Bradley reunion

Saturday, we gathered at Laurel & Kory's house for the reunion of our Bradley birth method class. All four couples -- plus our teacher Kara -- had their babies naturally, without C-section or epidural, the primary goal of the Bradley method.

Here you see the Bradley boys with their respective kids. Fathers play an integral role in the Bradley method as labor coaches, coaxing their wives through painful contractions and time. Word is, we all held up to our part of the bargain. None regretted taking the class, even though it lasted 10 weeks.



Alison (left) and her husband Goce experienced the largest transformation during the class. Originally they planned to deliver at a local hospital, using an older doctor who upon hearing of their decision to try the Bradley method, discouraged them from attending the class. By the end of the classes, they'd switched course entirely and birthed their son Kosta at home in a water tub with no doctor in the room, only midwives.



Kosta (left) and Jude, our teacher's son, were the youngest kids at the party and therefore the sleepiest. They were both born within two days of each other in water tubs in their respective homes.







Michael totes his daughter, Alana, who was born in mid-December. Mike and Carolyn had the speediest delivery -- less than 12 hours, if I recall correctly. Mike, a teacher, will take parental leave in a couple weeks until September, when school resumes. They live nearby. We hope to take our girls hiking together while we're both off work.



Here, Goce (pronounced GO-che) introduces Kosta to Laurel and Liam, the second-oldest child of the bunch. Laurel and Sarah attend a mother's class together at Willamette Falls Hospital, where both Liam and Claire were born. In April, Kosta and family will fly to Macedonia for two months to meet Goce's family.


Near the end of the party, someone suggested a baby lineup. We laid them down on a sofa from youngest to oldest. Flash bulbs went off incessantly.




Claire was flashing smiles the entire time.



And the infants got their own lineup of proud parents.



We're already planning to get together again this summer. Sarah volunteered our house. Better start cleaning.