Antenatal Education

Women-centred antenatal education provides you with knowledge, choice, confidence and control on your journey through pregnancy, birth and into parenthood. These are essential for creating positive experiences.

As a passionate antenatal educator, I have used my midwifery expertise and additional qualifications to create the following antenatal course and specialist workshops for you to choose from:

  • Preparing for Positive Birth and Early Parenting

  • Positive Induction of Labour

  • Positive Caesarean Birth

  • Moving for an Easier Birth

  • Liquid Gold - Antenatal Colostrum Harvesting and Newborn Feeding

  • Caring for your Newborn and You in The Fourth Trimester

  • Starting a Positive Sleep Journey

Over 5 weeks, I will empower you with evidence-based information, practical tools and tips, and expert advice, so that you can navigate your journey in a confident and informed way. This will enable you to make the right decisions for you and your baby and create positive birth and early parenting experiences.

Week 1 - Birth physiology, first stage of labour, coping strategies, birth partner role

Week 2 - Transition, second stage of labour, third stage of labour, fourth stage of labour, birth preferences, complications and emergencies, instrumental birth

Week 3 - Induction of labour, caesarean birth, postnatal recovery

Week 4 - Newborn feeding

Week 5 - Life with your newborn baby - the fourth trimester, practical parenting skills

 ✔ For any type of birth

 ✔ Understand your body

 ✔ Feel confident about birth

 ✔ Make choices that are right for you

 ✔ Prepare for the postpartum period

✔ Look after your post-birth body

✔ Nurture your mental health

✔ Learn about newborn characteristics, behaviour, sleep and feeding

 ✔ Learn practical parenting skills – swaddling, winding, nappy changing, bathing

 The course also offers:

  • Opportunities to meet and connect with other parents-to-be

  • The option to join a group Whats App

  • Class resources

  • Ongoing support and guidance from an expert Midwife

 

 

 

Preparing for Positive Birth and Early Parenting

Positive Induction of Labour

Induction of labour is an increasingly common intervention. A key finding of The National Maternity and Perinatal Audit (NMPA) Clinical report 2022 was that 34% of women and birthing people had their labour induced. More and more pregnant people find themselves having to decide whether to let their body and baby go into labour spontaneously, or agree to medical intervention.

In this workshop we explore the pros and cons of waiting, and of being induced. This may be after your due date, when your baby is thought to be bigger than average, when you are older, if you have had IVF or when your waters have broken earlier than usual.

I explain the process of induction of labour and share information from research studies to help you become more informed and make the decision that is right for you.

And if the decision is to accept an induction of labour, this workshop will guide you on how to make your induction a positive birth experience.

Positive Caesarean Birth

A key finding of The National Maternity and Perinatal Audit (NMPA) Clinical report 2022 was that 29% of women and birthing people having their first baby gave birth via caesarean section - 6% were planned (elective) and 23% were unplanned (emergency).

Caesarean birth is a hugely complex and emotive topic, but you can prepare for a positive caesarean birth experience.

This workshop aims to navigate the research and enable you to make positive decisions and feel supported if a caesarean section is chosen or accepted when medically advised.

We will look at exactly what you can expect before, during and after your caesarean birth, how to prepare and how to support recovery afterwards. This includes:

  • Pre-operative care

  • What actually happens during a caesarean section? Who is in theatre and what is their role?

  • Anaesthetic choice - spinal, combined spinal-epidural (CSE), general anaesthetic (GA)

  • The importance of hormones and relaxation during a caesarean birth

  • Relaxation breathing to remain calm

  • The Golden Hour: the first hour after birth

  •  Post-operative care

  • Feeding choices and challenges

  • Going home - discover ways you can support your post-birth recovery, including when and how to massage your caesarean scar, and how focused breathing can benefit your physical recovery

  • Writing your birth preferences for a positive caesarean section

Moving for an Easier Birth

The aim of this workshop is to improve your labour and birth experience by avoiding the difficulties, interventions and trauma frequently associated with labour dystocia, also known as ‘prolonged labour’ or ‘failure to progress’.

 The most common reason for labour dystocia is a mechanical imbalance in the pelvis often, but not always, resulting in a suboptimal position of baby.

 You will learn:

  • The dynamic interaction between your pelvis and your baby in birth

  • Activities and lifestyles that can increase the chance of labour dystocia

  • Techniques and positions to do daily or weekly in pregnancy and if needed in labour. These are based on the principles of biomechanics, that increase space in the pelvis and help to avoid medical interventions

  • How to better recognise if your baby is in a suboptimal position

The workshop is accompanied by a Biomechanics For Birth handout to guide you during your pregnancy and labour.

 

 

Liquid Gold - Antenatal Colostrum Harvesting and Newborn Feeding

Give your baby the best start to his/her feeding journey by being educated on infant feeding and learning how to harvest your colostrum. Colostrum has many benefits for your baby, even if you are planning to formula feed.

What is colostrum?

The first breast milk your body makes is known as colostrum. Colostrum is the perfect source of nutrition for your baby because it:

  • Contains antibodies which protect your baby from infection and help their immune system to develop

  • Helps your baby’s digestive system to develop, which protects your baby from allergies

  • Encourages your baby to open their bowels and pass ‘meconium’ (your baby’s first poo) which reduces their risk of jaundice

Learning how to hand express your colostrum during the last few weeks of your pregnancy will enable you to:

  • Become familiar with your breasts and how they work

  • Store colostrum for your baby in case they need encouragement with breastfeeding

  • Feel more confident with hand expressing your colostrum after your baby is born

  • Offer your baby colostrum, even if you are formula feeding

This workshop provides an opportunity for you to learn hand expressing technique and will help you to feel more informed and confident about your feeding choices. You will also receive an antenatal colostrum harvesting kit and Mothers and Others Guide to Pregnancy, Feeding and Parenting

Caring for Your Newborn and You in The Fourth Trimester

The first 3 months after birth is a time of great physical and emotional change as your baby adjusts to being outside the womb, and you adjust to your new life as a parent. It can feel overwhelming!

This fun and informative hands-on workshop increases your understanding of your newborn’s needs, behaviour and development in the fourth trimester. It ensures realistic expectations, provides an opportunity to learn practical parenting skills and will help you to feel more prepared for those first 12 weeks.

We explore:

  • Newborn characteristics

  • How your baby develops in the fourth trimester

Crying

Sleeping

Feeding

Senses

Physical development

  • How you can support your baby during their fourth trimester

Skin-to-skin

Feeding on demand

Swaddling and movement

Baby wearing

Safe sleeping practices

Staying routine-free... at first

Stimulating without overwhelming

Understanding why your baby cries and how to soothe him/her

  • How to care for your physical and emotional needs

  • Newborn care skills

Nappy changing

Cord Care

Top and tailing and bathing

Swaddling

Responsive bottle feeding technique

Winding 

Starting a Positive Sleep Journey

It is so important that babies and parents get the sleep they need to thrive. Understanding newborn sleep and how a baby’s sleep develops is key to starting a responsive, healthy and happy sleep journey for the whole family.

As a Midwife and a Sleep Consultant, I am uniquely qualified to educate you on all you need to know about newborn sleep so you feel more confident in making the right decisions for you and your baby.

In this workshop we explore:

  • The Science of Sleep

  • Safe Sleeping Guidance

  • Sleep Environment

  • Sleep Associations

  • Sleep Regressions

  • Sleep Cues and Sleep Duration

  • Instilling Good Sleep Habits

  • Key Strategies for Implementing Successful Sleep