Choosing antenatal classes in Cornwall is all about priorities…

Birth prep in Cornwall is like the food scene: we don’t need a Nandos, a Pret or a Wagamama’s because we’ve got plenty of brilliant independent places to go instead.

Antenatal classes in Cornwall are the same, and much like choosing your lunch, finding the right course is less about the brand name and so much more about what you want to get out of it…

Not all antenatal classes in Cornwall are made equal, and that’s a brilliant thing…

Of course, most parents-to-be will have the standard labour-pain-baby-care questions as they approach their due date and any antenatal course can cover that.

But you’re a unique individual: your lifestyle, your priorities, your preferences are so important to your birth preparation.

Picking a course created and delivered by an independent birth worker will help you to take these into account too…

Cornwall is a pretty cool place - not just because we’re surrounded by the sea and have a pretty cool culture, but because every town and village has it’s own personality.

Ask any Cornish person where to find surfers / entrepreneurs / creatives & artists / explorers / foodies / music fans and they’ll tell you where to go. And the beautiful thing is that these microcultures, create their own forms of birth preparation and antenatal support too…

Off the top of my head, Cornwall currently has…

• doula-run independent antenatal classes (like mine!)

• yoga classes built around birth preparation topics

• hypnobirthing classes

• ex-midwife led holistic birth preparation courses

• freebirth and homebirth communities

…as well as some of the big name national brands of antenatal classes.

Is it weird that I’m telling you about all the other antenatal courses in Cornwall?

No, not really. Any birth worker worth their salt will tell you there’s no such thing as ‘the best’ course - it’s about finding the one that ticks all the boxes for you.

And that means knowing what’s out there, so that you can focus on your priorities.

Plenty of studies have been done into what makes antenatal classes good, and the overwhelming feedback - like with this study done within the NHS in 2021, shows that the most important thing is that the people taking the class feel like it has…

• delivered by people they trust

• give them ALL of the information they want and need

• prepared them for the experience of labour & parenthood that lies ahead

• support their partners to make this transition too

Seems straight forward enough doesn’t it & certainly doesn’t sound like rocket science. Except that it actually IS more complicated than that because a lot of those statements contain language that has the potential to be really nuanced…

• who do you trust to give you ALL of the information, without bias, expectation or judgement?

• what birth experience are you preparing for & what are your care priorities?

• what are your baby-care or parenting priorities?

• what does your partner want to get out of this?

In two years, I’ve supported over 45 families to prepare for and birth their babies and I can promise you that no two families have ever had the exact same answers to those questions.

I know this because I always ask - my group antenatal classes and private antenatal courses are always as personalised as possible, and so knowing this information in advance helps me to tailor our sessions to my clients needs and interests.

And that means that my clients walk away from our course not just having had value for money, but feeling really prepared and confident about the journey that lies ahead. And their reviews and testimonials prove that.

How do I find the antenatal class in Cornwall that’s right for me?

This is actually a really simple thing to do, but it’s something that very few people ever make the time for…

Finding the right antenatal class or course in Cornwall is about asking the right questions; as a mum-of-two, an antenatal teacher and a birth doula, these are the ones that I KNOW really have the power to help you make the choice that’s right for you…

Start by thinking about yourself…

1. How do my partner and I feel about the process of labour and giving birth?

   Excited? Scared? Curious? Confused? Don’t be afraid to dig deep here - it’ll help later on.

2. How do you want your antenatal course to help you with those emotions?

   Fix them? Build them up? Support you to navigate them?

3. What sort of birth do I want, and what do I absolutely want to avoid (and why!)?

   Freebirth? Homebirth? Birth centre? Caesarean? Am I making a confidence-based decision or a fear-based one?

4. What information can an antenatal class give that will help us work towards our positive birth experience?

   Unbiased? Fact based? Experience based? Community based? Medically guided?

5. What sort of person do we trust to deliver our antenatal class?

   Birthkeeper? Doula? Midwife? Obstetrician? Someone else entirely?

6. What sort of experience do my partner and I want from my antenatal class or course?

   Social? Interactive? Discussion based? Practical? Academic?

And once you’ve got that, it’s time to weigh up your options:

• Ask around to see what’s out there: remember, marketing as a small business is TOUGH so local pregnancy based Facebook groups like Pregnant in Cornwall are often the key to finding those hidden gems.

• Look at reviews and testimonials of people who have taken these courses: most small businesses have these on their website (my reviews are here) and Google is also a good place to find them.

• Contact the individual and ask them your questions! Every self-respecting business owner will be happy to chat to potential clients about how their antenatal course can help: I offer a free 30-min chat with anyone wanting to talk about my antenatal classes or doula support to make sure I’m the right fit for them.

Once you’ve done all that, you’re so much more likely to have all the information you need to choose the antenatal class in Cornwall that’s right for you! Easy-peasy, job done.

Sneaky little fact for you: I left secondary school teaching because I was frustrated that I couldn’t help individuals to achieve their own goals - and that’s why personalisation is such a big part of every antenatal class I teach in Cornwall.

This really is about you: whether you choose a group or a private antenatal class, nothing is ever standardised and I make sure that I give you the information you want, need and ask for to help you feel truly prepared for birth and the life that comes after.

Sound good? Get in touch and we’ll start the conversation…