Antenatal education is essential because it equips expectant parents with the knowledge and confidence needed for a healthy pregnancy, a positive birth experience, and effective newborn care. It helps parents understand the physical and emotional changes of pregnancy, prepare for labour and delivery, and learn practical skills like breastfeeding and baby care.

Antenatal education also provides a platform to address concerns, ask questions, and connect with other parents, fostering a sense of community and support.

Ultimately, it empowers parents to make informed decisions and feel more prepared for the challenges and joys of parenthood.

At UHCW, we currently run antenatal classes both online and face-to-face, throughout the week, depending on your needs. Topics that we cover include:

• Early Pregnancy Advice - Healthy eating, foods to avoid, vitamins & supplements, vaccinations during pregnancy, morning sickness, exercise, travel in pregnancy, maternity leave, baby’s movements, screening tests during pregnancy and more
• Breastfeeding – the Coventry Infant Feeding Team provide information on all areas of breastfeeding. To enquire, please visit coventryift | Facebook | Linktree
• Preparing for Labour - What to pack in your hospital bag, birth expectations, signs of labour, hormones in labour, birth environment, travelling to the hospital, birth plan, getting into labour naturally, pain relief at home, and more.
• Labour and Birth - Progress in labour, induction of labour, monitoring the baby during labour, positions in labour, pain relief in labour, types of birth, delivering the placenta, skin to skin and more.
• Birth Plan - Writing a birth plan to include: where to give birth, choosing a birth partner, equipment in labour, creating your birth environment, relaxation techniques during labour and more
• Water Birth - Benefits of having a water birth, other pain relief options in the pool, birth environment, positions for labouring in the pool, delivering the placenta in the pool, having a water birth at home, advice and guidance about having a water birth and more.
• After the birth of your baby - Skin to skin, safer sleeping, baby safety, baby bathing, cord care, screening tests for baby, Jaundice, Pelvic floor exercises, registering the birth, mum’s wound care, looking after yourself after birth and more.
• Dads & Partners – Information regarding support and information for our expectant fathers can be found here Fatherhood Solutions - iPiP or Why DadPad | About DadPad | Support for new dads
• Baby Safety - This session will include – Baby CPR, signs of an unwell child, falls & head injuries, water safety, seizures, choking, home safety & accident prevention, and more.

You can book your place directly at UHCW Antenatal Education Classes Events - 17 Upcoming Activities and Tickets | Eventbrite or take a look at our LinkTree @uhcwparenteducation | Linktree for more information.

The Real Birth Company

The Real Birth company dedicated to empowering pregnant women and people by providing comprehensive education on labour, birth options, rights, and choices.

Their mission is to alleviate fear and anxiety surrounding childbirth by offering in-depth understanding and support, focusing on emotional and physical wellbeing for families.

The real birth company provide a digital package of antenatal education, accessible in a range of different languages which is useful for our families who’s first language isn’t English.

The programme is available on all smart devices, free of charge. You can register by clicking here.

You can email our Antenatal Education and Parent Support Midwife, Katie Hickman at NewBeginningsAntenatal@uhcw.nhs.uk

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