While there are different types of birthing classes the format is generally the same.
Having taken the classes and had a child I can share some of what I found most helpful.

By far, the two most helpful lessons I learned were in the labor and delivery class:

a) How to help your wife during labor, what the stages of labor are and what to expect during each stage. My wife's labor was 36 hours and I used every trick we learned. Knowing all the ways I could “help” be supportive both physically and emotionally meant I could share in the experience, understand what was going on, know what to do, not freak out, bring my wife back to earth, calm her, pace ourselves and explain her progress to the nurses.

b) Why or why not to have a natural birth (sans epidural). This session was very helpful to both of us and allowed us to make informed decisions.

Nursing class wasn't as helpful.

There was a strong effort to convince everyone that breast feeding was the essential and best method of feeding a child. As we came to learn later – breast feeding (or not) is a personal choice that comes with many variables – will the baby take the milk, do they latch on, do they get sick, does the mother get sick, can the couple handle it, outside opinions (god there are many), outside influence etc. For what it's worth we went to a lactation consultant after we had trouble getting our son to feed properly and then breast fed him until he was 14 months. During that time other new parents we knew went through a myriad of their own experiences and made their own informed decisions.

Most importantly – ignore what anybody else has to tell you and decide what YOU think is best. There is a ton of misinformation out there and everyone feels the need to share it. That part of being a new parent may bother you the most so be ready for it because everyone is an expert on child rearing.

The getting home class was all but useless.

Nothing in the world can prepare you for those first few weeks. I can say this though – if you have any help at all, parents, friends, relatives – make sure they are available and ready to assist in the first month. The lack of sleep will take you by surprise and you may find it difficult to feed yourself, shop, work, or do anything but get your head wrapped around this new lifestyle. At the very least have meal solutions planned in advance for the first week. Oh, and don't forget to learn how to use the car seat *before* you leave the hospital.

Good luck Brad. This will be the greatest experience you could ever imagine!