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By: ePregnancy

Relax and Refocus
If you are feeling stressed out and overwhelmed right now, take an afternoon for yourself and refocus your energies. It can be an afternoon of golf or something as simple as planting yourself in the recliner to watch your favorite Dirty Harry flick.

After your getaway, give your girl a big smooch (or hug, if she’s not feeling the smoochiness) and remind her how much you love her. Because the actual labor is one of the things in the front of her mind, offer to do some of the research on childbirth classes so that the two of you can decide on a method together -- it’s a great way to stay involved in the pregnancy and make Mama feel loved.

Childbirth Classes, You Say?
Indeed! Even though the two of you are only 11 weeks into this pregnancy, it's not too early to enroll in a childbirth class. Not only will many of your pregnancy and childbirth questions be answered, but you get to network with other expecting parents -- you'll have an instant support system!

Childbirth methods vary widely, and so do the types of classes you'll find. Here are a few types of birthing classes you and your partner may explore:

• Lamaze -- This is the one everyone has heard of, and one of the most popular choices. Lamaze uses relaxation and breathing techniques along with a coach (that would be you, Dad) and a trained nurse to allow the mother to experience the most natural childbirth possible. The underlying belief is that all women have a natural ability to give birth and that this can be enhanced by the level of support she receives. In a typical Lamaze class, you and Mom learn rhythmic breathing patterns and relaxation techniques. The classes also teach labor and birthing positions, massage techniques and breathing distraction techniques to help ease the pain of contractions. The instructor will also give you information on postpartum care, including breastfeeding.
  
• Bradley -- The Bradley method encourages women to work with their bodies, and believes that excellent nutrition and exercise not only ease the discomforts of pregnancy, but prepare muscles for birth. Bradley advocates believe that a woman's needs during labor are quiet, darkness, physical comfort and closed eyes. Because the practice stresses acceptance of pain, medication is strictly reserved for complications.
  
• International Childbirth Education Association -- ICEA classes are much broader in scope than the previous two. They focus on normal physiological and emotional patterns of pregnancy, labor, birth and postpartum and common variations on these patterns. You and Mom will learn different kinds of labor coping skills and methods as well as common medical interventions (and their alternatives) that might occur during labor and birth. The classes stress freedom of choice and thus expose parents to a wide range of possibilities rather than one single approach.
  
• Association of Labor Assistants and Childbirth Educators -- ALACE teaches a woman-centric course designed to help women trust in their own abilities to experience a natural childbirth with a minimum of intervention. Classes taught by ALACE instructors include instruction on mind-body integration and are based on the midwifery model of care. Techniques are designed to work with the discomfort of labor before turning to medication.

Don't miss next week -- we'll tell you the questions you and Mom must ask before selecting a childbirth class!