Beloved Bumps

The Lowdown on Antenatal Classes….

We often get asked the following questions about our prenatal classes, so thought it was easier to write them all down with the answers for you!

Firstly, antenatal classes vs. prenatal classes – what is the difference?

None! It depends where you are from as to what you call them, but both terms mean that you are pregnant/ are having pregnancy care.

When do antenatal classes start? When should I book them?

Typically antenatal classes start around the 28 week mark until 32 week. It really depends how long the course is, but you want to make sure that you finish them by the time you are 35 or 36 weeks pregnant, so that you have time to prepare for the birth before you are ‘due’! We recommend booking antenatal classes as soon as you know you are pregnant and want to do them, as our classes book out months in advance.

How much are antenatal classes?

This varies according the different providers – typically hospital classes tend to be cheaper than private courses, but when booking have a look at what is included in the price! Some courses, like ours, included all the social aspects of the course as well as the teaching, and others will include other elements, so have a think about what is important to you and then choose your course accordingly.

How many antenatal classes do you have?

Again this depends on the course content – some courses are 4 weeks, others are 6, and some are even one day! One day courses are designed for people who have busy schedules, however, we actually stopped doing these as we found that parents just didn’t get that much out of it as it is an overload of information. It is hard enough getting it into 4 weeks and being absorbed, so a 1 or 2 day antenatal class we found was just a bit too much. Again, this is totally up to you and what you want to take away from it.

How long do antenatal classes last for?

Our antenatal classes are around 2.5 hours each week – this includes a 10 minutes break in the middle for you to mingle with your fellow class members and get to know them a bit better!

Are antenatal classes important? Are they worth it?

We think so! We think antenatal classes help you to prepare for your labour birth, but also more importantly how to prepare for your baby! Antenatal classes help you to be informed so that you can make informed choices throughout your care in hospital, and that you feel empowered with knowledge to be able to do this.