Prenatal Classes

Do you know that you have many choices in birth? Learn your options and how to make informed choices with Birth Essentials Prenatal Classes. Take charge and create your version of an ideal birth! You can prepare for your birth, learn important tips, and ask questions. Angie is one of the most experienced prenatal teachers in Canada. The info presented is evidence-based and also includes 20 years (and counting) of experience attending births. Current obstetrical practises and guidelines are discussed.

Birth Essentials Prenatal Classes are available as On-Demand / Learn On Your Own Schedule Prenatal Classes. You may reach out via e-mail with questions, which will be answered in a timely manner. One of the great perks to doing these classes is that you have access to a real person (who attends births and understands policies, practises and how to prepare) and will answer your questions.

The prenatal class series includes access to my Online Regina Hospital Tours for Birth Prep.

Birth Essentials – Prenatal Class Online Series

The Birth Essentials Prenatal Class focuses on preparation, birth and the immediate postpartum hours. It’s loaded with the essentials of prenatal education. Sign up and get immediate access here.

For now these classes are solely offered on demand, as the group classes were getting too crammed with the info I need to cover (and people’s eyes were glazing over with overwhelm LOL). As I learn new things and the health region updates policies, the classes are updated. The on-demand, work at your own pace, classes contain the same info as the group classes.

Client feedback is that it’s easier on participants to “drip learn” in smaller chunks. I recommend doing 1/2 hr-ish at a time, not cramming, so one can really take in the info. The classes are on Member Vault, a platform much like Thinkific or Teachable. You’ll see a progress bar.

These prenatal classes include the following bonuses:

Newborn Care Class – This class includes my on-demand newborn care class which you can do on your own schedule.
Hospital Tour – This class includes my local hospital tour (Regina General Hospital), which I used to do in-hospital in the Before Times.
Easing Labour Pain – Pain is discussed, and the many things one can do to change the intensity and duration of labour. I do not promise pain-free birth, but people don’t know there’s so much that can be done to change the experience. Pain meds are discussed, and what to do while waiting for them and/or if they don’t work as well as hoped. This class also teaches partners how to do hands-on birth support.
Client Resource Document: Local and online resources to deepen your knowledge on certain topics. The basics are covered in class. Some people wish to get into the geeky details. For the on-demand classes, these resources are posted with the applicable modules rather than on one long document.
Nuts and bolts of prep, covered throughout the classes: Things to put on birth plans and how to word them, tips for what partners can do during the birth to keep themselves healthy and to provide support, things to discuss ahead of time with your team or as a couple, things to do to prepare for birth and parenting.
Birth Bag packing list.

You can sign up and get immediate access here.

You will learn about:

Designing your Ideal Birth
How to make informed choices
Tips for a more comfortable and shorter labour
Up-to-date hospital policies and practices
Options for those planning homebirths
Things to discuss as a couple and/or with your support team
Ideas to put into your birth plan
Actions you can take to prepare for your birth and postpartum weeks

Birth Prep and Foundations:

How birth is portrayed in media vs. real life
Six most common concerns and what you can do
How our bodies are designed to cope with labour
Pain and power in birth
What to do when waters release (a.k.a. “water breaks”)
Partners and their journey
Factors that influence how your birth will go
Preparing for birth and postpartum
What to bring to / have in your birth place

Labour Stages and What to Do

How to making informed choices
Communicating with medical care team
Your rights
When to go to hospital
Signs of labour
Stages of labour – what to expect and what to do
Common terms you might hear in obstetrical care
Timing contractions / sensations /surges
How positions affect labour and birth

Interventions (taught in an informative and empowering way)

What the interventions are
Detours / change of plans
When / why each might be used
Benefits of each
Risks of each
Alternatives and options
Routine procedures and choices
Pain medications
Shared decision making with your team

First Postpartum Hours and Life with a Newborn

What happens in the first minutes and hours after birth
Routine maternal and newborn tests/procedures
Optimal cord cutting
Your placenta and options
Maternal recovery from birth; short and longer term
Breastfeeding basics and getting started
First days and weeks
Baby-care basics – when to feed, signs of good health
Family sleep
Sexuality / intimacy
Mental health while navigating life with a newborn
The realities of those first 2 months – all the stuff no one wants to talk about!!

To Register

You can sign up and get immediate access here.
$135 per pregnant person, including their partner or birth companion

If you need a class but the fee is a barrier, then please get in touch.

Prepare for your birth with the info-packed Birth Essentials Prenatal Classes, now on your own schedule! You can purchase the series as an On-Demand Prenatal Class, filled with birth support instructions, pain management advice, and more. Plus you can email me any questions as they arise.

FAQs:

How long do we have access? Until at least 4 months postpartum.
How many times can we watch the classes? As many times as you like.
Can we ask questions? Yes. I’m happy to answer questions as you have them by email and would offer a phone or video chat with you if you have several questions or wish to get some personal guidance.
Can my partner / birth companion attend? Yes! The class is designed for them too and I highly encourage your partner to do the classes with you.
My partner is working away; can they watch from another device? Yes, you can share the log-in and both watch from anywhere.
When is the best time to start the classes? It’s never too early to start. I recommend having the prenatal series completed, ideally, by 34-35 weeks of pregnancy. ELP and hospital tour would ideally be done by 36 weeks or earlier.
Why should I take this class instead of others? Instead of just watching tictok? Basically, people don’t know what they don’t know. Free videos might be great if you find someone knowledgable making the video and only if you know what topics to look up. Everyone looks up things like, “How do I know i’m in labour” but most don’t know to look up, “Best positiions to avoid birthing on my back” and, “What’s the importance of fetal movement” and, “What position should my baby be in before birth to ensure I have a more comfortable and faster labour?” My classes are curated to provide optimal prep for birth and are completely up to date since I attend births regularily.
How will this class help my have a better birth and postpartum? All of my classes really focus on choice and your rights. Most people don’t know they have choices to make, don’t know what those choices are, or how to discuss options with medical staff, and how to express their wishes in the way that gets them their best chance of getting what they want. My classes cover information about how to have a more efficient (i.e. shorter) labour and many things that can be done ahead of time and in labour to decrease pain and complications. People who do the work to prep greatly increase their chances of having the birth they want.
Do you talk about postpartum and after the birth? Yes! My classes are meant to prepare you for the first 8 weeks postpartum and beyond.
Is the online access easy? What if I have trouble? I use Member Vault because it’s so user-friendly. If you have trouble, please get in touch. I’ve only ever had to help one person with access since I started using this platform 7 years ago, meaning several hundreds of people found it to be a straight forward platform.
How long do the classes take? If you watch on regular speed, the prenatal class is approx 8 hrs total (4 x 2hr total classes, but posted in smaller chunks), the tour is 1 hr, Easing Labour Pain is 2hr, Newborn class is about an hour.
How much do the extra classes cost? They’re included in the fee for the prantal series – $135.
What’s covered in the classes? Please see a complete list on the Prenatal Classes page on my site. You can find the other individual classes described there too. Basically, the 1st class covers the foundation of choices, rights, and the foundation of preparation for labour, birth, and the first 8 weeks postpartum. Class 2 covers stages of labour, what to do, when to go to hospital, warning signs in pregnancy. Class 3 covers interventions in the most empowering way possible, ensuring participants know how to ask questions to make informed choices and what some alternatives may be. Class 4 covers things that happen after the birth – cord & placenta, first 24 hours in hospital or home, realities of life with baby, basics of breastfeeding, mother and baby recovery.

Cancellation Policy:
Please note, these classes are non-refundable, as the entire class is opened immediately upon purchase.