People who took our online class had this to say:
Julia was wonderful. She kept us engaged and created an environment where we felt comfortable asking questions and was very thro with each topic. Highly recommend:)
Lilly was the absolute best! She really made me confident in having a VBAC. Her class was informative and helped me decide what I would and would not like as far as medications during labour. I would definitely recommend her to others.
The Ottawa CEA Pre Natal course was a great course for all parents to be whether you are a new parent or want to simply refresh your skills. I felt that the instructors were extremely knowledgeable and provided a safe space for asking questions. I also found the additional resources after the course very practical. Overall, very engaging and interesting two-day intensive course. Thank you Brandie!
As first time parents, we are wracked with questions and apprehensions to be the best parents we can be. Without courses like this, we would need to navigate a lot of disinformation and marketing on social media and be reliant on anecdotes from friends/family to assuage our concerns. Erin presented evidence-based current best practices in a calm, compassionate, and personalized way for the course attendees and empowered us in our parenting education. We are so grateful!
I have been sharing the course information and raving about both the bringing home baby class and the pre-natal classes. Both were informative, well researched, and delivered in a friendly, yet professional means. 2 thumbs up!
Brandie is amazing! She is so well educated, so encouraging, kind, empathetic, nonjudgemental. You can tell she truly just wants people to be informed and have the best birthing experience and postpartum journey they can have, whatever that looks like for each couple.
My partner and I took the Pre Natal Class with OCEA. The class was hosted on Zoom, since the COVID-19 pandemic meant we had to have a virtual class. Our teacher, Julia, really made this class top-notch. We learned about all our different birthing options in Ottawa and what to expect from each, including any adjustments resulting from the pandemic. It was comforting to learn the current standard of care we can expect in Ottawa, and how this matches the most recent scientific information about birthing. The local information is really what makes this class worthwhile compared to reading a general pre-natal book. We left the class feeling informed and empowered in our choice of care and our choice of birthing place.
We would highly recommend this course to any new parents. I thought I knew a fair bit going in, but came away with a ton of new information. We feel more excited and more reassured about our ability to manage our new arrival than we did before the course. It really increased our confidence.
The Bringing Home Baby course offered by OCEA was worth every penny. My husband and I were thoroughly impressed with the educator’s level of knowledge and experience. The class covers a lot of material but somehow flies by! 10/10 would recommend!
I was looking to be informed about what to expect during labour and birth and this course did not disappoint! My husband and I feel informed, equipped, and more ready to prepare for the big day to come.
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!
The Pre Natal Class was very informative and both my husband and I really benefited from it. The instructor was very knowledgeable about all of the latest information, and provided lots of resources for where to get more information after the class if we need it. Great conversations and discussions, and I learned more than I expected! I look forward to taking other classes with Ottawa CEA, and I will definitely be recommending this organization to friends and family!
Brandie did an excellent job at teaching the course via zoom. She was engaging, offered great tips and information.
I heard about this course from my midwife, who said other clients of hers had all been really satisfied with it. They were right! It was definitely worth the cost and the hour drive it took us to come in from out of town.
Great course! Erin is so knowledgeable. We feel like this course will save us a lot of money and angst once the baby is born. I really appreciated how current the information was and the information about local options we can use to get help and support. I wish every new family could take part in this course!
I’m a healthcare provider and I work with prenatal and postnatal women. I took this class, as the birthing partner, with the expectation that I can at least learn with my non-birthing partner. I ended up learning a lot myself that I didn’t know. I really appreciateD the opportunity to stimulate discussion between me and my partner so we can make informed decisions together!
Ottawa CEA is a fantastic organization. My husband and I have taken two classes through them and feel less anxious about welcoming our first child, and more prepared about what to expect both during labour and when we bring our baby home. The instructors who lead the classes (Erin and Brandi) were extreme knowledgeable, friendly and explained everything thoroughly.
Thank you so much! We learned a lot and feel much more prepared now for when baby arrives.
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.
I would recommend this class to all expecting parents. It really increased my confidence in myself going into birth and the first few months with our child. It has facilitated my ability to communicate better with my partner. This course is worth every penny and every minute of time.
The course exceeded expectations-Lilly was organized and took time to answer all questions. She presented information in a way that made myself (first time mom) and my husband feel prepared and less overwhelmed than if we tried to research all the material on our own.
We really appreciated the very frank, honest, non-judgemental explanations. It has helped us to separate the facts from the opinions.
