People who took our online class during COVID-19 had this to say:
Given the continued need to physically distance and wear masks,
OCEA will continue to offer all classes online throughout 2021.
We dearly want to support the health of our expectant families.
Lily was simply excellent! Truly a gifted educator and so engaging and compassionate in her teaching. Her clear care for the group especially during the time of COVID-19 was so much appreciated! My partner and I really appreciated every aspect of the course and the fact that she made it so personal despite the online format! Thank you so much Lily!
I would highly recommend this course. It is probably the best investment we have made in preparing for our first child. Lots of useful information presented in an easy-to-digest way, without opinion, bias, or "horror stories". I feel so much more prepared for labour, birth & the early days of parenthood.
Erin was amazing and I would highly recommend her class. We found it incredibly valuable and she was just so lovely!
This course was a great introduction in all things labour. Things are a bit different in Covid-19 times and our instructor made a point of keeping us up to date with what to expect while being very empathetic with the challenges this situation brings to labour and tricks to get through it positively.
Thank you so much! We learned a lot and feel much more prepared now for when baby arrives.
The virtual prenatal class my husband and I took through the OCEA was an excellent experience! Useful and insightful information was presented in a thoughtful and organised fashion and we were also given additional resources upon completion of the course. There was time to ask questions over the duration of the course and the instructor was incredibly knowledgeable and able to offer examples of the situations she was discussing. I would highly recommend this course to any first time parents.
It was nice to be at home and be able to adjust our computer, seating, etc. at our leisure.
Discussions and candid disclosure of information about various topics
The suggestions for community resources were fantastic. It definitely helps to have a starting point to know what to look for and what questions to ask.
Julia was really great and enthusiastic.
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.
During such a difficult time to be pregnant (I never thought my pregnancy would be during a pandemic!) it was really nice to come together with other couples in the same boat. Though it wasn't as social as an in class opportunity likely would have been, the sense of community is such a nice feeling.