Welcome to Ottawa Childbirth Education Association

Let's talk birth and babies!

Freedom of choice Based on a Knowledge of Alternatives

Practical tools to prepare for birth

Hands on parenting class for expectant parents

Bringing baby home

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For over 40 years, trusted by Ottawa's parents-to-be.

People who took our online class had this to say:

Fantastic - very engaging Clearly loves what she is doing and made the class fly by (even in a virtual setting). Felt comfortable asking questions & that we were getting very informed up to date information.

Bringing Baby Home – with Erin Shaheen

Michelle is amazing. So much respect and admiration for her. She educated us without lecturing, empowered us with information to make decisions, and instilled confidence not fear. Her knowledge base was very impressive.

Pre Natal – with Michelle Morra

The courses offered by the OCEA have been very helpful and informative. They allow you to feel more confident about the labour process, the hospital environment you will be entered into, and bringing baby home. I would recommend this to anyone having a baby.

Bringing Baby Home – with Brandie Lekovic

I actually learned about the Ottawa CEA through a friend. I would definitely recommend the Bringing Baby Home course to all first-time parents. It really helps to demystify a lot of things surrounding baby care. I feel much more prepared to welcome baby home after taking this course!

Bringing Baby Home – with Erin Shaheen

Michelle was an amazing educator. I was very engaged the whole time.

Pre Natal – with Michelle Morra

This class was worth every penny for new parents!

Pre Natal – with Michelle Morra

Great use of zoom!

Bringing Baby Home – with Brandie Lekovic

Julia was great! She kept things light, down-to-earth, and didn't sugar coat things. We all tend to have ideas about what childbirth is like based on tv, movies and old-wives tales, but she was great at dispelling anything that may have mislead us in the past. Her knowledge and experience in the area of childbirth was incredibly helpful.

Pre Natal – with Julia Wykes

OCEA classes, like the Bringing Baby Home course, were our best investment pre-baby! We feel more confident, prepared, and better equipped to deal with the normal challenges facing every new parents. We cannot recomment OCEA classes enough - the instructors are truly amazing, endless source of knowledge and compassion. OCEA classes are huge confidence boosters, and they are also...fun (even virtually). We loved everything about the Bringing Baby Home, and our ongoing pre-natal class.

Bringing Baby Home – with Erin Shaheen

It was easy to share questions verbally or in writing, or that you had the opportunity to ask them more privately, before or after the class via text with Julia. It was a nice option that made me feel more at ease.

Pre Natal – with Julia Wykes

My coworkers highly recommended I take a course with Ottawa CEA. I’m so happy that I did. Ottawa CEA offers amazing options and resources for new parents and speakers to both the birthing parent as well as the birth partner. The language used is also very inclusive. The instructors are knowledgeable and they answer every question you have. I feel more ready leaving the course to have my first child.

Pre Natal – with Michelle Morra

Great class despite changed format

Pre Natal – with Julia Wykes

Michelle was amazing! It would have been nicer if the class was in-person and we could practice more positions, but I really enjoyed the class and learned a lot. Thank you so much!

Pre Natal – with Michelle Morra

Erin and Lily are both very knowledgeable, resourceful, practical and pragmatic in all of their teaching and advice. We appreciated that their courses (Labour and Delivery and Bringing Home Baby) were offered through Zoom. We are thankful for their support before we welcome our baby.

Bringing Baby Home – with Erin Shaheen

Brandie was great! She was non-judgemental, calm, and made it all feel informative but not scary. We weren't sure what to expect and felt that we had an instructor who valued healthy mom, healthy baby and involved partner more than anything else. That was really important to us.

Pre Natal One Day – with Brandie Lekovic

Ottawa CEA's classes are consistently informative and well thought-out. As a first time parent, I feel much more confident and empowered after taking classes with them.

Bringing Baby Home – with Erin Shaheen

This was an excellent course and Erin was wonderful. She answered questions with clarity, had a wealth of knowledge and experience, gave relevant examples, and was non-judgmental and open. I already recommended this class to another expecting family because I do not know how we would have gained this knowledge without it. The science and evidence base at the center of the class was really refreshing and useful because the wealth of information online is generally confusing and contradictory. Erin cleared up so much of that confusion for us. Thank you!!

Bringing Baby Home – with Erin Shaheen

Erin was absolutely fantastic! She was engaging, explained topics enthusiastically, answered all questions and overall was an excellent instructor. My husband and I are very grateful for all info we learned throughout this 2 day course.

Bringing Baby Home – with Erin Shaheen

Our educator was fantastic. We were really impressed by her. She knew her material, but was engaging and interesting, even remotely for the first time. We felt she was careful with her word choices. She had a pleasant demeanor and was very adaptable and responsive based on our questions and based on the new format of the course without any issues. We would highly recommend this course, but we would recommend any class with her particularly. She made us believe we could bring home a baby and we would all survive!

Bringing Baby Home – with Erin Shaheen

Brandie sent us SO many links and provided us with a lot of different reading materials... a dream for someone like me who loves information

Pre Natal – with Brandie Lekovic

Everyone should take advantage of the courses offered by OCEA! What a great service for new, local parents.

Bringing Baby Home – with Erin Shaheen

Great class, for someone that had high anxiety about birth, this class was exactly what I needed, I was one of those women that wanted to have a Cesarean birth because I was so afraid of labour and pain, so my family and friends couldn't believed it when I came out of class and told them I hoped I have a natural birth, I can't believe it either!!. They help with not only the understanding of the birth process but with elements on how to cope with the fear and of course pain.

Pre Natal – with Brandie Lekovic

Before baby gets here

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Pre Natal Classes

OCEA's prenatal class will give you all the practical tools to prepare you for your birth whether at home, hospital or birth centre. Our small interactive group classes include the following information presented in small group formats ... Pre Natal Classes Schedule

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Bringing Baby Home

Our Bringing Baby Home class is a hands on parenting class for expectant parents that covers normal newborn behaviour, diapering decisions, bathing strategies, bonding and attachment and more! ... Bringing Baby Home Schedule

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Comfort Measures

This hands on class includes coping strategies to help you feel confident understanding the Pain - Tension - Fear cycle. How to interrupt this cycle using a variety of positions, massage and breathing techniques to help you at each step of labour and birth ... Comfort Measures Schedule

With baby

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Infant sleep class

Are you an exhausted parent that has tried everything and cannot get your baby to sleep? Do you want to find a solution that is not crying it out? We will be creating a space for parents to follow their instincts when it comes to their new baby... Infant sleep class.

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Infant Massage

Learn the health-giving properties of Infant Massage: growth and motor skill development, blood and lymph circulation, immune system stimulation, building bones, helping with gas and colic, aid with deeper and longer sleep, emotional and physical bonding time ... Infant Massage Schedule

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Baby at the Table

Baby at the Table – a baby foodie class for the first year. Thinking about introducing solids? Not sure when or where to start? Purées or Baby Led Weaning? Baby is eating solids and you want to connect with others, diversify recipes, or create mealtime routines? ... Baby at the Table

Specialty

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It Takes a Village

About to be a Grandparent? Or maybe an Aunt, Uncle or another "villager"? This class is just for you! Sure, babies will always be babies, but parenting has so many new dimensions these days. Let us get you up to date on newborn development, sleep, tummy time, infant feeding, car seats, and more. We also explore how to be helpful and supportive while keeping your family relationships happy and boundaries healthy. It Takes a Village

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CPR

Our virtual CPR classes focuses on infant choking, signs of readiness for starting solids, babyled weaning and baby proofing strategies. This life skills class is excellent for family and friends who are interested in learning all aspects of infant, child and adult CPR ... CPR Schedule

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Baby Steps - Parenting Group

Join us for the new OCEA parent group, BABY STEPS! Come and discuss life with your newborn. This group is geared to families with babies from 0-6months, covering topics including family adjustments, creating new family traditions, normal sleep patterns, and Parenting Group Schedule

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Premiers Pas d’Ottawa

Êtes-vous francophone avec un nouveau bébé? Vous aimeriez rencontrer d'autres familles francos? On offre un groupe parent-bébé les mercredis matins au centre communautaire Richelieu. Ce groupe est GRATUIT grace à une subvention de Health Nexus Premiers Pas d’Ottawa

Private Classes

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Private Classes

OCEA provides private tutoring for individuals and couples unable to commit to an evening series or weekend class. Take a session on your own or with friends and we will meet your scheduling needs ... Private class Schedule

OCEA Social