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Everywhere you turn, people have advice, a story to tell or a knowing look that is far from reassuring! So called "experts" (usually a mum who has given birth) are telling you what you should be doing; which is often just what worked for them, not evidence based information to enable you to make an informed choice! The NHS is stretched & not offering classes this area.
Yes! The course is designed for both of you & really helpful for (birth) partners.- We don’t get you to do anything embarrassing so you can tell them to relax! The cost is for both of you (one pregnant and one non pregnant birth partner).
We believe that EVERYONE having a baby deserves to be prepared & feel supported. We're here to do just that.
We simply ask you to bring a mug/travel mug &/or a water bottle. Refreshments are provided (please let your Expecting midwife know if you have a severe nut allergy). Bringing an open mind & a listening ear also helps!
Expecting goes into far more depth than NHS antenatal classes. NHS antenatal classes can be a little hit & miss depending on who has been asked to teach them. There’s not usually an opportunity to meet others at NHS antenatal classes as they tend to be large groups with different people attending different sessions. NHS classes are free, whereas there is a fee for Expecting classes.
NCT classes are not usually run by midwives but rather mums who have done in house training with NCT. All Expecting classes are taught & hosted by expert midwives. NCT classes are much more expensive than Expecting classes. Expecting offers a no-nonsense balanced approach with no agenda when it comes to natural birth v caesarean or breastfeeding v bottle feeding.
Absolutely not! There is nothing cringey about our classes! There’s no role play! There’s no expectation for you to join in! We've had a number of clients who have reluctantly attended because their partner booked, only to comment at the last session that they're going to miss coming along.
As our in person classes are four sessions (usually spread over four weeks), we recommend starting them when you're approximately 27-33 weeks pregnant meaning you'll be 31-37 weeks on completion.
Yes indeed! We offer non biased information enabling you to make an informed decision & support you in your feeding choices.
Yes! We’ve had a number of single mums who have attended Expecting (alone or with a friend/family member) & always commented on how welcomed they felt. Expecting is a fantastic platform to gain support from one another regardless of circumstances.
You/they can just catch up in your/their own time; we can give you/them access to the video of the session you/they missed. Either way, you/they won’t miss out!
Yes! We cover what to expect when you’re booked in for a caesarean birth & the aftercare. Our feeding & early parenting sessions are still equally relevant. Our classes are a great way to meet others at a similar life stage. Plus we've had a number of clients who have planned a caesarean birth & unexpectedly gone into labour. They have sometimes had to wait for hours for theatre to be available for their caesarean birth & used all the information & techniques given during the labour, birth & pain relief & coping methods sessions.
The booking is for one pregnant person and one non pregnant (birth) partner; you choose who that is & you’re welcome to bring a different person to different sessions. Unfortunately our venues can't accommodate bringing more than one birth partner.
We provide course notes so you shouldn’t need to, but feel free to if that’s how you learn best.
Anything comfortable! You’re only ever asked to sit or stand. We don’t ask you to move around in different positions or anything like that!
We usually arrange a date & time that everyone can make at least 4 weeks after the last due date of the group. We tend to meet in a cafe/pub which has plenty of space for buggies & car seats. There’s no agenda; just a lovely opportunity to chat & meet each other’s babies!
Of course! The classes are very informal - feel free to eat away! Our local classes all have microwaves in their kitchens that you can use to heat food if preferred. One client did bring fish & chips that made everyone jealous!
We don’t show live birth videos! Some people feel squeamish talking/hearing about birth but in our experience this factual exposure prepares them well for the actual event, meaning they’re less likely to faint/vomit on the day!
No, you can join in discussion as much or little as you like, or not at all. At the beginning of each session we remind everyone of our names but whoever you've come along with can introduce you if you’d prefer.