The Antenatal course is typically an eight-week course, taught in a local community centre. However, weekend courses are also available.

You will be part of a small group of parents, all expecting their babies at a similar time. Classes tend to coincide with the latter weeks of your pregnancy.

You will find much to compare and share with your class peers as you prepare for the delivery of your babies. By exploring many issues facing you, you will become equipped to make informed choices around pregnancy, childbirth and early parenthood.

Partners and birth friends have much to gain from the classes in terms of understanding and developing their role throughout labour and delivery and into parental life.

Topics covered include:

• The importance of relaxation in pregnancy, and postnatal life
• Achieving relaxation through breathing and massage during labour
• Positions for labour and birth
• Management of pain, our own natural resources, and medical help
• The role of the partner, this permeates all our topics
• Birth choices - Hospital or home birth? Which hospital?
• What happens in the eventuality of a Caesarean delivery?
• What if baby is ill or born prematurely?
• Feeding your baby
• Transition to Parenthood
• Care of the Newborn: Bathing, nappy choices, putting to bed. A class reunion allows us to meet again as families and to greet our newborns. Postnatal support follows on from each class, allowing you to share and discuss your experiences with your peers.

To book a place on a set of classes please contact our class booking secretary:

Course Dates:

Please check back here for news of the next course dates

Tel: 07020 971468 or email

Note:

Our antenatal teachers, breastfeeding counsellors and postnatal leaders undergo a thorough training with the NCT although they are not required to be medically qualified. All teachers, counsellors and leaders are expected to keep up to date with the latest developments in maternity care and must register with us every year. Their role is to offer support, information, practical skills and resources to help parents make informed choices for themselves and their babies. They do not offer medical advice and parents are asked to take any questions about the medical care of mother and baby to their midwife, health visitor or doctor.

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Note: Opinions expressed in our newsletters are those of the authors and not necessarily those of the NCT