When you’re used to facilitating your antenatal classes for couples, you might find solo parents attending daunting. So here are 6 ways or ideas on how to include solo parents in your antenatal classes.
Language
Watch your language. Take the solo parent’s lead. How do they introduce themselves to you and the group. Are they calling themselves single parent, sole parent, solo parent…? Mirror that language.
Self massage
It is always a good idea to facilitate and teach about self-massage and self-hypnosis. Here are some self-massage techniques…
Self-massage techniques to include solo parents in antenatal classes
Images
Include images of solo parents to your antenatal classes. Images of a single person in a labour and birth position, a mother or father holding their baby, etc. Check your visual aids to see if they include images of labouring people on their own. My positions for labour and birth poster as well as the cards include images of solo parents.
Storytelling
Include stories about solo parents you know (use their names with their consent only). You could say something like “A solo parent from a previous course found XYZ really helpful.”
Hypnobirthing
Hypnobirthing or self-hypnosis for birth is a very popular choice amongst solo parents. They regular practice of the techniques enables the birthing parent to be “in the zone” and focus on their body and baby.
Mindfulness
Just like hypnobirthing, mindfulness techniques have recently gained popularity especially with solo parents. The focus on the here and now, themselves, their body and their baby works wonders during labour and birth.
Inclusion of solo attendees as standard in your classes
Make the inclusion of solo parents to your antenatal classes something you do every time. Even if everyone in the room has a birthing partner, you never know if the birthing partner can make it to the birth. Explain to expectant parents, that there is like to be a time when the birthing mother/person/parent is on their own at least for a short time.
Teaching about augmentation and induction of labour as part of childbirth education classes has become an essential topic. Expectant parents need to know the pros and cons, different options and reasons for the recommended induction of labour.
In my opinion, teaching about induction and augmentation of labour means to explore:
Common reasons for the recommendation, and why the recommendations are made, how important the reason is, what evidence there is to support the recommendation
Different options of for induction and augmentation, i.e. membrane sweep, drip, etc
Timeline of induction and augmentation of labour – what may be offered when and why
Options of “self-induction” – how can we encourage labour to start on its own?
Reputable sources of information to support informed decision-making (some are listed below)
How to feel empowered once/if they’ve agreed to an induction (support, informed decision making, best for them and their baby in their individual situation…)
How to adapt their birth plan
Teaching about induction and augmentation of labour ideas
Discussion
Have a discussion in class about reasons, ways and pros and cons of inducing labour. My induction discussion prompt cards are a visual way to encourage expectant parents to discuss the topic. They are also available as ready printed version and both versions include full instructions including links and references.
Timeline
Explore what methods of induction and augmentation may be offered/happening when, using one of my labour timeline banners.
Informed Decision Making Game
One of my personal favourites is an informed decision making scenario game. This also works for teaching about induction and augmentation of labour! The way it works is that you start off with one scenario and give two or more options. Let participants choose one of the options. Each option/choice develops the story further. You’ll get different outcomes when making different choices. Some are choices others are chance as you roll a die or two. This is a fun way to explore how different choices may impact your birth experience. This game works in a in-person class, virtual class as well as for homework.
To help include all different learning styles and your clients’ preferences use a mixture of visuals, taktile interactions as well as the written word! I have a range of visual learning aids ready printed as well as digital downloads available from my shop.
Posters
I like to use posters and hang them up on the wall or in the windows during sessions. Posters support the information and retention during the course. I have created these beautiful posters on “self-induction” called “How to encourage childbirth/labour to start”. They are a very recent (2023) addition to my shop and classes and are very positively received by clients as well as birth workers!
Workbooks/Journals/Worksheets
I also provide my clients with a journal/workbook the workbook includes images and information about childbirth and infant feeding. They can take it home and recap and/or take notes during the workshop.
I can also create personalised workbooks, activities, posters and powerpoints for you to fit your branding and content preferences. Please get in touch!
The Hypnosis and Mindset Iceberg. The conscious and subconscious mind and the critical faculty. How does that apply to childbirth?
Let’s think about that. When you look at an iceberg and you can see the tip of it, you can only see a small part of it. The majority is hiding underwater. So now how does that apply to hypnosis and your mindset for childbirth?
Consciously you know, that childbirth is a natural process and the majority of babies can be born without assistance. We know that when we relax, more oxytocin flows, which gives helps the birthing process along by giving you strong regular contraction waves. So why do so many expectant parents struggle to relax during the birth or even during their pregnancy? Because throughout our lives we hear and start to believe that childbirth is painful. The media, family or friends are telling us so. When you are pregnant tests, appointments, scans, precautions etc reinforce the believe that birth needs interference. You sometimes even hear a traumatic birth story from a stranger while waiting at the checkout!
So your conscious mind is the tip of the iceberg and your subconscious mind is the base. This is your Hypnosis and Mindset Iceberg:
Overcoming the Iceberg
When you practise self-hypnosis and mindfulness during your pregnancy, you can use these techniques to help to turn down or off your subconscious mind. It’ll help you to focus on the here and now and make the right decisions for and during your birth experience! Remember, practice and reinforcement of the techniques is the key to an empowered birth experience!
Please also check out my online course! No videos, just text and images to learn in your own time. Includes hypnobirthing mp3s, scripts, workbook, handouts, infographics and much more! Lots and lots of information at your fingertips! Includes:
The “Hypnosis and Mindset Iceberg” poster shows an image of an iceberg, where you can see the tip of the iceberg as well as the underwater base of the iceberg. Use it in antenatal or parenting classes to explore expectant parents’ feelings. Where they come from and how the subconscious can influence your decision-making, mindset as well as birth, feeding or parenting experience. An excellent resource for your perinatal education setting!
Teaching physical skills for childbirth is one of the most important lessons of your childbirth preparation classes! So how to go about it? It is important to note that your clients usually want to practice their physical skills, rather than just hear about them. From experience, I’d say you spend about 10% of the available time explaining the activity, then another 10% demonstrating and then let your clients have 80% of practice time. You can go around and give them individual feedback and guidance while they are practicing their new skills.
For example if you have 20 minutes for an activity, you spend a maximum of 2 minutes explaining, followed by a maximum of 2 minutes demonstration. Following that, your clients have 16 minutes to crack on with it! Alternatively, you could divide your time into two 10-minute slots. For example 1 for a deep breathing technique and the other for a massage technique. Then while trying out the massage technique, ask your clients to combine it with the learnt breathing technique from the previous part…
One idea which is always well received when teaching about physical skills for childbirth is the Ice Cube technique. Parents-to-be hold an ice cube and practise learnt or new coping skills to help them cope with the strong sensation. Parents-to-be can physically experience how breathing, massage, etc. can help them during labour and birth! A fantastic interactive and memorable way to facilitate learning physical skills for labour and birth!
Another great way is a labour rehearsal. Set up the room with some relaxing music, dim the lighting etc. Encourage parents to practice different positions for labour and birth using worksheets, cards or a poster. Alternatively, you could you my labour board game!
Observe others how they teach physical skills. Give each other feedback and share what worked for your clients and yourself and what didn’t go so well. Please feel free to share your experiences and ideas here in the comments or email me!
Declercq, E. R., Sakala, C., Corry M. P., et al. (2014). “Major Survey Findings of Listening to Mothers(SM) III: Pregnancy and Birth: Report of the Third National U.S. Survey of Women’s Childbearing Experiences.” J Perinat Educ 23(1): 9-16.
Gupta, J. K., Sood, A., Hofmeyr, G. J., et al. (2017). “Position in the second stage of labour for women without epidural anaesthesia.” Cochrane Database Syst Rev 5: CD002006.
Kibuka, M. and Thornton, J. G. (2017). “Position in the second stage of labour for women with epidural anaesthesia.” Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2: CD008070.
Odent M. (1999) The Scientification of Love. London. Free Association Press.
Thies-Lagergren, L. (2013). The Swedish Birth Seat Trial. Published by Karolinska Institute. Printed by US-AB digitaltryck.
Teaching about Waterbirth has become one of my favourite topics in recent years. As waterbirth has many benefits and few downsides it is a popular choice among birthing families in the UK.
Teaching about waterbirth in your antenatal preparation classes:
Paperchase – benefits for mother, father, baby, midwife
Split the group into 4 groups. Each group gets one piece of flipchart paper. Four headings: mother/birthing person, father/partner, baby/babies, midwife. Each group brainstorms the benefits/advantages of waterbirth for their person. Move along to the next chart after 1 minute, fill in that chart. Keep going until each group had a minute for each chart. Share the findings in the big group afterwards. This activity takes around 10-15 minutes.
Dry run with inflatable pool
A great way to teach about waterbirth is to do a dry run with an inflatable pool. I usually have the partners set up the pool and time it how long it takes to inflate the pool, add the cover etc. Meanwhile the birthing mothers/people explore some pictures of different pool birth environments and positions in the pool. Once the pool is set up, we discuss how long it may take to fill the pool, along with some things that they may need. Every family can then try out the pool to get a feel for the size. Be careful, when trying out positions as the empty pool will tip over if someone leans over the edge. Always position yourself or someone else at the opposite end to keep the pool steady.
Brainstorm practicalities home vs hospital
This activity is suitable for big group or some smaller groups. You’ll need a piece of flipchart paper for each group. Divide each paper into two sections. Have families compare the practicalities of waterbirth at home vs the hospital or maternity unit.
Pictures – why did you pick…
I lay out a selection of photos and positions cards. Including photos of equipment families may need/choose for their waterbirth. I ask each person/family (depending on group size) to pick one picture. Then in the large group we share: Why have you chosen the picture, what can we see in the picture, how does the picture make you feel, any questions about the image…. I usually do this as an icebreaker as an information leveller…
5 must-haves for every antenatal educator include visual and tactile learning aids to encourage active engagement and participation and promote the retention of information.
Pelvis model
A pelvis model to explain the mechanics of childbirth and explore beneficial positions for labour and birth. I like to pass the pelvis model round in the class. Asking parents to point out things they notice and why they might find that upright positions can be helpful for the birthing process.
Uterus model
A uterus model to explain how the uterus works. A knitted uterus and a soft ball works really well for this, however some educators also use a balloon and ping pong ball. The soft ball I use is one like this (amazon affiliate link!).
Placenta model
A placenta model to explain how the placenta works and what happens during the third stage of labour. It is also a useful discussion prompt for what to do with your placenta after the birth.
Childbirth Timeline
A timeline of labour to explore what happens when and how to support the birth process. You can either use a timeline banner, a beadline or create your own. These also work really well to explore induction and augmentation of labour, the birth partner’s role etc. I tend to use more than one type of timeline to help stress that every labour and birth experience is unique! See my other blogpost for teaching ideas using your labour and birth timelines. To create your own childbirth timelines, I have seen birthworkers draw one on the back of a roll of wallpaper and I have also seen some very impressive and intricate work in fabric! If you have made your own timelines, please share your pictures! I’d love to see yours!
The Birth Bag – Teaching ideas for your antenatal classes. As a birth worker, doula, midwife, student midwife or perinatal educator we aim to prepare expectant parents for their birth experience. Part of their birth experience is packing their birth bag aka hospital bag.
Birth Bag – Teaching Ideas for in-person Antenatal Classes
Show and tell
Simply ask every family to bring in up to 3 items each for their birth bag to the next class. During the “show and tell” ask them to share their item and why they chose it.
Brainstorm
Split the class into similar-sized groups. If I am facilitating classes for couples, I split into two/four groups separating birthing mothers/parents from their birth partners. I ask them to write down and/or draw items they’d like to take with them for the birth. Then we have a list for birthing mothers and folks as well as a separate list for birth partners! If you prefer not to use paper and pens or would like to use this as a homework or pre-course task, you could use mentimeter (see above) instead.
Paperchase
Do a paperchase. Split the group into three groups. Have three sets of flipchart paper & pens available. I like to draw the outline of a suitcase on mine and add a header i.e. birthing mother/parent, birth partner or baby. Each group will brainstorm for their sheet for x minutes (I give them 2 minutes). Then they move on to the next one and add to it for two minutes and then move again to the last one.
Birth Bag – Teaching Ideas for Virtual Antenatal Classes
Hospital Bag / Birth bag Scavenger hunt
A good old scavenger hunt to explore possible contents of a birth bag! This not only helps your clients think about what they need and what they would like, but also gets them off their seats/butts during a virtual antenatal course! I like to include this as part of the break. Mainly to encourage clients to move… To do so I share my screen with a short list of things which may be useful for their birth experience. I ask my clients to grab a drink, snack and go to the toilet and bring as many things as possible back to the screen within 15 minutes.
You can find my very long birth bag list in one of my other blog posts. Select a few items from this list or write your own short list!
Wordsearch
To create a birth bag wordsearch is another way of creating some engagement during your online classes. I create my wordsearches on my husband’s website. I integrate my wordsearch into my powerpoint slides and ask parents-to-be to annotate the slides with their findings.
Wordsearch a teaching idea for virtual antenatal classes
We then discuss what they would add/remove from their birth bag.
Quick competition – show and tell
Similar to the scavenger hunt, I like to integrate this as part of one of my clients’ breaks. It is way too easy to just stay sat where you are while you are on an online course or workshop, so this is another teaching idea to get your clients moving and engaged in the topic!
I like to ask every couple/client/expecting family to think about what they may need during the birth of their baby or babies. Each participants gets ask to bring back 3 items to the screen. Three items per person, items which may be helpful to themselves, NOT their partner.
This is often the first time when birth partners realise, that they need to look after themselves, too and may need some comfort items.
Wordcloud
Set up a wordcloud on mentimeter and ask your clients to add their preferred items/essentials to the list. A very engaging, fun and visual way to create a birth bag/hospital bag list with your clients. It’s anonymous and fun! You can save the results as a picture or pdf afterwards and send them out as a reminder/handout.
an example of mentimeter wordcloud results
How do you facilitate the topic of birth bags during your childbirth preparation classes? Please comment with your ideas or share them in an email with me!
How to use your childbirth/labour timeline banner?
If you are working in a group setting, I recommend you use the large childbirth/labour timeline banner and for 1:1 work, I recommend the smaller ones and/or beadlines. You can use and adapt any of the activities below to suit a group or 1:1 setting as well as work with the labour/childbirth timeline banners and or beadlines.
To explore how childbirth might unfold
In a group or one-to-one setting or a 1:1 reveal the timeline bit by bit. Starting at the beginning of the birthing journey. You may wish to point out which changes take place internally. How the cervix softens & dilates and how the baby moves. A great visual add-on for this activity are my birth process cards which are also available digitally for you to print your own.
exploring physiological birth with the childbirth timeline banner
To explore and add comfort measures along the line
Explore different options of medical/pharmaceutical and non-medical comfort measures. While exploring the options, pros and cons you could add when each of the options might be offered or commonly used. i.e. “When is too early or late for an epidural?” I like to use little props like the duck for “water or birthing pool” along with my “Pain Management – Sort it Out!” activity (digital product to print your own).
Labour timeline banner – exploring comfort measures
To explore induction and augmentation options
Similar to the comfort measures, the timeline is an excellent tool to explore which methods of induction and augmentation of labour are available locally and when along the timeline they may be offered. I like to use my induction discussion prompt cards and some props for that!
exploring options and timeline of augmentation and induction of labour using the labour/childbirth timeline banner
To explore the role of the birth partner along the timeline
Exploring the role of the birth partner as one of the guardians of oxytocin is an important part of many antenatal classes. Perinatal educators can use the childbirth timeline banner to help birth partners to explore their role, when they might be doing what. I like to hand out little sticky notes and a pen to everyone and then ask them to write down or draw what they might be doing when.
To explore your birth place and birth environment options along the timeline
Usually, while birth partners are exploring their role, I ask the birthing mothers/parents to explore their birth place and birth environment. I give them some questions to think about. i.e. Whereabouts will you be during early labour, established labour etc. How can you make your birthing space the most comfortable for you? Who is going to be there with you? This can then lead nicely to what they might wish to pack in their birth bag and where they might wish to give birth (home, hospital, midwife-led unit) and to think about their birth plan or preferences.
To explore how you might be feeling along the timeline
Exploring the feelings during childbirth. How might the birthing mother/parent be feeling? How does the birth partner feel? And how might the baby feel at that moment? I like to split the group into three smaller groups at that stage. Along with a different coloured set of sticky notes for each group. One colour each for baby, birthing parent and birth partner. Write down or draw faces of how they might be feeling, stick them to the banner along the timeline.
positions for childbirth cards used along the labour/childbirth timeline banner
To explore hypnobirthing techniques along the timeline
I simply ask expectant parents: “Which hypnobirthing technique or track is most helpful when?” They each get a card or piece of paper with a technique or they get a copy of a script. I then ask them “When would you use that?” each person/couple/family places their item along the timeline one at a time.
To explore breathing techniques along the timeline
Similar to most of the other ideas above, I have some printed out cards and ask parents-to-be to place them along the labour/childbirth timeline banner. Exploring which breathing techniques they may find helpful at different stages of their birthing journey.
To explore massage techniques along the timeline
Again, very similar as above my clients will also explore different massage techniques during my workshops. We will try them out together and explore which ones may be most helpful or comfortable for them during labour. Pictured here are my massage technique cards these are also available as a digital download as well as a set of worksheets (digital download).
exploring massage techniques for childbirth
Exploring the golden hour of childbirth
Finally, when exploring the third stage of labour (birth of the placenta) we also explore the golden hour, skin-to-skin etc including why this is helpful for the birth of the placenta, bonding with your baby, initiating breastfeeding and much more. For this exercise I use my placenta photo set (where appropriate and agreed with the group) as well as some of my newborn appearance card set (also available as digital download) pictures of skin-to-skin etc.
exploring the golden hour of childbirth
To create a labour/childbirth beadline, please join me for a labour beadline workshop or do my self-paced online course!
Icebreakers for antenatal classes. Break the ice, bond the group. Create lifelong friendships!
Facilitating successful group antenatal and parenting classes in a group setting requires icebreakers. Icebreakers help the participants to engage in the content, get to know the facilitator and other participants as well as building a bond as a group.
I’d start off with an icebreaker which goes round the room/group fairly early on as research shows that once everyone has said one thing in the group early on they are more likely to ask questions and join in later on.
Icebreakers can be really simple, like asking a question to the group and ask each participant [to state their name] to give their response to the question/statement.
Some ideas for icebreakers/questions (choose one per activity/session/round only) for your antenatal classes:
One thing I already know about my/our baby…
My biggest question about becoming a parent/family/mother/father is…
As a new parent I look forward to…
My greatest fear about being a parent is…
As a new parent I do not look forward to…
One quality I would like my child to have is…
One thing I have done/changed because of having a baby is…
As a new parent I hope I can…
One thing I would like to achieve during my/our baby’s first week at home is…
Becoming a family/father/mother/parent means to me…
One person, I would like my/our baby to meet is…
When I need support, I can turn to…
One thing I’ll gain as a new parent is…
One thing I’ll lose as a new parent is…
My/our baby will sleep in…
When I hear the word ‘breastfeeding’ it makes me think…
If I had an extra hour a day when everyone still has 24hrs a day, I will do… in my extra hour.
When I see a mother/parent/father/person breastfeeding I feel/think…
When I see a mother/parent/father/person bottle feeding I feel/think…
When I need advice I’ll ask/go to…
When I think about parental leave, I feel…
When I think about returning to work, I feel…
Allow each participant to give their response without commenting on it. These types of icebreaker questions can be used to encourage dialogue and interest in topics that you may not have covered during the course but can also aid revision and group bonding. You can download the questions/statements above as a printable A4 sheet here.
Goodie bag activity– have a goodie bag full of items (one item per participant or couple) i.e. birth bag items, nappy bag items, post-partum recovery items. Ask each participant/couple to pick one [random] item. When everyone has one item, go round and ask the ‘owner’ to comment on the item. What might it be used for? What is it?…
People bingo – each participant has a “People Bingo” Card and has to go round and talk to other participants to find people matching the statement. Statements could be: Has a red car. Doesn’t drink tea. Is left-handed…
Scavenger hunt – when facilitating online, I often use a scavenger hunt. I put a list of items on the screen, usually related to a topic such as the birth bag and ask participants to find as many of the listed items as they can. This activity usually creates lots of laughter and gets people moving instead of sitting in front of a screen!
Chlup, D. T., & Collins, T. E. (2010). Breaking the Ice: Using Ice-breakers and Re-energizers with Adult Learners. Adult Learning, 21(3–4), 34–39. https://doi.org/10.1177/104515951002100305
S. Gillet, K. Winkle, G. Belgiovine and I. Leite, “Ice-Breakers, Turn-Takers and Fun-Makers: Exploring Robots for Groups with Teenagers,” 2022 31st IEEE International Conference on Robot and Human Interactive Communication (RO-MAN), Napoli, Italy, 2022, pp. 1474-1481, doi: 10.1109/RO-MAN53752.2022.9900644.
Pearce Eiluned,Launay Jacques and Dunbar Robin I. M. 2015 The ice-breaker effect: singing mediates fast social bonding R. Soc. Open sci.2150221150221 http://doi.org/10.1098/rsos.1
When you are a birth worker, such as a doula, antenatal teacher, perinatal educator etc you might be wondering about setting up birth preparation classes. When do you start advertising your classes or workshops? Where do you advertise them?
When setting up birth preparation classes, you’ll have to think about when are your potential clients going to be doing their research into antenatal classes? When will they be most likely to book? What did you do when you were expecting your baby?
Do you book a venue right away? Or can you can to an agreement with a local venue where you can confirm/cancel x weeks prior to the event without having to pay?
What dates and times will suit your pregnant clients best? Do they fit in with your preferences, other job, family, venue? Is an online pre-recorded course more suitable for you or your ideal client? Or maybe a hybrid option, with pre-recorded content and some live online or in-person time?
These are the questions, I ask myself when I am thinking about setting up my birth preparation classes. There is no ‘one fits all solution’ your answers are pretty much depending on where you live, whether or not you have a family or an additional job, what venues you have available and who your ideal clients are. This post is mostly about encouraging you to think about these questions and finding YOUR answers and setting up YOUR birth preparation classes and workshops. In a way that works for you and your (potential) clients.
To help a little with the question on when to set aside dates and when to start advertising your classes, I have created a spreadsheet. You can download your free copy here!
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