Bradley Versus Lamaze: Methodical Comparison

About 1 million American women give birth by the Lamaze method annually. The Bradley method accounts for about 20,000 births a year.

The Bradley approach strongly discourages use of anesthetics during delivery. Lamaze practitioners, while preferring delivery without drugs, are more likely to use medication.

Bradley followers discourage induced labor to a greater extent than do their Lamaze counterparts.

There are no unnatural breathing patterns involved with the Bradley method. Lamaze training includes artificial breathing patterns during childbirth, but their use has been downplayed in recent years.

Many physicians say that couples who have taken Bradley classes are more likely to question established medical procedures than are Lamaze graduates.