the top makes drugs or an epidural sound pretty good.
If you are lucky enough to have a supportive person remind you how close you
are to the top, you get through it. Then the baby is born and your hormones
take you on the best downhill bike ride of your life. You fly down the hill
with the sun on your face and the wind in your hair. There are no words to
describe the feelings of accomplishment and joy.

Too many women are afraid of the idea of pain and have no idea that they are
missing that downhill ride. I also think that many watered down versions of
"Lamaze" classes too often simply describe the technology women will
encounter. You hear "A Natural childbirth is best, but......" It sounds a lot
like token breastfeeding information to me. I think a lot of women are set up
to fail when they unrealisticly expect an ideal situation without being given
the tools that will actually help them get up that hill when things get
rough.

I took "Lamaze" with my first child and Bradley with my second. I felt that
the Lamaze was not at all helpful and actually seemed to validate the
wonderfulness of a medicalized birth. They barely mentioned breastfeeding. I
know that not all Lamaze classes and teachers are the same, but I hear the
same thing from a lot of women. I think the mainstream childbirth classes
often contribute to the overuse of technology. They are often too tied to the
medical establishment and have a watered down version of  "Natural". They are
afraid of making women "feel guilty" if they use drugs and technology during
labor (sound familiar?). "Natural" childbirth has come to mean - "not a
C-section". I guess I flunked Lamaze because I had a C-section (footling
Breech at 36 weeks - not enough amniotic fluid to turn him).

My husband and I felt that Bradley was a lot more informative and honest. We
gained a fuller understanding of the birth process, a good background in the
consequences of snowballing interventions, specific nutritional guidance,
help with a birth plan, and a stong recommendation for AN EXPERIENCED DOULA.
Empowerment and confidence evolved throughout my pregnancy.  "Normal"
childbirth is a lot of work! It is extremely sexual and powerful. My Doula
was there to help me go into my pain/discomfort/fear and into myself. I think
Linda Smith is right in saying that people are very uncomfortable with the
sexual power of birth and the idea of "pain". I made sounds during my labor
that I didn't know were possible. I went to a dark mysterious part of myself
that I never knew existed. What a fantastic experience! The thing that most
amazed me was the fact that I really did forget all of the pain as soon as
Hannah was born. I went from being incredibly focused and "far away" to being
"YAHOOO!! That was great!" in an instant. My husband is still impressed (even
though he got uncontrollably giggly at one point from the intensity of the
experience).

People who insist on drugs and epidurals seem to emphasize how much pain they
had - how awful the birth was. People I know who got to fully experience
their births in a supportive environment seem to emphasize the "ride down the
hill" and the joy of the experience.  Drug free labor has nothing to do with
masochism. Dealing with the consequences of "better living through chemistry"
seems a lot worse. There are a few childbirth classes that really do empower
women - not many, but a few.

Marie of WI LLLL & MOM