McCutcheon - Natural Childbirth the Bradley Way

S USANM C C UTCHEON is an award-winning science educator, named to the Association of Science-Technology Centers Honor Roll of Teachers for her exemplary collaboration with the Bishop Museum in Hawaii, to significantly improve the quality of science education.

Her degree is in chemistry. She taught physics and chemistry for ten years in Honolulu and was selected to present a workshop at the National Science Teachers Association Conference on her successful strategies for teaching science. Following that, the editor of Learning Magazine engaged Susan to write an article disseminating her ideas to many more teachers around the country.

The governor of Hawaii appointed her to serve a two-year term on the Hawaii State Health Plan Development Committee and then the Hawaii State Regionalization of Perinatal Care Committee.

She is a Certified Childbirth Educator, having studied directly under Dr. Robert Bradley in his very first teacher training, and has been teaching the Bradley Method for fifty years, teaching thousands of couples, and is a conference speaker and instructor at teacher training workshops across the United States.

She is currently teaching the Bradley Method in Portland, Maine, and is also an active Certified Doula and has personally supported hundreds of women in labor.

Shes had three natural births herself, using what she teaches others: the incredibly effective Bradley Method techniques.

S PECIAL THANKS to my agent, Heide Lange; editor Nina Shield; fellow Bradley instructor Theresa Zawalski; all of whom greatly contributed to the production of this book.

Praise for Natural Childbirth the Bradley Way

The Bradley Method is the best and the safest approach to childbirth possible. Its high level of success speaks for itself: 80 to 90 percent totally unmedicated, natural birth. This book fills a great unmet need.... It will help countless families to have healthier babies.

David Steward, PhD, executive director, NAPSAC

Informative and immensely practical... an important contribution to the childbearing literature.

Marian Tompson, cofounder, La Leche League

On the cutting edge of childbirth reform... overall the book is a splendid account of the natural-childbirth process.

From Birth Journal , by Margot Edwards, RN, MA

Every pregnant couple should study this book!

Tom Brewer, MD, chairman, Nutrition Action Group, coauthor, Brewer Medical Diet for Normal and High-Risk Pregnancy

I highly recommend this book for preparing couples for totally natural, unmedicated birth by the Bradley Method.

Robert A. Bradley, MD

PLUME

An imprint of Penguin Random House LLC

375 Hudson Street

New York, New York 10014

Originally published in a Dutton paperback edition.

First Plume Printing, 1984

First Plume Printing, revised edition, May 1996

First Plume Printing, revised edition, June 2017

Copyright 1984 Susan McCutcheon-Rosegg and Peter Rosegg. Copyright 1996 Susan McCutcheon. Copyright 2017 Susan McCutcheon.

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Ebook ISBN: 9780735220263

Illustrations by Erick Ingraham and Robin Yoko Burningham

THE BRADLEY METHOD is the trademark of the American Academy of Husband-Coached Childbirth and is registered in the United States Patent Office. Only those teachers currently affiliated with the Academy may teach the Bradley Method or use the term Bradley in connection with childbirth education.

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THIS BOOK IS DEDICATED TO MY CHILDREN, BRIAN, ROBIN, AND POLLY .

TO BRIAN , whose labor taught me patience and the depths of concentration attainable during a hard first labor.

TO ROBIN , whose birth taught me the sweetness of an easy labor and the power and rewards of selecting a supportive environment.

TO POLLY , whose hard labor taught me not to anticipate what any labor will be like (each is a new experience and takes its own pattern and shape), and whose birth at home made this, although my hardest labor, my best birth.

IT IS ALSO DEDICATED :

TO DR. WES SOKOLOSKY , who, bringing along his best smile, kindly attended my home birth of Polly, and who had the uncommon wisdom to do nothing when nothing was called for.

TO THE THOUSANDS OF COUPLES I HAVE HAD THE PRIVILEGE TO TEACH , many of whom allowed me to be present during their labors and births and who in turn taught me through the generous sharing of their experiences.

AND FINALLY TO WOMEN WHO HAVE HAD THE COURAGE TO SPEAK OUT AND PRESS FOR CHANGES IN CHILDBIRTH: Lester Hazell, Doris Haire, Suzanne Arms, Nancy Wainer Cohen, Lois J. Estner, Gail Sforza Brewer, Marjie Hathaway, Ina Mae Gaskin, and, of course, all the Bradley teachers.

S USAN M C C UTCHEON