
Prenatal Classes in London Ontario
Prenatal classes are all about prepping you for a positive birth experience and equipping you with knowledge and skills for childbirth.
What:
Prenatal classes in London, Ontario are an interactive, small group learning experience.
When:
Prenatal Classes are held on typically on Saturdays (sometimes on Sundays from 9:30am to 5:30pm. Lunch is for an hour – bring a lunch, do take-out, or dine-in downtown. The day goes quickly and is fun!
2023 – Winter/Spring Dates:
- January 28th
- February 11th
- March 11th
- April 22nd
- May 27th
- June 24th
If these dates don’t work for you, or if the class is full, please contact us to discuss other options.
Where:
We meet at various locations in London, Ontario. Your confirmation email will provide more information about location and parking.
Who:
Your registration is for 2 people – ie. you and your birth partner. Bring a water bottle, snacks, comfortable clothes you you can move in, and a yoga/exercise mat if you have one.
Cost:
$249 in total. Please note that full payment is required upon booking.

Prenatal Classes - Topics
Before Labour
- Birth considerations – your birth dream team, birth location, birth preferences, birth options, hopes, desires and wishes
- What to pack in your hospital bag or what to prepare for a home birth
- Options to encourage labour to begin
- Preparing yourself to fully engage in the experience of childbirth
- Postpartum planning considerations
- Self advocacy, using your voice, communication with care team
- Importance of movement, resilience, strength, endurance, nourishment, sleep, and stress management throughout your pregnancy
Practical Birth Skills and Strategies
- Relaxation
- Mindfulness
- Visualization
- Breathing techniques
- Options for labour and birth positions
- Movement library and comfort measures
- Working with contractions and managing pain
- Pelvic dynamics to facilitate an open pelvis
- Energy management and conservation ideas
Labour
- Pre-term labour warning signs
- Full-term labour signs
- Stages of labour – what happens, why it happens, and when to call the midwife or go to the hospital
- What happens when you arrive at the hospital
- Making use of comfort measures
- Pain management – from natural strategies to pharmacological options
- The integral role of the birth partner before, during, and after birth
- Working with and not against your body to facilitate birth
Birth Itself (Delivery)
- Considerations for physiological, vaginal, unmedicated, medicated, instrumented, Caesarean or VBAC births
- Medical interventions – the why, risks, benefits, alternatives, options
- Decision making framework if things are not going as anticipated
- Complications and emergencies
- Best Practice Guidelines
Early Postpartum
- Newborn basics
- The early postpartum weeks
- Practical tips for postnatal recovery
- Resources available to you in the community (lactation consultant, pelvic floor health, etc)
- Postpartum mental health and mood disorders
- Postpartum self-care for you AND your partner
- The day is quite full discussing labour and birth topics – it’s highly recommended that you attend the postpartum mini workshop series for a much more in depth training on newborn care, postpartum, breastfeeding, and early parenting.
Whole Person Perspective
- Courageously allowing YOUR birth story to unfold – letting go, adjusting, and being flexible
- Giving yourself permission to feel and think and being kind and gentle with yourself
- The physical, emotional, psychological and spiritual elements of giving birth
- How beliefs, biases, expectations, fears, mindset, anticipation, past experiences, and self-talk impact childbirth
- Navigating feelings of judgement, self-doubt, shame, disappointment, discouragement, failure, or trauma
- Accepting change, accepting help, accepting yourself
- Processing your birth story, adjusting to new realities, and navigating your primary relationships
- Transitioning to a new role, new identity, new expectations, new reality
I loved everything. It was all amazing. The timing of everything was perfectly executed. I felt like we had enough time to learn and discuss the information. Can’t say enough good things. I’m seriously SO happy I did this.
This class was so much more than what I thought it would be. It is an amazing compliment to the other ways my husband and I are preparing for our first child.
FAQ
Why should we sign up for prenatal classes?
Getting information about birth is one thing. But sifting through to figure out what is important, relevant, and accurate is another.
And knowledge is power…but only when it’s used.
Here’s a current trend: many expecting parents want to prepare for birth so they look up information online. Some leave it at that. Some take online self-paced courses. Others decide to attend prenatal classes. That’s all good.
But in these cases, what usually happens is that tons of information is shared…and that’s pretty much it.
Often, expecting parents don’t get clear guidance on what to DO with all the information. They are not taught how to practice birth skills and strategies during daily life. And they end up forgetting many of the physical and mental tools available to them when labour begins to require more focus.
So our prenatal classes and workshops are designed with two goals in mind:
1. To share game-changing information that you need to know about childbirth and postpartum – no matter how it all unfolds.
2. To give you a roadmap showing how to put that knowledge into regular practice so you feel comfortable USING your birth knowledge and skills on your big day.
Ultimately, we want you to have the best birth experience possible and we design our classes to that end.
Do you promote a certain birth technique?
No we don’t. We’ve been doing this long enough to know that different approaches work for different people. And that’s ok!
We take the best from each approach but certainly don’t confine you to one birthing method, one technique, or one storyline. You are unique and so is your birth. Be free and explore all options! There is absolutely no judgement from us.
We do encourage you to come with an open mind and a willingness to engage in reflective thinking about your own biases, beliefs, expectations, narratives, and ideas surrounding birth.
Do you offer other formats for prenatal classes?
Absolutely. We offer in-person group prenatal classes in London Ontario, and through the magic of the internet, we can also teach group prenatal classes virtually. Let us know if you have a small group you’d like us to offer a class to and we’ll make it happen.
You may also consider taking our self-paced online prenatal classes instead.
Mini-workshops are also an excellent way to get very specific training on one aspect of pregnancy, birth, or postpartum.
Do you offer private prenatal classes?
Yes we do. Private prenatal classes are ideal if you:
-
Prefer learning 1:1 rather than in a small group
-
Are having a planned C-section, have a higher risk pregnancy, or are on bed-rest
- You want to do a deep dive into a topic specific to your life (eg. vaginal birth with vaginismus)
- Are having a second or third child (or more) and just need a quick refresher
- Your work or personal schedule doesn’t allow for Saturdays off
- Have a history of trauma in your past (whether that is childhood abuse, past birth trauma, or something else) and may need more consideration, time, or space to process
We have met in homes, at our studio location in London, Ontario, and virtually.
Contact us to set up your personalized class.
At what point in my pregnancy should I register for prenatal classes?
It’s best to participate in prenatal classes sometime in your 2nd trimester and onwards (so from around 24-36 weeks). Don’t wait until too late though because you’ll want some time to digest all that you learn and to practice some of the techniques that you’ll be taught.
Who can I bring to the prenatal class?
When you register for in-person prenatal classes or mini workshops, you are reserving a space for two people. Feel free to bring whomever you want. Ideally this person would be your birth partner or someone who will be journeying with you during childbirth. You can also bring a friend or family member. If you come on your own, that is completely fine as well.
What do I need to bring with me?
Once you register for your prenatal class or workshops, you will be sent a welcome email with all the details. Please contact us with any questions!