Antenatal Classes

Antenatal Classes focus you on your pregnancy, prepare you for the forthcoming labour and birth and ease you into the new roles as parents. It also enables you to acquire the skills and confidence needed to have your baby your way. My courses are designed to be practical and engaging helping you to make informed decisions about the options available to you and how to have the birth experience that is right for you. 

Having a positive birth experience has far reaching effects on a woman, her baby and her partner. It eases the transition to parenthood, helps bonding, makes establishing breast feeding easier and reduces the incidence of post natal depression. 

I run evening or weekend courses with one mothers only session on weekday morning. My courses all vary slightly because each course is designed to meet a group or individuals needs. Most courses run as a series of sessions with the same group attending each session. Private courses are also run as a series of sessions and will be tailored to meet individual needs. Parents will get to know others in a similar position and often find the people they meet on these courses become an important support in the months and sometimes years after their babies are born. Refreshments are provided and couples are given up to date handouts throughout the course.

Topics Covered Include:

• Increase your knowledge about the process of labour and birth.

• Give you an increased self awareness of the dynamics between you and your baby.

• Review the latest research suggestions about possible physical preparations. and practical skills for labour and childbirth. 

• Learn about baby’s position and the importance of this for birth. Understand the role of the birth hormones.

•  Learn about coping strategies/intervention/pain management options Advice on relaxation techniques.

•  Understand the physiology of the birth of your placenta. 

• Focus on the first hour following birth. 

• Use massage techniques designed for the role of birth support. 

• Understand the importance of breathing techniques. 

• The time to ask questions and rehearse the possible decisions you may have to make during the course of your labour. 

• Some indication of the changes you might experience after the birth and in early parenthood.

Mothers-only Classes

Not every woman wants to take her partner to all the antenatal class, for whatever reason, and this is why mothers-only classes are an option. Single women and those whose partners are away may find these classes particularly useful. Many others also enjoy the close bond that can develop in mothers-only sessions, where you often have the opportunity to talk about subjects that may not be covered during couples' classes.

Couples' Classes

These are usually for first-time parents and help both partners get involved in the preparations for labour and birth. For many men, couples' classes offer a specific time to focus on the pregnancy, which can make the process more real for them. It's also an opportunity to meet other fathers-to-be.

Refresher Classes

These classes are aimed at women who already have children, and vary in length depending on each individuals needs. Most antenatal classes are 'client-led' to a greater or lesser extent, but this is especially true of refresher classes. For example, second-time mothers often want to talk about their birth experiences, to be updated on research and changes in birth practice. It allows for specific topics like pain relief, feeding etc to be addressed again with a Mums past experience in mind.  

2009 © Great Expectations - Ante and Postnatal Education