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Pregnancy Classes Available To You

Pregnant Woman Doing Yoga
 

Deciding on a pregnancy class can be a bit mindboggling. Ultimately it will depend on what’s available in your area, what appeals to you and whether you’re prepared to pay (and how much) to attend one.

First thing to say is that it’s a good idea to start exploring your options early on in pregnancy as classes can get booked up quickly.

Benefits of pregnancy classes

The benefits of pregnancy classes, no matter which type you choose, include:

  • Getting information and knowledge to help you feel prepared
  • An opportunity to have your questions answered by a trained person
  • An opportunity to make friends and build a support network
  • Social connection (other mums and their partners are going through the same things!)
  • Health benefits such as keeping active and looking after mind and body

What’s available?

There are different types of pregnancy classes to choose from, including:

  • Antenatal or parentcraft classes
  • Birthing classes, such as hypnobirthing and waterbirth
  • Exercise-related classes, such as pregnancy yoga, pregnancy Pilates and aquanatal classes

Antenatal classes  

These classes, often done in groups with other expectant parents, provide information about labour, birth and how to look after your baby.

Topics may vary depending on who you go with but the main things they’ll cover include:

  • What happens during labour and birth
  • Approaches to coping with labour and pain relief options
  • Breathing and relaxation techniques
  • Possible birth scenarios, such as caesarean section, induction, forceps delivery
  • Caring for and feeding your baby
  • Keeping healthy in pregnancy with diet and exercise
  • Your health after birth
  • Your feelings during pregnancy, birth and after

Your midwife will recommend that you attend antenatal classes, especially if you’re a first-time-mum, and can give you information about the classes available in your area. Popular classes include those run by the NHS and those run by the NCT (National Childbirth Trust). You can attend classes by more than one provider.

There are also options to do refresher courses if you’ve already had a baby but would like to freshen up your knowledge or seek a different birth experience and establish a friendship group for support.

NHS antenatal classes

Antenatal classes run by the NHS are free and typically run by midwives. You’ll get the opportunity to talk about where you might like to give birth (hospital, birth centre or home) and could get a tour of your local maternity unit.

Most classes start when you’re around 30–32 weeks pregnant but may be earlier if you are expecting twins—some areas offer dedicated classes for multiples, so check with your midwife.

Classes can be as little as a single two-hour session or a few sessions over several weeks, and take place during the day or evenings. This will depend on your local NHS trust and how they fund their antenatal programme. Ask your midwife about the set-up of the sessions in your area, where they are held and the group size.

Smaller-group sessions held over a longer period of time may offer more opportunity to make friends with other parents, if this is something that is important to you. That said, you can always ask to swap numbers with other mums going to a single session if people are willing.

Some areas may have NHS classes dedicated to pregnant women only, teenage mums, single mothers or women whose first language isn’t English.

NCT antenatal classes

Classes are taught by antenatal practitioners trained by the NCT. There are fees for these courses, but concessions and discounts are available for parents on lower incomes or receiving benefits. Courses run typically on a weekday evening or at a weekend, over several weeks.

You can choose from the ‘Signature’ course, which is longer (typically 18 hours if it includes a breastfeeding session) or the ‘Essentials’ course, which is 12 hours. Look to pay around £200 (£340 in London) for the Signature course and around £130 (£220 in London) for the Essentials course.

The small group sizes, longer duration and reunion session encourage and enable parents to form friendships that may go well beyond the first few months after the birth. The social aspect and opportunity to build a support network make the NCT classes very popular.

Other antenatal providers

Antenatal classes are also available through other private providers, such as My Expert Midwife. Talk to your midwife if you can’t go to classes at all as it’s also possible to do online antenatal classes, or your midwife may be able to recommend good DVDs or books.

Birthing classes

If you’re thinking about a particular kind of birth, you may be interested in hypnobirthing or waterbirth classes. Hypnobirthing is increasing in popularity and there may be an NHS-run class in your area or you can choose a private provider. The NCT also do waterbirth workshops. Ask your midwife what might be available locally or do an internet search.

Exercise-related pregnancy classes

Pregnancy yoga, pregnancy Pilates and aquanatal classes start earlier in pregnancy. They focus on health, fitness and relaxation during pregnancy. This type of class helps you stay fit by increasing muscle tone and strength, improves flexibility, and helps your mental and emotional wellbeing through relaxation. They are also a great way of meeting some new mummy friends.

 

 

 

 

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