Page 84 - Encyclopedia of Nursing Research

CHILDBIRTH EDUCATIon n 51

needs of expectant women to the psycho- “natural childbirth.” Although philosophi-
socio-cultural needs of the new family. The cal differences still exist among childbirth
goal of childbirth education is to assist fam- education methods, common aspects of all C
ilies in acquiring the knowledge and skills programs include education on (a) the phys-
necessary to achieve a healthy transition ical process of labor, (b) the physical and
through the childbearing process and initial psychological conditioning methods, and
phases of parenthood. Classes range from (c) the supportive assistance during the birth-
courses designed for those considering preg- ing process.
nancy through courses dealing with infant A number of organizations have affected
care needs and early parenting skills. the progress of childbirth education in the
nurses are the professional practitioners United States. Lamaze International, formerly
who assume the primary responsibility for the American Society of Psychoprophylaxis
teaching childbirth education classes within in obstetrics, was organized in 1960. The
the United States. nurses are in a unique posi- American Society of Psychoprophylaxis in
tion to serve as childbirth educators because obstetrics began certifying childbirth educa-
of their broad knowledge base, including tors in 1965 and was one of the first attempts
both the biological and the behavioral sci- to provide consistency in quality of child-
ences. In addition, nursing’s focus on car- birth education. The International Childbirth
ing and emphasis on client education enable Education Association was also founded in
nurses to guide families toward their child- 1960 as a consumer group in new York City.
birth goals with sensitivity using appropriate It was devoted to a philosophy of consum-
educational methods. nurses are the health ers working with health professionals for the
professionals within the hospital environ- benefit of the laboring family (ondeck, 2002).
ment who provide the majority of hands-on The American Academy of Husband Coached
care and labor support. Thus, nurses are in Childbirth was established in 1970 to certify
a strategic position to act as patient advocate childbirth educators in the Bradley method
and to provide anticipatory guidance regard- of childbirth. Bradley method educators are
ing birth decisions that are often required proponents of unmedicated childbirth with
within an increasingly complex health care significant husband/partner involvement
system. (Monto, 1996).
Formal childbirth education in the A number of related keywords were
United States began with classes in hygiene, used to search databases for nursing research
nutrition, and baby care provided by the articles published between 2005 and 2010,
American Red Cross. During the early twen- including “childbirth education,” “prepared
tieth century, classes on childbirth and fam- childbirth,” “childbirth classes,” and “child-
ily care became increasingly available to birth education classes.” A total of 186 nurs-
American women. As society’s view of child- ing research articles were identified through
birth shifted from the female-controlled CInAHL, PubMed, and PsychInFo. Almost
social model to the medical-illness model 50 topics were identified; however, little depth
during the first half of the twentieth century, was found for the majority of the topics. The
the focus of classes turned to the manage- range of topics relate to (a) postpartum skills
ment of childbirth pain (ondeck, 2000). such as parenting and breastfeeding, (b) clas-
Contemporary childbirth education ses for special populations such as fathers,
dates back to the work of Dick-Read, Lamaze, (c) examination of the benefits of childbirth
and Bradley. The notion of pain during labor education for parents, (d) self-care measures
as secondary to fear and the use of psycho- during pregnancy and labor, (e) effects of
logical conditioning methods to reduce both childbirth education on the need for medi-
the fear and the pain became the basis for cal interventions such as cesarean deliveries,