Husband-Coached Childbirth: The Bradley Method of Natural Childbirth

by Robert A. Bradley, Marjie Hathaway (Revised by), Jay Hathaway (Revised by)

Now completely revised and updated for today's parents-to-be...

The book that started a revolution in the birthing experience and helped millions of women and their partners to a safe and natural childbirth.

The Bradley Method has changed the way men and women—and the medical establishment—think about childbirth today. Now this new, updated edition of the groundbreaking work by Robert A. Bradley, M.D., has all the information you need to approach a natural childbirth safely, confidently, and wisely. From the reasons to choose the Bradley Method to the steps you will take as your birth day approaches—and after the birth of your baby—this book is designed to help couples share completely in the birthing experience.

•Build better, deeper, and more trusting communication skills with your partner in preparation for a drug-free childbirth

•Learn the physical, emotional, and mental relaxation techniques essential to a natural childbirth

•Discover how you and your doctor can work together toward your natural delivery

•Monitor your weight, nutrition, and your overall well-being during pregnancy

•Use natural prevention methods for the most common pregnancy problems

•Get the most out of the bonding experience you will share with your baby and your partner

With its time-tested wisdom, medical soundness, and reassuring first-person accounts of natural childbirth, this book is the “gold standard” of childbirth books. The Bradley Method is an essential guide for anyone considering childbirth without unnecessary medications or medical intervention and to share fully in your child’s arrival into the world.

Genres: Parenting, Nonfiction, Health, Family, Self Help, Science, Reference

384 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1974

Reviews

[Brad · Rating 1 out of 5]

First let me say that I believe in the Bradley method as a practice for birthing babies. Erika and I took the course for our twins; it proved to be a wonderful experience, and excellent training for vaginal birth (at least we imagine it is since we are still waiting for our first vaginal birth. Fingers crossed for this pregnancy).

So I walked into my reading of Husband-Coached Childbirth as a member of the team. I didn't need to be convinced to play. I just wanted to brush up on my skills, pick up my training and get ready for the big game. Yet Dr. Robert A. Bradley nearly managed to make me quit the team -- his book is that bad.

There are the little things that become big things with their constant repetition. There is an average of one exclamation point per paragraph (I am guessing here, but I am not exaggerating). 300 hundred pages of exclamation points. 300! It's like being tied to a chair while a hyperactive kid kicks you repeatedly on the shin, singing nonsense songs in a shrill toddler voice without end. It may seem like an odd complaint, but it was truly painful.

Far worse, though, was the book's proselytizing. It's all about conversion, making believers in natural childbirth, and it goes about the conversion with unnecessary roughness. It felt much like reading Dianetics by L. Ron Hubbard (another book with interesting ideas, but weak delivery), but far, far worse. It is filled with attacks on the opposition that are supposed to be proofs of the Bradley method's efficacy. The method itself is presented as a dogma to be followed loyally and spread to every pregnant couple in the world; the dogma even provides "commandments" for pregnancy.

And if all this isn't bad enough, Bradley's '50s view of the world is left intact by the fifth edition updaters Marjie, Jay and James Hathaway. They have no difficulty interjecting their own experiences and stories throughout the book, and they update the medical information well, but when Bradley is busy expanding upon outmoded gender roles and using his maternity and homey, farm-hand experience to convince his readers of the existence of God, they go along merrily.

I hated this book. Seriously hated it, but it speaks highly for the Bradley method of childbirth that I still believe in the training I received, and we are going to have a baby the Bradley way sometime this week.

I wish there was a version of Husband-Coached Childbirth that was written for people already on the team, rather than this piece of recruitment propaganda. I'd have appreciated a work that spoke to me with the respect and focus that our Bradley coach had when she trained us, rather than this pseudo-religious, fallacious drivel. That is a book we could have used.

[Elizabeth Abney · Rating 2 out of 5]

I like the principles of the Bradley method, and this book does a decent job of explaining the basics, but I found many things off-putting. At times Bradley seemed a bit patronizing and the strict gender roles he describes don’t mesh well with 21st century America as I know it. Talk of God and the “lower mammals” may also be irritating to some. There is a 5th edition out now that hopefully addresses some of these issues. My biggest complaint, however, is that the book doesn’t present the entire Bradley method. You have to attend a class given by an official Bradley method instructor to learn the details of the exercises, relaxation techniques, positions and diet at the heart of the Bradley method. Those who don’t have the time and/or resources to take a 12-week class or who aren’t near any certified instructors are just out of luck. So while I really like the method, this book just isn’t worth very much by itself.

Borrowed from the public library.

[Ashley · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'm not sure what to say about this book. The actual child birth method is good. I am going to use it with this child. However, in my opinion, Dr. Bradley is kind of a nutter who is out of touch with reality, and has unreal views and expectations of people. For example, he states that if you use his method your will be pleasant and happy throughout your pregnancy. I don't care who you are and how amazing your method is...I am a cranky, hormonal pregnant woman, and there is nothing you can do to change that. I tried to read the book myself once and it ended up getting thrown across the room. This time my husband has read it, and told me which parts are important for me to read, too. I guess that's how it should be anyway, since it's about husband coaching and all.

[Rachel · Rating 4 out of 5]

NOTE: Definitely read the revised 5th edition (instead of the previous 4th and 3rd), as from what I can see in other reviews the older editions are even more antiquated in overall approach than this one.

THAT SAID, in spite of Dr. Bradley's somewhat old-fashioned approach to male-female relations, this book is a must-read for anyone who is interested in unmedicated, natural, holistic childbirth (and pregnancy). Dr. Robert Bradley, pioneer of husband-coached childbirth and proponent of the presence of fathers in birthing rooms, first brought these ideas to light in a time when most mmothers in labor were strapped to a bed, heavily medicated, and often repeatedly victimized by the medical establishment meant to be looking out for their best interests.

Bradley's approach to natural childbirth is based on the premise that women's bodies are entirely capable of birthing their babies (with the exception only of rare circumstances in which there is a true medical issue), and that with the proper coaching, women can learn the strength and proper practices for donig what nature intended all along. This book outlines those practices, and the steps a mother can take during pregnancy to increase her strength and preparedness, with the intent that more mothers may be able to experience the health and happiness -- for mother and baby -- of a completely unmedicated, natural childbirth experience.

While women of all generations have certainly had successful labors and childbirths in spite of whatever the current trend was, Bradley's approach is perhaps the most fad-free in the sense that he reverts to the time-tested method of natural childbirth, in which the human mother (like any mammalian mother) is able to rely on her instincts and her healthy body to birth a healthy baby without unnecessary interference. I have been told by many that "natural childbirth" ist little more than a "hippie fad," but I do firmly believe that it is the least fad-like of any approach. Bradley's archaic social perspectives may be a bit off-putting, but his ideals about women's innate strength for childbirth are sound.

I will warn readers to take some of Bradley's writing with a grain of salt. He seems to believe that, no matter how primed a mother's body may be, she will not be able to get through the childbirth experience without coaching from her husband. Strong women know that this is not so... although it is nice to have a partner by our sides during labor, even if just to be a comforting presence. Additionally, Bradley sometimes seems to lose himself in his own writing, and the flow of ideas becomes a bit disorienting.

But these matters can perhaps be overlooked in favor of appreciating the great strides that Bradley has made to help mothers experience a pleasanter and healthier childbirth, to the benefit of themselves, their babies, and their families. This book may have become somewhat outdated by other more modern approaches to the same ideals, but it is definitely worth hearing it from the source and reading through Bradley's own words on his pioneering method.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am thankful for the practical information that this book imparted (I read the 3rd edition), giving me confidence that I can in fact tackle the upcoming task of delivering my next baby without medication, but that it it my responsibility to be educated about the process, and that my husband can and should have a more active role than he did during the hospital birth of my first son. I understand why people said that he was sexist and old-fashioned, but not only was this book written 30 years and his practice started in 1947, but I respect his views and appreciate his candor. I sincerely doubt that he would be offensive in person; I feel that he is such an open, honest supporter of women, that he seeks to empower them the best ways he knows how, and that he is an advocate for a true family-centered birth experience. However, I did give it only 4 stars because I felt like the book could have gone into more detail about the actual methods instead of just saying "you should use my methods". If this book were updated again with more specifics on the exercises, and with more options (like birth-center births, attended home births, etc), it would earn all 5 stars from me. A great preparatory book and intro. to this method, though not complete.

[Heather · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was full of very interesting and helpful information - hence the 4 star rating. However, that might be a bit high, because other things about the book really bothered me. He is so antagonistic toward those who use/advocate medication of any kind during pregnancy, and even implies that mothers who use medication during their labor and delivery haven't earned the title of mother! Blah, blah, blah. I've had three babies and used medication every time, and two of the three were fantastic experiences (ALL three were fantastic results, of course!). I am very interested in doing a natural birth this time around, but I think Dr. Bradley is very unwise to be so insulting toward people who do anything but the totally natural approach, because it makes those people less likely to consider his ideas with an open mind. The book was just filled with pokes and jabs at anyone who disagrees with him. Also, constant reminders that he was the first to come up with all this, not all those "Johnny-Come-Lately's" as he calls them. Annoying.

BUT, ignoring all that, I was really fascinated to learn more about what is actually going on during labor and delivery. In fact, it made me wonder how I never learned all this before! I just went in knowing almost nothing about my own body, and just let them all do their thing. I think whether you plan on a hospital or out-of-hospital, medicated or unmedicated birth, you should learn about what is going on! It's just interesting, and great to know. Also, there are so many little things about position, breathing, etc. that are just great to know that you can do to help rather than hinder labor, whether or not you have an epidural.

Altogether very interesting, if you can get past all the arrogant jabs :)


****************Second Reading: I re-read this in preparation for our coming birth, and had a similar impression. GREAT information, but you have to ignore the condescending, arrogant tone. It's good parts are good enough, though, to be worth dealing with the rest.

[Bobby · Rating 2 out of 5]

I read this as a companion to our Bradley classes. Althought there is a lot of helpful information, the arrogant and fairly offensive way Bradley writes was frustrating. Between his comments about hospital nurseries as "concentration camps" and that only those that arrive via natural birth can have real BIRTH-days as opposed to "delivery days", I began to discount the rest of his arguments.

A good editor would have gone a long way to making this a respectable resource.

[Timothy · Rating 4 out of 5]

An excellent book advocating for the father to not only be present at birth but to actually coach His wife through it. Rather than the doctor and nurses taking care of the wife as she labors the husband, the man who knows her the best should assist her throughout the labor.

The book also definitively argues for natural birth. Their is, in fact, a 'Bradley method' of labor that seeks to mimic the labor of perspiring mammals. (Perspiring mammals because it is how humans cool themselves. Some non perspiring mammals pant to cool themselves, which can lead to hyperventilation in a laboring mother.)

The Bradley method employs a 12 week training course to teach couples how the wife can relax, encourage baby to flip, strengthen birthing muscles, and more as well as the husband's role in helping his wife through labor. This book, unfortunately, did not go into depth on these topics.

The book ends with a quote from Doctor Bradley, " A husband should be man enough to finish what he started!"

You do have to watch a for and shun the paganistic worldviews that occasionally surface throughout the book.

Overall, I found the book helpful and informative.

[Lydia Bethay · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was written for husbands on how to guide and coach your wife through unmedicated labor. I was obviously not the target audience, and maybe that’s why I didn’t like the book that much. I didn’t need convincing to have an unmediated birth and to avoid all the medical routines during pregnancy and labor. I didn’t love all the comparisons to women and animals.. that was a little weird and unhelpful.

[Victoria · Rating 3 out of 5]

Definitely outdated, though not due to Oppressive Gender Roles. I just can't imagine that there is a Western hospital now that would bat an eye at a husband in the delivery room. Much of the book was preached at an aged choir. Picked up a few tips for labor prep, relaxation, and back labor. Time will tell how helpful they are.

[Riley Carpenter · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is a big meat and bones book. Lots of meat to eat, lots of bones to spit out. Overall helpful.

I wish I read this during the first trimester. Lots of the advice was only relevant for couples who were planning on practicing these tips throughout the entire pregnancy. Maybe I’ll come back to this one.

[Stephen Carrier · Rating 4 out of 5]

Full of wisdom, so thankful for Dr. Bradley!

[Allyson Smith · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a pretty neat book! I really appreciate the book's focus on husbands being the main support person for their wives during labor and delivery. "Husbands, finish what you started!" as Dr. Bradley would put it. I think that the material covered a lot from pregnancy to labor and delivery to help men feel equipped and prepared to help bring their children into the world the natural way. I would not say it was very informative on The Bradley Method itself. You'd be better off taking the official Bradley classes to learn the method I figure. I liked the "traditional" beliefs of Dr. Bradley being included, like his emphasis on God as creator and the focus on the importance of the family, but some of his beliefs and methods have too much evolutionary influence for me. I would definitely recommend to any expecting father who wants to prepare himself for natural childbirth!

[Annie Bruza · Rating 3 out of 5]

As I’m exploring my different childbirth options, I’ve heard a few people mention The Bradley Method. When I found this book at Half Price Books, I was intrigued. I’ve gotten a few weird glances because of the strangeness of the title, but the emphasis on the husband in this book is due to the fact that it was published in the 1960s, when men were not welcome in the delivery room.

There were some very good things about this book: it provided detailed accounts of how a birth looked while utilizing The Bradley Method as well as providing some helpful and practical tips on how to reduce the risk of needing an epidural, an episiotomy, etc. I also found thoroughly intriguing his constant comparison of man to animal. Growing up on a farm watching animals calmly give birth and talking with his mother about her own home births, he provided insight into the anatomy as well as history of birth itself.

Unfortunately, this book is also deeply flawed. The edition I read was its 5th, updated in 2008. Instead of having consistently updated information, much of the original edition was left untouched, speculation for the future and all, even if there are clear answers now. There were a few instances in reading when I realized that a certain paragraph or subsection must have been an update since it provided more recent citations or a link to a website. Other than that, there was no clear distinction between the original and the updated.

He also was not consistent in his use of citations. Generally when he said something defending natural birth it was backed with a scientific study or journal article, but there were several instances where he made unusual conjectures without any data to prove it, causing me to think it came solely out of his own head.

Finally, when he moved on from discussing childbirth and prenatal care (about 2/3 of the way through), the book loses its gusto. The chapters become choppy and repetitive, filled with even more updates making it tedious to read. The remainder of the book is Bradley expressing the superiority of his method, which is not so much a criticism in itself but this combined with the repetitiveness of the last 11 chapters made for rather dull reading.

The method itself seems to be very rigid; the mother and husband team can only do certain things during each stage of labor, regardless of what feels good to the mother. I think this can be beneficial to certain personalities who feel they need a list of rules to follow, but personally I would like some freedom to explore what feels right in the moment. The lack of flexibility in the program would make me cautious to participate, though this is only a review of the book and not the actual method.

Overall, I deeply enjoyed the first 2/3 of the book. Whatever outdated descriptions of medicated birth there were, I simply read as history, rather than a commentary on modern medicine, and found it fascinating. He also accomplished a great deal, as now a husband is expected to be present in the delivery room and not outside in the waiting room. The book’s emphasis that both human and animal mothers have been giving birth naturally for years was an encouraging and motivating principle.

[Megan Miller · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm glad I read this, though again, I'm not sure it had the impact on me that it may have if I'd read it when it was first written. Much of it is outdated, and Dr. Bradley himself is a pretty old-fashioned person to begin with. (He claims this himself, so it isn't just me saying that.)

There were little pet peeves throughout that really didn't impact the content of the book, so I won't go into them. But they include: saying things like pelvic rocking and squatting "aren't ladylike but are motherly"; using way too many words to say a simple concept; and unnecessary anecdotes.

Oh, another pet peeve is how he talked all the time about "that glass of orange juice the mother and father get after delivery" as if she shouldn't have every right to whatever drink or food she wants during labor. Consider me offended. Lol.

Things content-wise that bothered me: he speaks of God with seeming faith but then also discusses evolution as apparent fact (contradictory and also, false); he speaks positively of episiotomies and recommends them; he is against home births; and I don't agree with the basis of his theory that we should imitate animals in all the aspects of labor. God created man separate from animals - different. We are not the same.

Anyway, there is some good stuff in here. Encouragement for fathers to be involved is really good and important. He discussed a few practical things about pregnancy and birth well, but overall it's pretty mediocre compared to some better resources we have available now. He overexplains and sometimes condescends and often digresses. I also disagree that his two labor positions and one pushing position are superior to All Others. Women are too diverse for that.

All that said! Though I disagree with much and was a bit disappointed in this book, I am thankful for Dr. Bradley and the pioneering that he did in his time. I think the work that he did is part of what paved the way for me to be disappointed in this book now, here in 2022, if that makes sense. Fighting to allow women to make their own decisions, to allow fathers in hospital rooms, to allow women to go home when they want, to allow babies to stay with their mothers after birth instead of being taken away. He fought for these things when they were Not The Norm. And now, many of these things are much more normal and I am so thankful. So anyway. Idk if I recommend or not, but I'm not mad that I read it. I'm glad I skimmed parts of it, though 😂

[Maria Hilliker · Rating 4 out of 5]

Something I loved a LOT was the priority of the husband being an active player in the birth of his child. As someone who hasn’t gone yet through childbirth, it’s hard to see on this side of things how these pieces of advice and instruction will play out. At times the language of this book could be off putting, and a bit fear-mongering. I appreciate the author’s enthusiasm and time and again expertise in practice.

[Lindsay Tecco · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting read though it can come off a little judgy at times. It certainly gave me some things to consider about birth and pregnancy! Also it’s nuts that husbands were not permitted to see the birth in the hospital from like 40s to the late 60s (from what I remember in reading the book) it goes to show what a long way we’ve come in supporting women. I cannot imagine the anxiety and fear in giving birth without my birthing partner present.
Overall I’m sure I’ll consult it again throughout the pregnancy.

[Jakob Schoenike · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing book about the joys of natural childbirth the way God intended it. It was refreshing to see just how important the husband’s role is when the wife is going through the most amazing journey known to man. So excited to utilize all the tools from this book.

[Jennifer Laughlin · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book is trash. No literally, I threw it in the trash. 😅

[Gilbert Burns · Rating 4 out of 5]

Highly informative. The instructions on exercises were confusing at times and would have benefited from a diagram or illustration to better explain them.

[Ryan · Rating 2 out of 5]

A day of school cancelled due to fog and freezing and what do I do? Start on my Bradley training... Snow Days sure aren't were they were 9 years ago...

*********************************************************************

Well, let's see... how to rate/review this thing... As a method, the philosophy makes sense, the advice it has for assisting fathers is good, helpful, and there are tons of great little tidbits throughout, though mostly for the mother: nutrition, exercises, things to expect, hints as ways to lay, pains to prepare for, and stories of the "way things used to be" as reasoning for "the way things should be."

But as a read... Good God... A real slog. I will say that i read nearly every page out of the first 230, but skimmed the last 100 as they were mostly personal anecdotes, repetitive sections, and necessary material for a doctor's book that continual points back to research and studies. Overall, despite the sound philosophy and helpful advice -- and I know it's not literature, but a doctor's instructional book -- I feel like he/they could have got just as much information across while at the same time knocking off 100 pages. There is so much repetition: how many chapters can he keep coming back to Kegel's? How many digressions are needed to describe his personal "moment of genius" as he watched animals as a child on the farm? How many whole paragraphs are needed to remind the father that "you were there to start this whole business; now you need to be there to finish it" and "this is a joyous occasion! Be happy and cherish the late-night runs for ice cream or fruit, the muscle pains, the bed-time exercises, and beautiful changes you two are experiencing." Ok. I get it, Doc. I'm here, I'm assisting, I'm not stupid. But then again, maybe not everyone in the world is as lucky as Kristie to have such an adoring, helpful, assisting, loving, caring, participating (should I go on?) husband.

If anything it was worth it to read this just to get the laugh-out-loud moment once a page when you get to that sentence that gets all obscene and blunt: "The vaginal mucus discharge that you may find on a bathroom towel or pair of underwear in the morning is perfectly normal. Cherish this beautiful, expected, and normal sign of the life growing inside your wife!" What do you think, guys? Make you excited to jump on the baby train? I'm just glad I finished it before my 2-3 snow days come this week. Now on to the Bradley classes when we get to hear this all over again, but with the added bonus of verbalizations and participation with activities!

[Jami · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was interesting to read from a historical perspective. It is horrifying to think of past birthing experiences where women would be tied down and given medication without their consent. Thankfully, this is no longer the reality today in most developed places. Additionally, I found it interesting that Bradley was such a pioneer in changing policies to make husbands' presence acceptable and mainstream in births.

There were great take-aways from this book, like the importance of relaxing into contractions rather than tensing. I found his analogies to farm mammals quite interesting, actually. Even a docile, kind dog will bite an owner if interrupted when birthing. The most mild-mannered woman engaged in natural childbirth feels a similar defensiveness over protecting her birthspace and safety of herself and the baby.

Now to my reasons for three stars instead of five: I align more with Hypnobirthing practices of breathing during the final "pushing" stage (breathing baby out) instead of purple pushing/breath holding. Additionally, advancing our medical knowledge has provided better insight into episiotomy, caster oil, and more that he advocates in this book. Another quality of the book that didn't resonate with me was that he addressed the husbands instead of the mother. "Make sure you watch your wife sleep to know how to make her comfortable in birth..." After spending a long time talking about the fierce power of birthing mammals, the author seemed to forget, at times, that birthing human mothers are more fierce and more powerful than any other mammal. Personally, I can position myself in a resting position comfortably without my husband bending my wrist or fiddling around, distracting me. In the end, though, it was an interesting read which educated me in a lot of practices in the past and the power a woman has to birth if she gets out of her fears and allows her body to do what it is programmed to do.

[Jennifer Ochoa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Borrowed from the doula teaching my Bradley Method class. I hardly have any time to read for fun anymore, planning for our first child to arrive, but I did enjoy this book which provides the background reasoning behind The Bradley Method of husband-coach, natural childbirth. It was very empowering. The book is written to the "husband," a term he explains could be used even for non-male, non-spouse coaches, so don't let the word "husband" turn you off if you are in a same-sex relationship or unmarried.

Bradley realized that women have a much easier labor when their spouse or partner was with them, something that was not only uncommon in his day, but unallowed by most hospitals. I love how he emphasizes the husband's role in the birth process. I think it is important that our partners (especially men, who are more cut-off from female experiences) are active participants in a child's birth. I know my husband has become more engaged since we started the class, because the message is clear to him "YOU are important too."

Some things are a little outdated or give me pause, like routine episiotomies (the book was amended to reverse this opinion) and his advice to women to stop wearing underwear, but most of it is solid, practical, and empathetic. He challenges the notion that doctors are always needed, stating that he is only there if something goes wrong and in the best births, he essentially is useless.

Highly recommend reading the book as an intro to taking a Bradley class. The class itself is AMAZING.

[Angie · Rating 2 out of 5]

I basically skimmed this book, only really reading the chapters that interested me (the actual Bradley method during labor and birth). Dr. Bradley cracks me up! I realize his study of childbirth and the resulting methods were revolutionary for his time, but reading the book now he comes across as an old-fashioned, arrogant, nut-job. It drove me crazy that he wrote the book with the husband as his audience. So instead of giving helpful instructions to the woman who is actually birthing the offspring, he is telling the husband what to have his wife do. This includes everything from actual birthing to exercise and nutrition beforehand. I don't think I would respond positively if my husband came home from work and asked if I'd done all my kegals that day. ;)

I could probably condense all of the helpful information I found in this book into a 5 page pamphlet. The Bradley method itself, relaxation and proper breathing, intrigues me and seems to be pretty sound. I have NO desire whatsoever to invest a lot of money and time into going to Bradley classes. It's too bad that the information isn't all available otherwise - what a shame that it has been patented, packaged, and priced into a marketing scheme. I may be crazy to be reading up on childbirth after all this time, but I want to try going natural with #6. I think it would be very empowering!

[Steve · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book is littered with religious ideology and read like a self help book. After getting through the endless preaching and self aggrandizing about how great he is and how many practices he started you can find some good info in here. Once you get to the part about labor I was able to learn some useful tidbits to help my wife during the labor process. Most of the tips are standard practice at our hospital (or any good modern hospital) so I need not be concerns with them. I am glad Dr. Bradley helped bring about many of the policies and parent friendly views that now exist in the medical field, I am sure both my wife and I are benefiting from them, but overall I found much better info in a much more presentable form in other books.

[Nat Hansuvadha · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was amusing to read and provides historical context regarding husbands as co-equal partners in the labor and delivery of their babies. Author, Dr. Bradley, described fathers being arrested in the 1970's when they persisted on supporting their wives in the delivery room. Unheard of nowadays. The core beliefs of women having natural childbirth are important to understand in today's push for drugs and c-sections. However, I recommend reading a newer text with updated medical research, which promotes natural childbirth.

[Elizabeth Snyder · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was honestly disappointed—I didn’t love it. I felt like the majority of the book was convincing the reader of the benefits of natural childbirth. I was already convinced before reading the book. I wanted methods to cope and handle childbirth itself. I also didn’t love the constant comparison of human childbirth with animal childbirth. I read the 5th edition.

[Brianna Bratrud · Rating 2 out of 5]

Best quote in the entire book and captures the book’s principle of a husband coaching and aiding his wife through labor (I.e. helping to finish what he started):
“Motherly women and fatherly men acting as wholesome symbols of strength and righteousness in a family setting of mutual love and respect continue to be essential to progress in any civilization.” P.121

[Joe Conlin · Rating 2 out of 5]

I’m a big supporter of the Bradley Method and natural childbirth, but this book is not selling it as well as the author probably would like to think.

I’m pretty sure this could have been condensed into a 10 page pamphlet if you took bullet points of the actually useful information and cut out the anecdotes, repetitions, and a-little-too-serious comparisons of birthing mothers to livestock.

[Tamara · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great concept. Very difficult in theory! Especially when you have a labor that isn't like the labors described in this book. Some very outdated info though as hospitals have progressed a lot since initial publication.