There are several methods available to prepare for childbirth. The one selected often depends on what is available through the healthcare provider. Overall, family involvement is receiving increased attention by the healthcare systems, and the majority of hospitals now offer birthing rooms and maternity centers to accommodate the entire family.
Lamaze, or Lamaze-Pavlov, is the most commonly used method in the United States as of 2004. It became the first popular natural childbirth method in the 1960s. Various breathing techniques, cleansing breath, panting and blowing, are used for different phases together with the use of a focal point to enable the laboring woman to maintain control. A partner helps by coaching the mother throughout the birthing process.