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USING WATER FOR LABOUR AND BIRTH
BIRTH PROS. AND SUPPORTERS
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Antenatal Classes
When it comes to antenatal classes, you are spoilt for choice. Most NHS Trusts run regular antenatal classes - called parentcraft - usually at the hospital itself that are run by midwives. Below are some alternatives. The National Childbirth Trust is probably the best known organisation to run antenatal classes for which their teachers are specifically trained.
Antenatal Classes Online Resources
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The National Childbirth Trust runs antenatal classes throughout the United Kingdom. These classes are led by trained antenatal teachers and are usually small and informal, often hosted at the teacher's home. Because classes are local, the teachers will be familiar with local maternity services and can tailor their classes to available facilities. In some areas classes can be oversubscribed, so it is a good idea to book early. Prices vary as each local branch is free to set their own price structure. Visit the NCT site to find your nearest branch and class dates.
See a video about NCT classes on MyBirth.tv.
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Good Birth Getaway is a company run by Andrea and her team of experienced antenatal teachers and midwives, many of the team we know personally and so can highly recommend their level of expertise, knowledge and teaching styles. They offer a variety of first class antenatal courses for couples in luxurious surroundings throughout the country: Birmingham, Brighton, Manchester and Warwickshire, as well as Private 1:1 tuition in the luxury of your own home. Their website provides a detailed questionnaire which enables them to tailor each course to suit your individual circumstances and the hotels available are very exclusive allowing you some serious pampering and great food to accompany the course. Every course covers not only preparation for the labour and birth but also important advice regarding your transition into parenthood including not only the practical aspects but the emotional side, preparing you for the ups and downs of the parental rollercoaster!
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Antenatal Xtra classes are run by Lynn Mayo, an experienced midwife and a wonderful woman who we know well. We heartily recommend her warm, cherishing approach to antenatal education. As a midwife, she offers the perspective of someone who has delivered many babies in birth centres, hospitals and home as well as overseas and remains inspired by the process and keen to help every woman experience a positive and empowering labour and birth.
Lynn provides antenatal classes from Andover in Hampshire which you can attend from 30 weeks, but in addition to this she holds Early Days classes from 9-20 weeks for the earlier stages of pregnancy and we don’t know of any other antenatal tutors who offer this. She also holds a session dedicated to water birth, hence our relationship and we would recommend this to anyone considering water birth; she recommends you attend from 32 weeks.
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| Baby Dolly |
At Baby Dolly we can offer wide range of antenatal courses to suit
everyones requirements and pocket. Our courses start from as little
as £20 and include Early Pregnancy workshops, 5 week antenatal
courses, weekend Labour Days and also Resuscitation and first aid
courses. We also run weekly baby massage sessions in Leicestershire
and Warwickshire. Baby Dolly - The truth about birth.
www.babydolly.co.uk, 01455 441036
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| Birth Journey |
We are Irene, Lesley and Jane, three midwives with many years experience in all aspects of midwifery. Based in Standish, Lancs., we aim to educate and empower you and your companion in your decision making by sharing skills and giving realistic evidence based information on which to base your birth journey choices. www.birthjourney.co.uk
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BirthMother
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BirthMother is run by Kirsten Boustred, a fully qualified Antenatal Educaton in County Durham. She runs antenatal workshops, pregnancy exercise classes, refresher courses and one on one sessions as well.
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birthclass
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birthclass antenatal classes is a reference site where you will be able to find the contact details of an antenatal teacher or organisation in your area. Just select the relevant region and you will be presented with a list of available private or NCT run antenatal classes. A lot of the teachers listed have their own websites, but this is a good resource to start your search.
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Choose from Gentle Birth 's residential weekend courses available at luxury spa venues in Kent and Sussex, weekend non-residential and evening classes offered at various locations in the South-east or one-to-one courses available in the privacy of your own home taught by practising midwives. The courses are tailor-made to your requirements but essentially involve five sections: Gentle you, Gentle labour, Gentle birth, Gentle baby, Gentle changes. The final section sounds very helpful as it relates to your changing relationships with those close to you and discussing this beforehand can help you understand and anticipate potential issues. |
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The Natal Hypnotherapy workshops focus exclusively on what you can do to help yourself have the most positive birth experience, regardless of the type of birth you are planning. Whether you want a natural water birth at home or are open to having an epidural in your local hospital, what you learn on these workshops will give you the confidence and ability to work with you body no matter what your birth choices are. Complements other antenatal classes. From just £95 per person. Locations throughout Britain. Book online at www.natalhypnotherapy.co.uk or call 01428 712615. |
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HypnoBirthing® - The Mongan Method is a comprehensive antenatal preparation course that teaches women and their birth partners about natural, active birth and effective ways to achieve a beneficial state of confidence and deep relaxation throughout, by using effective self-hypnosis and breathing techniques. Research finds that hypnosis in pregnancy can lead to shorter, more comfortable births and less medical intervention. Group classes and private sessions are held by over 350 qualified practitioners all around the United Kingdom, who are a mixture of hypnotherapists, midwives, doulas and HypnoBirthing mothers.
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Practical Parent offers complete antenatal and parenting courses run by qualified healthcare professionals including midwives childrens nurses and nursery nurses. A weekend course enables couples to have the first day fully focussed upon the labour and birth with day two catering for life after the birth. This evenly divided course structure is unique and the range of expertise on hand to advise is impressive providing a fully supported education base. Courses are held in Stratford upon avon, Wetherby and the New Forest and they recommend you attend after your 36th week of pregnancy.
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| The Birth Fairy Doula |
Enjoy a 1:1 antenatal class with qualified Doula Alison Woolley, based in Lee-on-Solent. For more information go to www.thebirthfairydoula.co.uk
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| SafeStart Ante Natal Courses |
SafeStart offer Couples Antenatal Classes in Leicestershire and are run by a qualified and experienced practising midwife also incorporating advice on Child accident prevention and Home Safety from a qualified safety professional.These one day courses run at weekends for parents with limited time to attend a weekly class. The courses aim to cover all aspects of labour and birth including home birth and water birth. www.safestart-homesafety.co.uk T: 07905 909106 |
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Mindful Mamma® one day class
A popular one day class focused on preparing you for a natural, gentle birth using your mind. During this workshop, you will learn how your state of mind affects your hormones, your baby and your birth. Learn how to harness the power of the mind using tried and tested psychology and hypnosis techniques for achieving deep, effective relaxation for pregnancy and birth. Dads matter too. This class focuses on dads, by teaching you how to be an effective part of the birth process - not just a spare part. Devised by experts, delivered by experts. All our practitioners are hand picked for their experience, training and their ability because we know that you want to feel safe and secure, in the hands of absolute professionals. Go to www.mindfulmamma.co.uk to find out more, or phone us on 0845 508 2539.
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Ellie Hill Yoga
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Pregnancy Yoga. Every Thursday 6.15-7.30pm. Effingham Junction, KT24.
Contact Ellie for an application form at yoga @ caultex.co.uk (remove spaces), 01483 285400 or www.elliehillyoga.blogspot.com
Combining classic postures, rhythmical movements and sequences, integrated with breath awareness, visualization techniques, and sound practices. Yoga is widely recommended by midwives and doctors: Practise mental and physical preparation for labour, natural pain management techniques, breathing techniques, positions for labour, relaxation and visualisation, relief from backache and other discomforts of pregnancy, active birth information, bond with your unborn baby and meet other mums. |
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Bumps to Babies offers Antenatal and Postnatal Yogacise and Baby Yoga classes, childbirth preparation classes and birth workshops in and around Cambridge and Ely. Antenatal Yogacise classes are suitable from 16 – 42 weeks of pregnancy and Postnatal classes from 6 weeks post-natally. Childbirth preparation classes and workshops focus on physical skills for birth, breathing and relaxation as well as covering the progress of labour and parenting issues. www.bumpstobabies.org |
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