by Danielle Friedl

Created on: August 10, 2008

I would have to say that childbirth classes are worth taking - but only if you've got the right class. Judging by some of the responses to the contrary it is painfully obvious that they didn't have the same caliber of parenting preparation classes that were made available to me when I was expecting my first child. Every class, whether its lamaze or Grammar 301 at the local college is going to have the obligatory Hermione of the group. They simply know everything and you can't help yourself but wonder why they aren't just teaching the class since they clearly know so darn much!

Childbirth preparation classes are often more useful for the Dad then they are for the Mom. By the time you've reached the point where you're taking classes Mom has no doubt heard every story, asked every question and devoured almost every book on everything on pregnancy, childbirth, delivery, the first ten days, the first six weeks and so far beyond that Dad doesn't have a chance in catching up. And just because she's done all this doesn't mean she won't be keeping Dad there for 20 minutes after class each week to ask another seemingly never-ending list of questions that Dad wouldn't have even thought of if you paid him.

Mom is generally fairly well-acquainted with her body. Dad, while he likes to think he knows so much, has oh so much to learn. For most guys all they've ever seen is the movie version of childbirth, which if you don't already know is absolutely nothing like the real thing! Yes, there's screaming and a lot of times there are tears, but only about 5% of the time does it start with an unexpected water breakage (and it's rarely the dramatic kind) and only on those exceptionally rare and oscar-winning occasions does it end 20 minutes later after a car chase and a goofy doctor who is delivering his first baby.

Childbirth generally takes time, especially for the first birth. It's also riddled with confusion and speculation as to whether this is really labor or not. What a 'good' childbirth class will teach both Mom and Dad is how to detect real labor and what the next steps are. I'll give you clue - it's not panicking and rushing to the hospital in a fury a la Martin Short in Father of the Bride as he raced Steve Martin's on-screen daughter to her impending delivery. These are the things that a good childbirth class should tell you. It teaches Dad how to act and react.

While the childbirth class lets a woman know what to expect as far as sensations and how her body is working to

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