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There is little in life that is as precious as the moment when you hold your newborn infant. But pregnancy can also be a time that is punctuated by the uncertainty of what is to come and the mystery that surrounds giving birth. Childbirth classes can alleviate allot of the anxiety that expectant moms and dads often feel as the time for delivery draws near. Typical classes offer six to eight weekly sessions that consist of lecture, exercises, and hands-on opportunities to explore the world of parenting. These sessions are usually taught by trained childbirth specialists and are designed to meet the following goals:

1. To help minimize the fears and uncertainties that new parents often feel
2. To educate parents-to-be about the process of labor and delivery so that they can
make informed decisions as necessary
3. To teach pregnant mothers and their coaches relaxation techniques that can
minimize discomfort during labor and make giving birth a positive experience.

Lamaze Classes were all the rage when I was pregnant. My husband, like many dads-in-waiting, was hesitant about registering for childbirth classes. The idea of sitting on the floor cross-legged while sharing the intimate connection of giving birth "with a room full of strangers" was a bit much, he said. After the first couple of sessions, however, he was drawn into the excitement of the group process and beginning to relish his role in the whole classroom experience.

I'll never forget the class when our instructor tied weighted pillows around all the guys' waists and told them to walk around with them for the next twenty-four hours! I believe the idea was to induce sympathy for the pregnant mommy's plight during her ungainly weight gain. One of my funniest recollections was seeing the future father of my baby sucking MY lollipop during labor. I remember him saying something about needing it to reduce his own stress level.

Humor aside, what stands out in my memory about our childbirth classes is the feeling of being a parenting team even before the baby was born. I highly recommend childbirth classes to expectant parents, if for no other reason than the bond that forms between them as they work toward a common goal; the birth of their child.

My family is grown now and each of my kids has their own children. I've had the pleasure of being nearby throughout their pregnancies and have watched them tag team in preparation for each of the births of their babies. Both my

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