Lorin Spangler YoungWelcome to GiftofBirth! I learned about the Bradley Method of Natural Childbirth while pregnant with my first child. I was working with WomanCare in Ft. Collins, CO when I found a Bradley brochure in my packet of materials. The nearest classes were in Greeley, 50 minutes away, but my husband and I made good use of the time talking about the pregnancy and upcoming birth. We felt like a real team heading into this life changing experience! It was long and hard, but we did meet our goal of a natural, unmedicated birth. The staff at WomanCare and PVH were great!
When I became pregnant with my second child, we didn't feel like we had time to devote to weekly childbirth preparation—boy, was that a mistake! First of all, I underestimated the amount of information that we had forgotten, even in about two years. The resulting labor was much longer and more difficult than it could have been if we had remembered certain techniques and strategies. Second, the husband-wife partnership that had been so strong and present during the first labor had not been cultivated during the second pregnancy. Third, I just regret not carving out the time to devote to the second baby, who was just as deserving of our attention. We still birthed a beautiful healthy boy vaginally and naturally, but it was a very different experience from the first.
We were blessed with a third and unexpected pregnancy (I was shocked! I'm supposed to know how these things work!) and we decided to have a home birth with Beth Karberg. As positive as my first two hospital experiences were, there is no comparison. I was cared for and attended and my entire support system was enthusiastic about natural birth. Laboring in the comfort of my own home felt peaceful and safe. It was a wonderful experience that I will always treasure, and I am so grateful that I had the opportunity to do it!
Just before our second birth, my husband Rich and I decided to become certified Bradley instructors and to fully commit to the natural childbirth philosophy. We read many, many books, took hours of classes, wrote dozens of pages of information to receive our AAHCC (American Academy of Husband Coached Childbirth) certifcation. We are now in our seventh year of promoting natural childbirth in Ft. Collins though our Bradley classes. Congratulations on your pregnancy! I hope to meet you soon :)
Rich YoungLike a lot of dads, I learned about the Bradley Method of Natural Childbirth from my pregnant wife - but quickly realized it was just the sort of approach I had always wanted. Not only did it promise to help us achieve a natural birth, it offered me a concrete role in helping Lorin. This addressed what were probably my biggest fears about birth - that I would have to watch helplessly as Lorin suffered through what I had always been told was a terrible experience.
Our first Bradley birth was so much what we hoped, and so far from our fears, that we were true believers from then on. Perhaps even more importantly, our partnership in the birth and throughout the pregnancy put us on a path towards a cooperative, involved parenting style that we have followed ever since. I know that coaching Lorin through that birth made me a better husband and father, and it's important to me to help other men start their family lives off with that same momentum that I enjoyed. I like to think that Lorin brings a very empathetic approach to birth, and that I offer a complementary emphasis on the science underlying the method. (Of course, I'll admit that I really teach the classes so I can hold babies when we get together to share our stories afterwards.)
Aside from teaching these classes, I enjoy cycling, running, gardening, cross-country skiing and sailing. Homeschooling our three boys keeps us busy when we're not outside; like natural childbirth, it's been a very rewarding decision that I'm eager to share with interested folks.
I hope you'll give us the chance to show you how to have the birth you want. I look forward to meeting you!
About our family