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Natural Childbirth the Bradley Way  By  cover art

Natural Childbirth the Bradley Way

By: Susan McCutcheon,Robert A. Bradley - introduction
Narrated by: Eliza Foss
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Publisher's summary

The classic guide to an unmedicated childbirth, fully revised for the 21st century with updated information.

For women birthing vaginally, 90 percent of Bradley births are drug-free!

The Bradley Method, used and praised by women for almost 70 years, prepares you for drug and surgery-free childbirth and puts you in control by providing the tools to navigate evidence-based care. Certified childbirth educator Susan McCutcheon, one of Dr. Bradley's first students, now makes this natural approach to childbirth more accessible than ever. You will learn:

  • Exercises and nutrition to get your body ready for birthing
  • To defuse fear by understanding all aspects of laboring
  • How to involve your partner as a birth coach and a fully engaged participant
  • What's driving the induction epidemic and how to avoid an unnecessary induction
  • What's driving the cesarean surgery epidemic and how to reduce your risk
  • How to get the information you need to make informed decisions about your birth

Includes a bonus PDF with images.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.

©2017 Susan McCutcheon (P)2018 Penguin Audio

Critic reviews

“Instead of distracting yourself from the birth process… you are fully mindful and wholly engaged during Bradley’s method of natural childbirth.” (Natural Life)

“Robert Bradley put power in patients’ hands, reducing the number of Caesarean sections and episiotomies he performed and playing up natural ways of making childbirth less painful.” (Slate)

“The Bradley Method’s simple objective, through relaxation, breathing, and visualization, is a birth free of the interventions frequently offered to women in the different stages of childbirth: fetal monitors, drug-induced labor, anesthesia, episiotomy, and Caesarean section. [Its] other defining feature, the husband’s active participation in the delivery, is critical to this overall goal of an intervention-free birth.” (Mothering)

What listeners say about Natural Childbirth the Bradley Way

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Addressing others who say this book is biased

For those who say this book is biased:

The point of this book is for individuals like me who want to be educated about natural birth. The comments on how this book is biased are a bit confusing to me as the whole reason natural mothers feel the need to stick up for our wants is because of the biased information that was pushed for the past 20 or more years for profit. Please understand the need for a book like this and if you want unbiased information, you should read as many books as you can from all sides, then make your own judgment call. This is the only way to do it as these books are not meant to overrule the needs of you, your baby, and what your ideal birth looks like. Please remember not too long ago where the medical community demonized midwives as witches and spent money on advertisements that conveyed that only poor, low-class citizens gave birth outside of the hospitals. In reality, our bodies were made to do this. Unless you have a high-risk pregnancy, there really is no NEED to have an expensive hospital birth on your back (which increases your chances of ripping btw). I personally love this book because I knew I didn’t want to bring my baby into the world in a place that have germs that I might not have antibodies against! My baby is only immune to the germs I have antibodies against and, in my opinion, why risk it?

I love this book and all the information shared. It made me feel much better about working towards a natural birth. If you are on the search for a great natural birth book that will walk you through the stages and give you the confidence needed to decide on natural birth... this is the book that did it for me!

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19 people found this helpful

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An absolute MUST listen!!

I recommend this book to everyone having babies or helping women having babies. I have read this book twice but hearing it read to me was even better! The narrator has is perfect ! The information is on point and amazingly detailed. I’ve had 3 Bradley Births all a little different but all the same in the aspect of watching for and understanding the stages! I could go but all you need to know is this book is “Gold”!! If you know anyone who helps with moms having babies make sure you give them this book!!! I have been in a delivery room 3 times and not one nurse or technician knew anything about birthing naturally. I’m not trying to be mean just prepare yourself with this complete book of information for you!!

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6 people found this helpful

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About 5 hours too long

Basically the same info over and over. Could have shorten this into about a quarter of the time. Awful voice. Condescending author. So many better books about mindful and natural birth.

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Good pain mgt advice; condescending tone; scare tactics

The only thing I found useful about this book was the pain management techniques and delivery coaching. The writer’s tone — which was enhanced by the narrator, is condescending and lands firmly on the side of preaching that OBs are ignorant. Research is taken from 1-2 sources at best. Uses scare and shame tactics to convince you to view decision-making their way. DO use this book for coaching and pain mgt practice and planning. A better choice for conversations and decisions with your OB/midwife about prenatal care and delivery is Expecting Better by Emily Ostrum. That book is highly researched and assumes you are smart enough to make your own calls based on the data.

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Biased

The content is very biased. I started listening to learn about the Bradley method but felt uneasy hearing negative comments about a medicated birth. The reader’s voice also sounds a bit judgmental, but overall there were a few useful tips for exercises and tips for your birth coach.

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really helpful for first pregnancy

this book really helped me to be more informed and ask better questions to my doctor. I did not use the Bradley method Bc I learned about it too late but this is worth listening to. I did not know how to find the references that accompanied the book

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Not useful

Very condescending tone and context. Kept fast forwarding to get to something useful. I would not recommend this to anyone.

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Just OK

First several chapters only helpful if you are Very early on in pregnancy

Ch 13 in audiobook is first that Actually discusses preparing for childbirth

The chapters of techniques to help with an unmedicated birth is very thorough in explaining their method, almost like attending a class. But also presented as "this is the only good method"

Not a great resource for women who don't have a supportive partner, willing to also read this book, to be a "coach" during labor

Very negative view of Drs, hospitals, and all use of pain meds. Chapters after the birth techniques especially have a condescending & self righteous tone

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Negative and judgey

This book is pretty negative and judgey. Like I’m all for laying out truths and that you have to watch out for some people’s incentives, but the first ~10 chapters of this book are unnecessarily negative that I just stopped listening.

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A must read for every pregnant woman!

I wonder if the people who rated this less than 5 stars are women who are either 1st timers or women VERY involved, trusting in the medical system... maybe even work in the medical field.

I did not find this book condescending to doctors in any way. As a matter of fact, what she wrote in this book actually softened my heart towards them.

With that being said, I am a mother of many children (9) to be exact... And I am still educating myself on birthing as I'm approaching the delivery of my 9th child. I wish I read this book with my 1st child, who was delivered via Cesarean. The warnings she gives in this book are 100% NECESSARY! Just as some claim she is "fear mongering" obgs do the SAME THING! I remember leaving 2 OBs that sent me home crying worried about the dangers I was potentially putting my child in. They never gave me percentages like this author does, I had to look them up myself. After doing so those people were WRONG for making me feel the way I did.
Anyway back to the book it is fantastic!! I will have my daughters read it when they start having children. I may even start purchasing it for anyone I know that finds themselves pregnant. Even if you don't have a supportive partner the information found in this book is still very useful. Take the the good, and forget what isn't useful to you.

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