One to One
Why One-to-One?
One to One classes give you the luxury of time to explore all your burning issues in a private setting, talk through what’s really worrying you and also delight in what you are looking forward to! All this, within a confidential and secure, space with just yourself and your partner.
In a busy life, it’s tricky finding time for antenatal classes, so a bespoke course offers total flexibility with dates of your choosing which seamlessly slot in with your lifestyle and availability. Whether it be day, evening or weekend sessions; zoom or in-person (or a lively mixture of both) we can ensure you get the course that’s perfect for you as a couple.
It’s also very important that your partner feels involved and my courses go all out to include them so they also feel fully prepared as your birth partner (which includes feeling confident and well-informed as your advocate and helping you liaise with the midwives and doctors), ready to work with you to achieve the best birth for you and your baby.
While all antenatal classes allow you and your partner to reflect on birth and ready yourselves for parenthood, One to One’s provide a unique opportunity to explore the changes a baby will bring to your relationship and lives, in your own time and at your own pace. In this defined, trusted space, away from your busy lives, the two of you can prepare for the transition from being a couple to becoming a family.
I always emphasise that any question, be it big or small, is better aired and, especially with a One to One format, you can ask questions to your hearts content! Together we usually find a way to understand your issues more clearly, get perspective, and put any worries to rest.
Where do I Teach?
Usually in my home in North West London where I make it warm, friendly and cosy so you’ll feel comfortable, relaxed and able to open up in a confidential and safe atmosphere. Also, lots of TLC and yummy biscuits supplied! I also do classes by zoom, which, surprisingly, works remarkably well! Nothing replaces face–to–face but zoom is a very good second best option.
When to take the course
Most people take their course at about 7 to 8 months pregnant, although can attend as early as 6 months, especially if it’s a matter of fitting the classes into a hectic schedule.
It has been known for couples to leave it as late as the 9th month – though that’s not to be advised! You certainly don’t want me running after you into the Maternity Unit still explaining about breathing through an open and relaxed mouth!
However, whenever you decide to take the course, people usually book it when about 4 or 5 months pregnant – then they can relax, safe in the knowledge their course is ready and waiting and they’ll hear all the info they need at the right time.
What's Covered - Course Content
Over my 25 years’ of teaching I’ve learnt what works well and with my NCT training (the gold standard when it comes to antenatal teaching) behind me I aim to give you the very best preparation on all fronts – medical, emotional and practical – possible for your starring role as new parents, through a variety of teaching, discussion and activities.
Antenatal Classes help you realise birth is, quite simply, a natural physiological triumph of nature and women already have everything they need. In fact, I feel I’m just reacquainting you with this inherent knowledge, and It’ll feel familiar and wonderful!
While birth is a natural phenomenon, you also need practical, hands-on information to help you deal with labour, pain management, interventions, caesareans and, importantly, how to choose the right and most effective pain relief for you. All this vital info is, of course, included in spades.
Everything is aimed at providing you with – the holy grail of childbirth education – Informed Choice: finding your strengths, knowing your options and making your choices every step along the way. However, nothing is set in stone and, especially with One to One’s, I want to know what’s important to you and your partner, so I can ensure my course content suits you down to the ground.
Clarity of information is equally important, as knowledgeable and relaxed parents-to-be will have a better birth, and a One to One affords you the added luxury of more time to probe and clarify points, ensuring you understand everything completely.
Topics cover the ‘whole kit and caboodle’! From late pregnancy through to labour, from birth to breastfeeding and those heady first days of early parenting. Here’s a rough class content, although each course may be slightly differently constructed:
Class 1
- Antenatal care – ways to understand and improve it
- Learning about Informed Choice – knowing your choices; your strengths for your birth
- Understanding the amazing role of hormones
- Looking at mum’s growing uterus
- Understanding the three stages of labour
- Exploring the advantages of upright positions and movement for first stage
- Examining the structure of the pelvis, baby’s head and his position in the womb
Class 2
- Learning about the natural physiology of a woman’s body to adapt to labour and birth
- Breathing awareness and relaxation to aid a calmer labour and birth
- Hypnotherapy techniques to deal with fears and anxieties to help you relax, stay calm and in control
- Birth plans – making them, changing them and knowing when to ditch them!
- Emotions during Pregnancy – as experienced not just by mum, but her partner too!
- Anatomy and physiology of first stage of labour
- Liaising and communicating with midwives and medical professionals to achieve your best birth
Class 3
- Understanding contractions, taking away the fear and working with them
- When to go to hospital and what happens when you get there
- Getting to know your inner ‘birth partner’ – your baby!
- Understanding the role of contractions and pain and how to manage it
- Knowing everything about all forms of pain relief and what’s good for you
- Acknowledging self-help methods of pain relief and when/how to use them
- The role of the birth partner as a crucial support during labour
- Hands on ideas to empower the birth partner
Class 4
- Transition and fully understanding the second stage of labour
- Everything you need to know about the birth itself
- Breast and baby feeding overview – finding what’s right for you and making it work
- Postnatal life, including awareness of postnatal depression and how to deal with it
- Loving mum’s postnatal body
- Understanding interventions and helping to minimise them
- Making a caesarean-section a positive way to bring your baby into the world
Class 5
- Role of men as dads
- Third stage of labour and the first few hours with your new baby
- Exploring the range of emotions at birth – the good, the bad and the unexpected!
- Understanding the Apgar score
- Practical strategies for coping with the ups and downs of the early days with your precious new baby
- Recap of breathing; upright positions and movement
- Summary and review of everything learnt throughout the course
Information Sheets to Have at Home
At the end of the course, I’ll send you a free comprehensive pack of Information Sheets for you to keep and study in your own time.
Let’s face it, being pregnant is not easy (you’re tired, uncomfortable and your mind’s not as razor sharp as it was!) and during classes it’s a tad tricky concentrating (and not dozing off!). But, no worries, you can relax and still know (if you miss a point or two) you’ll receive all the relevant info to pore over in your own time!
The varied sheets (about 60 of them!) are totally inclusive in the one-off course fee and cover subjects from the sessions and so much more. And, of course, in-between classes you can call me, literally anytime (no jokes, I’ve had women calling during labour!).
Reunion
Then, there’s ‘The Reunion’, after your baby is born (also at no extra cost). This is the highlight of the whole course! Firstly, it brings the three of us (actually four, with the baby!) back together again. Secondly, I get to meet your bonny, bouncing baby (come on, they’re bound to recognise my voice!) and thirdly, it ‘rounds-off’ the whole antenatal experience as it flows into ‘getting the hang of early parenting’ – setting you up for being the most brilliant parents on planet earth.
So, once your baby is born, we compare diaries (you’ll need 48 hours in a day) and set a date when you converge at my place, babies/buggies/bibs & bobs for a lovely little shindig together.
