If you have any questions at any time please contact the Birth Matters booking secretary. email: info@our-birthmatters.co.uk telephone: 07005803693
- What is covered in a Birth Matters course
- The stages of labour
- Pain management options
- Medical aspects of birth
- Positioning for birth
- The role of the birth partner
- What to take to hospital
- How to improve the labour room environment
- Care for you after your baby is born
- Early days of parenting including feeding and babycare
The classes are informal and questions are encouraged so other topics may arise during the course.
- Who teaches Birth Matters antenatal classes?
All of our Birth Matters antenatal teachers and breastfeeding counsellors undergo a thorough training with the National Childbirth Trust. All our teachers have been registered with the NCT and are required to keep up to date with the developments in their field. The role of the teachers is to offer support, information, practical skills and resources to help parents make informed choices for themselves and their babies. Teachers are not usually medically qualified and do not offer medical advice. Parents are asked to take any questions about medical care of mother and baby to their midwife or doctor. All of our teachers have children so have a wealth of personal experience.
- Why book Birth Matters and not other courses ?
Birthmatters teachers live in the local area and are not constrained by National policy or practice. This means out teachers are able to explore all the options that are available to you , in a non judgemental way and can give you and open account of childbirth, parenting, family life, and feeding option
- Can my partner attend classes too?
Yes! The courses are aimed at couples to encourage partners to get involved with the pregnancy and to understand what will happen in labour. Attendance is not compulsory and not all partners make it to all of the sessions. Some sessions within course might be pre-planned as women only sessions.
- How will I know if I am booked on the course?
Once you have filled in the booking form , we will check availability and contact you with confirmation and payments options. You have 14 days to pay after confirmation has been received to reserve your place.
- Can my partner attend classes too?
Yes! The courses are aimed at couples to encourage partners to get involved with the pregnancy and to understand what will happen in labour. Attendance is not compulsory and not all partners make it to all of the sessions. Some sessions within course might be pre-planned as women only sessions.
- Can my partner attend classes too?
Yes! The courses are aimed at couples to encourage partners to get involved with the pregnancy and to understand what will happen in labour. Attendance is not compulsory and not all partners make it to all of the sessions. Some sessions within course might be pre-planned as women only sessions.
- I’m a solo mother to be. Will I feel uncomfortable in a childbirth class full of couples?
We hope not. In our classes we have solo mothers, same sex couples, older first time parents and couples where one partner already has children. You are very welcome to bring a support person to the classes, for example your mother, a sister or a friend.
- When should I do my classes?
We like to book couples on to courses where the other couples have similar due dates. We look for a class that takes place in the third trimester and finishes no later than 2 to 3 weeks before your due date and there is usually a spread of 1 month across everyone’s due date.
- Do I have to live in locally to do the classes?
Couples usually live in the same town as the class or in the nearby villages. We like to book you on to a course with couples who live near you as one of the benefits of the course is the social interaction after the babies are born. Occasionally we book couples from further away if there is no space for them on a local course. If you are enquiring from further away do look at your local options first.
To explore other Birthmatters areas visit www.birthmatters.co.uk for Windsor, Beaconsfield and the Chilterns or www.birthmatters-berks for Maidenhead.
- Where and when are the Birth Matters courses held?
The courses are taught in local halls and teachers homes. Venue details of all courses are sent with the booking form.
There is usually at least one course in every area every month and sometimes we may run an extra course to meet demand. Our full ante-natal courses are typically 18 hours, though the formats vary. Refresher courses are 8 hours long. The courses schedules vary between areas so it is best to ask what formats are available for your due date. - How many couples are on each Birth Matters course?
There are usually up to 8/9 couples on our full ante-natal course. The number on a refresher course varies more.
- How much do the classes cost?
First timer £225 for a 16 hour course plus reunion
Refresher £75 for an 5 hour course
We try to offer reduced rates for parents receiving benefits. Please enquire with the booking clerk who will manage your enquiry in strict confidence. - Can I get time of work to attend classes?
Your employer cannot ‘unreasonably refuse’ you paid time off to attend antenatal care classes during working hours when you are pregnant. This includes time travelling to and from the appointments. Parentcraft and relaxation classes can be included in the term ‘antenatal care’, but you may find it helpful to show your employer proof from your GP or midwife that states that these classes are part of your care. You should request the time off rather than assume you can take it. Your employer has the right to ask that you produce proof from your GP, health visitor or midwife that you have an antenatal care appointment. If they ask you for this proof and you are unable to provide it, then they have the right to refuse you the time off. You are not under any obligation to make up the ‘lost’ hours to your employer at a later date.
- How will I know that I’ve been allocated a place on a course?
After your initial enquiry we will send you details for a suitable course or a choice of courses. You will be pencilled in to the course best suited to your location and due date. You then have up to 14 days to reply and as soon as we receive your completed booking form and cheque we will send you a confirmation email for the course you have chosen. It helps to decide quickly to secure a space on a course/format of your first choice. If there are no more spaces left on the chosen course we will contact you to offer an alternative if available or to discuss other options such as courses in neighbouring areas etc.
- What happens after my place has been confirmed?
After we have confirmed your place on the course you will not hear from us again until a week before the course start date when we will email you a reminder. Details of class participants will be forwarded to the antenatal teacher about a week before the class starts. If you have any questions you can get in touch with the booking secretary at any time.
- I can’t get a place on one of your courses. What can I do?
Birth Matters courses are highly regarded and extremely popular. They are small classes, usually limited to 9 per class. Women are usually told about them by the midwife at their 12 week appointment. If you want to book, it is advisable to do so straightaway.
If you are too late, do ask for your name to be put on a waiting list as places do sometimes come up if couples move to earlier or later classes. If the waiting list is long we will consider running an extra course. The booking secretary can help you make enquiries with other local Birth Matters courses. If you do confirm a place elsewhere be sure to tell the booking secretary so she can remove you from the waiting list. Or you could ask the bookings secretary about private one to one sessions which some teachers offer.