When my younger daughter was about 9 weeks old, (over 4 years ago) I was invited by a friend in the Mom's Group I was attending at the time to a "Celebrating Women and Daughter's Conference." There were probably about 30-40 other women there and we talked and learned together about God's beautiful design in how He made females. I learned such fresh and positive perspectives on menstruation, pregnancy and menopause - three events in women's lives that can be embraced and celebrated, but often times, painted in a negative context by our culture. A seed was planted in my heart that weekend... a desire to serve as a doula. Over the years, that seed would grow and grow. Now I feel my heart is blooming with joy as I journey on this doula path!
Upon my training in November, I entered into a doula certification program. One of the requirements for certification is to attend childbirth classes. I started my class search and had several options from classes at hospitals to health clubs to homes. I wanted to attend a class that offered a positive, natural, and thorough perspective on birth, and the Bradley Method fit that role. So this summer I am driving to the city every Monday night to The Center Portion on Fullerton. There I am by surrounded couples who desire to take an active role in their pregnancy and birth. It is so cute to see their growing bellies as they walk in each week. I sit by some other doulas-in-training and we get to share our excitement over this wonderful work. And the neatest thing about it all is that the Bradley Instructor is Julie Parache, a friend whom I met at the the Celebrating Women and Daughters conference over 4 years ago!
I am learning a load of helpful information, and wish I took this class during my pregnancies. I would recommend the Bradley Method to any client and especially Julie's class. For those of us out in the suburbs, the drive to the city is not that bad and you can throw in dinner on the way to make it a date night.
For those of your pregnant mommas, I would also recommend you check out the Brewer Diet, a diet supported by the Bradley Method, and known to help women stay low-risk and "prevent and in some cases even reverse a host of common complications of pregnancy, including toxemia, low birth weight, prematurity, and preterm labor." (quotation from Dr. Brewer's website)
More learning adventures to come...
