8 Week Antenatal Course
Starting in the final trimester, our antenatal classes prepare mothers for parenthood, from coping with the last months of your pregnancy, knowing what to expect in labour and delivery of your baby and being as mentally and physically prepared as possible for the birth of your child, and the months that follow.
We have a unique model in which a mother hosts all eight classes in the privacy of a home or a similarly cosy environment but is supported at points by a specific professional, including midwives, doctors, physiotherapists, osteopaths and breastfeeding specialists thus giving participants the benefit of the very best antenatal information possible in a private and relaxed setting.
Women Only: The main body of classes are for women only. It’s not that we want to exclude partners, but rather that a lot of what we discuss in quite candid detail, they don’t really need to know. We feel it’s crucial for women to be able to ask quite intimate questions and many would not be happy to ask certain things sitting next to someone else’s husband.
Time is precious, especially for parents to be and we feel that a partners time is better spent coming to our dedicated Partners Evenings and a Paediatric First Aid Class, rather than sitting in on a breastfeeding class.
How are the classes structured? The Eight Week Antenatal Course consists of weekly sessions of approximately two hours over eight weeks. Groups are small and girls are due around the same time as each other.
What time do the classes take place? The majority of girls who do The Bump Class are juggling careers with their pregnancy. For this reason we hold a mix of morning and evening classes. All professionals agree that as your pregnancy progresses, you need to slow down and by the time you’re well into your third trimester, you should be leaving work and putting your feet up rather than coming to an antenatal class. Because of this the final four classes are in the morning. Your employer is legally obliged to give you time off for antenatal classes and most employers are happy with the compromise of a few evening and morning classes. We are happy to write to your employer confirming the timing of your antenatal classes.
Cost: Around £620 (prices differ according to location) including a copy of The Bump Class; An Expert Guide to Pregnancy, Birth and Beyond by Dr Chiara Hunt and Marina Fogle which will be given to you at the start of your first class. Do let us know if you’d prefer it posted.
What is covered in each class? For detailed information about what is covered in each class, look at our class synopsis below.
Antenatal Class Synopsis
1. Looking after yourself during your pregnancy
• Introduction to your class
• What happens to your body in pregnancy
• Looking after yourself – common problems, keeping fit, hormonal and psychological changes and their implications
• Pelvic floor muscles; why it’s important to do pelvic floor exercises and how to do them.
2. The importance of being prepared
• Help once your baby is born – what kind of help is available, what to expect if you choose to have a maternity nurse
• Baby gear – what you need and what you really don’t
3. Early labour and the use of natural techniques as pain relief
• A quick synopsis of the stages of labour and the terminology that is used
• Recognising Early Labour
• Breathing and natural techniques to help you cope with contractions
• Visualisation and hypnotherapy
• Water births
4. Active labour and the birth of your child
• When to go to hospital and what happens when you get there.
• 1st, 2nd and 3rd stages of labour
• How to push and the delivery of your baby
• Perineal massage and the Epi No
5. When labour is not straightforward
• The different types of medically assisted relief
– their pros and cons
• Induction
• Assisted deliveries and Caesarean Section
6. Your hospital stay and postnatal care
• What to pack in your labour bag
• Hospital care of your new born baby
• Your baby and you for the next few days
• How you might feel directly after birth – physically and emotionally and how to best aid recovery
• The first days at home with your baby; recognising if your baby is unwell, baby’s medical kit
7. Feeding your baby
• The physiology of breastfeeding
• How to avoid painful breastfeeding by correct latching and positioning of the baby.
• How often to feed and how to tell whether your baby has drunk enough milk.
• Problems that you may experience and where you can get help
8. Looking Ahead
• Caring for your new-born – handling, soothing, dressing, bathing and skin care
• Looking after yourself – eating, coping with tiredness and dealing with the emotional rollercoaster
• Your physical recovery, regaining your fitness, core strength and pelvic floor.
• Thinking about establishing a gentle and flexible routine
• Your support network, sources of information during your baby’s first year
• The first few months – checks and immunisations
8 week antenatal course, From £620 for 8 sessions including a copy of The Bump Class; An Expert Guide to Pregnancy, Birth and Beyond (which will be sent to you once you have confirmed your place).