Research shows that antenatal courses make a difference. But with so many options, and so many recommendations, how do you choose which one is best?

Covid changed the face of how we prepare for birth, and now there’s far more available to you…  

A quick Google search is all you need to find antenatal courses that work for you. And what’s more than likely to appear on your screen is a list of… 

• NCT classes

• NHS classes (in person or online)

• Online courses by companies such as The Positive Birth Company 

But then there will also be… 

• Hypnobirthing courses

• Aquanatal courses

• Independently created antenatal courses (like mine!)

• Active birthing courses  

The list could go on. All of them promise (quite legitimately!) to prepare you for birth, but they’ll all do it very differently. And at different times. And for different costs. 

So how are you meant to choose?  

A member of my recent group course recently told me in her feedback that before she came to the course… 

“I thought ‘meh, surely we can just wing this whole thing - baby will arrive how they want and there’s not a lot I can do about that’ and man, I cannot believe just how wrong I was.This course was the piece of the birth puzzle we didn’t realise was missing.”

… and truth be told, this is a really common thing to hear. While I am obviously thrilled that my course helped her to feel so much more knowledgeable and positive about her upcoming birth experience, it’s not just my course that does that.

While research in this field is less than in other areas of pregnancy and childbirth, there is research to suggest that antenatal classes do ‘improve women’s knowledge and competence, and can provide a defence against the tendency to overmedicalise pregnancy and childbirth’ (Spinelli, 2003)

There’s also evidence to suggest that people who had attended antenatal classes helped people to…

• have fewer medical interventions as a result of arriving at hospital in more advanced labour

• make sense of the enormous amount of information that they can access on the internet,

• reduce their anxieties around their birth and baby experiences

So, yes. Antenatal courses have the potential but as a Swiss research project found, it’s only useful if the course the person invests their time and effort (and money!) in, actually answers the questions and needs that they have. Because while the participants in this study valued the chance to meet other people in their position, find solidarity and potential friends, what the course didn’t give all of them was the information about the specifics they wanted to know - about complications in labour, about postnatal recover and about life with a baby.

This led to the conclusion that: ‘Revising antenatal classes to fit mothers’ needs could lead to greater satisfaction and thus a better impact on the well-being of mothers and their families.’ 

But let’s be honest: the NHS and NCT may do what you want them to do, but if they don’t, those organisations aren’t going to alter their courses to suit your exact requirements. And so if you’re investment of time and energy (and money) is going to be worth it, you need to find the course that’s does exactly what you want it to do. 

And these five questions will help you to do just that.

Once you have Googled the courses in your area (or available to you online), it’s time to filter them down using these questions…

1. What approach to birth does the course take? 

Not all antenatal courses are made equal and finding a course that approaches birth from the same perspective as you is a key part of getting value out of the course. Some courses deliver standardised content created by big organisations (eg: NCT or the Positive Birth Company) while others are created by independent companies, or local birth workers. Some may approach birth from a medical or hospital-based perspective, while others may be truly holistic. And then there are the ‘schools’ of birth preparation: Hypnobirthing, Active birthing, Spinning babies… Finding out the values of the content will make sure you’re generally on board with what the course teaches, rather than feeling disconnected from or unsatisfied by the content.

2. Does the course cover topics I want to know about? 

Everyone comes to their birth and baby experience with their lived experience: some have never held a baby before, while others have been newborn nannies or night nurses. If you’re investing your time & effort in a course, you should benefit from all of it. Knowing the individual topics covered in advance means that you won’t feel like you’re wasting your time. 

3. What ‘extras’ come with the course? 

Do you get a goodie bag, booklets and information resources to take home with you? Is there extended virtual support with the instructor delivering the training? Is there an online space to stay in touch with your course mates (if it’s a group) or a postnatal meet-up once the babies have all arrived? Are there any associated discounts for further support? Finding out what you get for your money can help you get value out of your investment. 

4. What experience does the instructor or teacher have?

People come to antenatal teaching from all walks of life: they may have a medical background, a birthworker or doula background, a teaching background or none of these. What matters is that you trust that they’ve got what’s needed to deliver your course properly. 

5. Do the dates, times, locations and cost work for me? 

This is last for a reason: being able to get there IS really important but often providers work in different locations, offer different course dates, payment plans and private options sometimes. Understanding all of this will help you to choose the course that fits most with your lifestyle right now. 

Now, I can’t guarantee these filters will leave you with the one perfect course (if they do, let me know!). But by working through them, you’ll filter out the courses that absolutely won’t give you what you need, and leave you with a clearer idea of the ones that might.

Or failing that, you could always ask me about my antenatal courses!

Whether I am delivering a group or a private antenatal course, the individuals in the room always take priority: this is your journey, not mine. I take great pride in creating the space, opportunities and activities that allow people to find their own path to meeting their baby, and the adventure that lies beyond. 

If you’d like to know more about either my private or group antenatal courses, get in touch and we’ll start chatting about how I can help you get calm, confident and in control of your birth and baby experience.