lamaze

Main Entry: La·maze
Pronunciation: l&-'mäz
Function: adjective
: relating to or being a method of childbirth that involves psychological andphysical preparation by the mother in order to suppress pain and facilitate delivery without drugs
Laámaze /lo-moz,/ Fernand (1890–1957), French obstetrician.Lamaze was the director of an obstetric clinic in France. In 1951 he attended a gynecologic conference where he learned for the first time a method of psychophysical conditioning aimed at thesuppression of pain during a normal childbirth. After further study of psychophysical conditioning in the Soviet Union, he added a rapid accelerated breathing technique to the Soviet childbirth programand began implementing his modified method of natural childbirth in France.

Lamaze La·maze (lə-mäz'), Ferdinand. 1891-1957.

French obstetrician who in the 1950's developed a method of childbirth preparation using behavioral training to reduce pain and anxiety in labor.