Taking a good birth preperation class outside of the hospital setting is very valuable for women to know they have options. Many of our members give classes that can be extremely helpful. Hypnobirthing and Hypnobabies, claim to help women experience birth without fear and pain. They reframe negative birth words, such as contractions to surges and provide women with tools to go within. 

Taking a class focusing on "comfort measures" gives couples tools for natural pain management, great for those committed to avoiding pain medication. This class is also great for early labor, which is done at home, even if one is planning to get meds later on. 
These tools will help mom to cope as she progresses to active labor.