NEW STUDY AFFIRMS LAMAZE PHILOSOPHY THAT "COACHING" IS NOT NECESSARY DURING LABOR

WASHINGTON—Results of a new study published in the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology indicate that routine "coaching" during labor has no short-term maternal or infant benefits, and in fact has been linked to pelvic floor dysfunction and long-term reproductive problems.

The findings of this study coincide with Lamaze International's Philosophy of Birth that women know how to give birth; therefore, encouragement and support rather than coaching are required.

Once a hallmark of Lamaze, the idea of a "coached birth"—when someone takes charge of the birth and calls the plays of breathing and pushing during second-stage labor—has been retired for more than a decade. Instead, Lamaze classes emphasize the importance of continuous emotional and physical support during labor.

Lamaze Certified Childbirth Educators (LCCE) teach fathers and family members how to provide gentle, encouraging support and the basic comfort measures that help women in labor, including walking, rocking, position changes, massage, hot/cold therapy, hydrotherapy, slow dancing and use of birth balls. Lamaze childbirth education encourages women to seek birth environments that provide a full range of options for birth.

"Lamaze is no longer a method for giving birth—rather, it's a philosophy that educates and instills confidence in women preparing to give birth and become mothers," says Judy Lothian, RN, PhD, LCCE, FACCE, co-author of The Official Lamaze Guide: Giving Birth With Confidence.

"Women are inherently equipped to give birth without being coached to do so," says Lothian. The Official Lamaze Guide encourages women to have confidence in their bodies' natural ability to give birth, and provides parents with the tools they need to make informed choices that result in happy and fulfilling birth experiences.

For more information on Lamaze childbirth education or to order The Official Lamaze Guide, visit www.lamaze.org.

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Lamaze International, based in Washington, DC, envisions a world of confident women choosing normal birth. For more information about Lamaze and the Institute for Normal Birth, visit www.lamaze.org.

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