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:

I went into the class feeling apprehensive about giving birth and what to expect during labour. I left feeling prepared, confident and excited for when I go into labour in a few more weeks. Brandie provided us with a wide set of tools that we could draw on during the labour to deal with a number of different situations, should they arise.

Prenatal Classes for Midwifery Clients – with Brandie Lekovic

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

My wife and I recently participated in two Ottawa CEA programs - Prenatal/Labour and Bringing Baby Home. Both programs were taught by extremely knowledgeable instructors who were very efficient at passing on the information in a manner that was suitable for everyone in the class. I believe that their information was all up to date as often they were quoting from very recent and varied resources. I strongly recommend that expectant parents who may be uncertain of their own level of knowledge about baby care, consider these programs. We found them to be great value for the money. Trevor McLeod Ottawa

Bringing Baby Home – with Erin Shaheen

I would highly recommend this class. My partner and I found it very valuable in preparing for the coming months. The quality of information and the knowledge of the educator made this class worth every penny.

Pre Natal – with Misty Pratt

Julia was really informative and full of excitement, so it was indeed a wonderful series of class

Pre Natal – with Julia Wykes

I was recommended Ottawa CEO Pre Natal by our midwife and I am so happy my partner and I took the course, as there was so much that we did not know! The 6 part class allowed us to digest and reflect on the information at a pace that helped ensure we fully understood the stages of labour, comfort measures available and post natal expectations. Our instructor, Michelle, was very personable, informative and answered all of our questions thoroughly. We certainly feel more confident entering the final phase of pregnancy after taking this class. Thank you Michelle!

Pre Natal – with Michelle Morra

Lilly is a wonderful educator. She has vast knowledge of the subject along with calm and reassuring demeanor, patience and excellent communication skills. We enjoyed listening and learning from her.

Pre Natal – with Lilly Bianchi

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!

Bringing Baby Home – with Erin Shaheen

The OCEA prenatal course was amazing. We are first time parents and honestly didn't know what to expect or how to prepare for the arrival of our baby. This course and Brandie were excellent and have really helped us prepare with the most useful in depth information. It was more than we could have hoped for. .

Pre Natal – with Brandie Lekovic

This experience was great! We would definitely recommend this session to others.

Pre Natal – with Julia Wykes

Erin provided good information regarding on screen time with infants/children which is something that we have always been concerned about.

Bringing Baby Home – with Erin Shaheen

The bringing baby home class is a must for any new parent! It has really helped us to feel prepared and more confident and has provided us with information and resources which we will use for years to come. Also, our instructor was great and there was no question that she couldn't answer. She made everyone feel comfortable and brought a sense of humour and kept everyone interested and engaged.

Bringing Baby Home – with Erin Shaheen

We really appreciated the very frank, honest, non-judgemental explanations. It has helped us to separate the facts from the opinions.

Pre Natal – with Julia Wykes

I love the Bringing Home Baby class my husband and I attended. I would recommend it to any new or soon to be new parents. The information provided was very useful and balanced. I left feeling substantially more confidant than when I started! Thank you OCEA!

Bringing Baby Home – with Erin Shaheen

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!

Bringing Baby Home – with Erin Shaheen

I'm really happy my partner and I took this course. I feel better prepared for going through labour and delivery, and feel I learned lots of practical tips that I had not come across in my work in the medical field. I would definitely recommend this course to anyone I knew expecting a baby in Ottawa!

Pre Natal – with Colette Gignac

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.

Pre Natal – with Lilly Bianchi

Lily was fabulous and very knowledgeable. I highly recommend the class and the instructor.

Pre Natal – with Lilly Bianchi

Every parent should take this class to feel empowered and capable of making informed decisions on the care of their child-to-be. Our instructor stayed very current on industry trends and current stats and figures, and had a number of fantastic contacts and resources to pass along to us. My partner and I feel so much better about parenthood after taking this course. Highly recommend it!

Bringing Baby Home – with Erin Shaheen

Aside from all the info provided by the educator, I liked the interaction with other couples

Pre Natal One Day – with Brandie Lekovic

I was nervous to take a prenatal course, thinking I would get overwhelmed with too much information in too short a time. Instead, I came out of this class feeling well-informed actually more relaxed about labour and the birthing process. The subject matter was exactly what I needed, but what was even better was the fun, informative and laid back teaching style of our instructor, Collette. I would recommend this class to anyone!

Pre Natal – with Colette Gignac

Amazing class! Very hands on and practical!

Bringing Baby Home – with Erin Shaheen

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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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

Tutoring

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Private Tutoring

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 Tutoring Schedule

OCEA Social