Labor of Love

Ah, the miracle of childbirth. Labor pains, epidural needles, forceps and vacuum extractions, hemorrhoids, bleeding, stretch marks and birth balls. All the gory details are spelled out in this full-length childbirth class presented by Certified Childbirth Educator Sherry Turney. I really liked Ms. Turney's style; an interesting and amusing teacher, she doesn't pull any punches: telling participating couples exactly what to expect during labor and delivery, getting on the floor to demonstrate awkward birthing positions, pointing out the hormonal ups and downs, and covering possible surgical procedures. A good example of what instructional tapes were meant to do--bringing the best teachers into your home to work with you at your convenience--this video's only drawbacks are minor technical glitches (some of the visual aids suffered from glare, occasionally her voice seemed slightly out of sync with her mouth), and the fact that the 4-hour production could probably have benefited from some judicious editing. Still, Ms. Turney is a four-star instructor and this tape is highly recommended for parenting collections. Aud: P. (E. Druda)