| |
WHAT OUR CUSTOMERS SAY
Chrissy Steele: A Waterbirth with the Whole FamilyWhat a wonderful experience we had with the water birth of our daughter, Olivia, last week. I'm sending a picture of me in the pool during early labour with our two older children, ages 7 and 4.
This was truly a family event. It w...
more...
| |
Antenatal Classes
When it comes to antenatal classes, you are spoilt for choice. The NHS runs regular antenatal classes, 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
|
 |
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.
|
 |
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!
|
 |
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. |
BirthMother |
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.
|
birthclass |
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. |
|
Bumptobaby offers both antenatal and postnatal courses. These are run in Leicester and South West London and are available as group sessions of 6 couples, one-to-one sessions or luxury week-end workshops.
The website provides some great anecdotal feedback from past-clients that is helpful to those trying to decide between course providers. Becky and Sarah are professionally accredited antenatal teachers with more than 9 years combined teaching and training experience.
|
|
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. |
|
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.
|
 |
Cornwall Birth Support provides private active
birth education and Natal HypnotherapyTM
antenatal classes throughout Cornwall and the East Midlands. Private
sessions are held in your home or another convenient location of your choice.
Alice Kirby, who runs these classes, is a qualified Natal HypnotherapyTM
Practitioner and Doula. Alice promotes the benefits of a natural labour
and childbirth and is committed to empowering women to achieve this. Natal
HypnotherapyTM courses held all over the UK, help women to become more relaxed
about the birth, thus reducing pain and stress during labour. Courses
combine education about the natural birth process with simple
hypnotherapy techniques and personalised hypnosis sessions. The
course also teaches how birth partners can aid and support their partner
in remaining calm, relaxed and focused throughout birth.
|
| |
|
|
|
|
