9 hours group Saturday's antenatal classes are divided into 3 parts

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Class 1: Empower yourself with knowledge and planning your birth

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• The choices you have regarding to where to have your baby

• Anatomy and physiology of birth

• Understanding the stages of labour 

• How do you know that labour has started and when is the best time to go to hospital

• Coping with contractions and pain

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Class 2: Managing labour, birthing your baby and staying positive

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• The role hormones play in labour 

• Movements and postions in labour

• How to keep calm and how to prepare for labour

• Different coping strategies

• Pain relief options including an epidural

• Monitoring in labour

• Pelvic floor exercises

• Avoiding perineal damage

• Perineal massage

• Types of birth

• Holding baby for the 1st time

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Class 3: Getting ready for baby

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• The role of a birthing partner 

• Birth plan

• What are normal worries and what is anxiety

• When nature needs a helping hand (induction)

• Optimal baby's position for birth

• Meditation

• 1st days with baby (skin to skin, bathing, nappy changing, soothing baby, safe sleeping, knowing when your baby is unwell)

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Class 4 (optional): Feeding your baby 

This class is free of charge at the Arcade Sage-femme every 1st Thursday of the month from 10am to 12pm (except school or bank holidays). No booking is required.

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• Benefits of breastfeeding for you and your baby 

• How often will baby ask for a feed and know when baby is hungry

• Colostrum and milk coming in

• Steps to successful breastfeeding

• How to know if baby is having enough milk

• Positioning and attachment 

• Expressing

• Common breast-feeding problems

• Responsive bottle feeding

• What to buy for breastfeeding and bottle feeding

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• Any of those 3 classes cannot be booked individually as they are related to each other and would not make any sense if not followed in this order and together. 

• Class 4 can be attended separately and individually as it is not related to the set of the first 3 classes. No booking required.

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Summarised Antenatal Classes

2 classes, 4 hours in total. Suitable for parents to be whose baby is due very soon or are very busy and cannot do the full antenatal course.

 

Class one: 

• Types of birth 

• Role of a birthing partner 

• When labour begins – sings of labour and when to come in

• The role oxytocin plays in labour and the effect of fear

• Keeping calm during labour

• Coping strategies

• What things might help during labour

• Stages of labour

•  Your labour preferences

• How baby’s heartbeat is monitored during labour

• Pelvic floor exercises

• Optimal baby’s position

 

Class two:

• Waters breaking

• Movements and positions in labour

• Pain relief options including an epidural

• Perineal massage

• Birthing positions for the pushing part of labour

• Avoiding perineal damage

• Birthing placenta

• Practicing relaxation

• Building your nest

• Induction of labour

• Things to pack and tips for birthing partners

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One to one classes can be customised to your specific needs. For example if you don't have time to do the whole set and want to book only one 120 minutes sessions with me we can go over the most important points or I can answer your prepared questions and give you a handout to read in your own time.

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For Hypnobirthing classes please visit the KG Hypnobirhing page on this website.

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