Bradley method?

[mer_RN]

I have heard people talk about the Bradley method. They generally speak poorly of it.

One doctor told me that she heard people who wanted to do the bradley method of labor, were told my their instructor not to tell their OB until they walked into the hospital in labor. This doctor was beyond being ticked off.

What exactly is this controversial Bradley method?

[33-weeker]

How interesting of a thought...

Honestly, if someone came into my ICU with a "DKA plan"...well, I don't know quite how I'd react. "No insulin gtts" or "no Q1 hr BS".

I can easily see now how this method, or excessive birth plans come across to staff....

There is a valid argument to be made since pregnancy is not an illness and birth (for the vast majority) is not a crisis. Applying a medical model of care to a natural body function can and does cause problems where there were none to begin with.

There is a big difference between blood sugar checks for a diabetic patient and unneccessary, unhealthy bed rest w/continuous monitoring, dangerous pitocin, etc. for a healthy laboring woman.

[cardiacRN2006, ADN, RN]

But for some nurses, and some patients, pregnancy and childbirth are an illness/crises. I can see why a nurse would feel that continous FM would be as important in certain situations as Q1hr BS in a DKA.

And it's usually those situations where the pt has a birth plan, right?

I understand the difference, though.

[mitchsmom]

But for some nurses, and some patients, pregnancy and childbirth are an illness/crises. I can see why a nurse would feel that continous FM would be as important in certain situations as Q1hr BS in a DKA.

And it's usually those situations where the pt has a birth plan, right?

Not ususally; generally the pt understands that if something unhealthy or dangerous or whatever happens that the 'normal' birth plan goes out the window & the staff should do what is best in such an event (alot of birth plans even specifically state so much).