Dads can't give birth. Should they take birthing classes anyway? In this week's episode of The Lab, Daddy Clay and Daddy Brad seek the advice of experts and experience parents to answer the questions: Are birth classes worth it for fathers? Is this a valuable thing to do during pregnancy? Will you be more prepared during the labor and delivery of your baby because of a birthing class? We deliver answers. DadLabs ep 481 is brought to you by BabyBjorn.

CLAY Daddy Brad. If someone suggested that you needed to take a class in pole vaulting, would you?

BRAD No.

CLAY Or that you needed to spend one night
a week preparing for time travel. Would you?

BRAD No.

CLAY So how exactly is this different from a guy taking birthing class?

BRAD Today’s show is brought to you by BabyBjorn. Carrying your part of the load is easy when you have a BabyBjorn Baby Carrier Original Spirit.

CLAY So I should disclose that I’m a little biased about birthing classes?

BRAD Obviously.

CLAY My oldest was a preemie, born a week before we were supposed to start our birthing classes. So I never got to go.

BRAD I get it. You’re bitter. Missed out.

CLAY Maybe, but you still need to explain to me why a man would take a class in giving birth.

BRAD This seems like an excellent place for an expert interview.

BRAD Are you seriously telling me that you are going to tell your wife that you are not going to birthing classes?!

CLAY No. No. Of course not.

BRAD And besides, you want to be there! If you’re a first time dad, you want every scrap of information. All the information you can get about what is going to happen, the hospital, how to care for the baby.

CLAY Yes. And I’m not saying you should not go to the classes. I’m jealous and wish I had gone. But it is possible to overemphasize the guys role here. The dad is important, but it’s not about you.

BRAD But the dad is critical! At the classes you sometimes learn about going to the hospital, details of where to park. And the birth plan. You’re the defender of the birth plan. You have to know what she wants and be
ready to present and defend that.

CLAY Dude, you are so expecting right now.

BRAD You’ve just forgotten.

CLAY I’m convinced. Don’t make the mistake that I did. Get to a birthing class, dad. And soak up all the information you can. The get our DVDs DueDads, the Man’s Guide to Pregnancy and Labor and Delivery for even more guy friendly information.

BRAD We’d like to thank our sponsors, BabyBjorn. You don’t need a class to know European quality when you see it. BabyBjorn.

CLAY If you have thoughts or experiences you’s like to share about birthing classes, please join us on DadLabs dot com and jump into the discussion there. We’ll see you next time, here in the lab.