My Bradley Posse

Two years ago, when Matt and I were preparing for childbirth, we took a Bradley Childbirth class with 6 other couples. Bradley believes (in a nutshell) that healthy moms make health babies (good prenatal education re:diet and exercise), birthing babies without pain medication, augmentation, or episiotomies,and emphasizes the importance of the father's involvement as a coach during pregnancy and labor. We had 10 weeks of classes, every Monday night from 7-9 p.m.. We had the greatest Bradley class ever. So much so, that we're all still in touch except for one couple who moved to California. The classes were very fun (also informative, thank you, Brigitte. :) ) It was really hard to try to relax and focus like we were in labor when we were all giggling about some smart-aleck comment made by one or the other. We shared our birth stories with one another as they happened, blow by blow, and acted as a base of encouragement during the early months with a newborn. Now we e-mail or call, get together occasionally for Mom's night out and play group. I absolutely love my Bradley girls. I think one reason is that I feel more free to be myself and not the pastor's wife. I met these friends in a context other than a 2,000 member church, other than me singing on a stage, other than me being "Matt's wife." (Most people fall in love with my amazing husband before they ever meet me. I think that's a natural thing in the ministry. Not bad, just typical. The more paranoid side of me is pretty sure that there are those who tolerate me just because I'm Matt's wife. But that's only when I'm being paranoid... stop looking at me!)

We are all different. Artsy, international, analytical, scientific, musical. We had very different birth experiences. We all practiced different kinds of early parenting. We have different "favorites" when it comes to authors and websites. And all this without judgement or criticism of one another. This group taught me that diversity is good, there's no one way that's right or wrong. They have taught me the value of listening and learning to ask good questions. They've given me a broader base of reference for my parenting quandries, sometimes I ask, sometimes I watch and see what they're doing. It's just a very safe place for me.

So Aud, Lor, Priti, Anne, and Elana, thank you for being a special part of my life.