Health Tip: Considering a Birthing Class?

A birthing class can help settle any pre-birth jitters and prepare first-time couples for the pending arrival.

The American Academy of Family Physicians says a birthing class can:

• Help parents learn about how a baby develops.
• Explain warning signs of a potential problem.
• Help parents develop a birth plan.
• Describe pain management, breathing and relaxation techniques.
• Suggest how partners or birth coaches can help.
• Describe how to identify when labor begins, and what to expect throughout the labor and delivery process.
• Instruct parents about caring for and bonding with a newborn.