Bringing Baby Home

The OCEA Bringing Baby Home class was developed in 2004, by Erin Shaheen, to fill an information gap for expectant families on the transition to parenting after birth. With a strong background in mental health counselling, post-partum Doula support and a variety of additional certifications (CPR, Car seat Installation, Breastfeeding counsellor, Infant Sleep Educator, Circle of Security Training, Self-Reg with Stuart Shanker), Erin brought all of this information into a full two day or six evening class.

As our other classes have shifted back to in-person or online, the BBH class remains exclusively online. This has allowed us to present resources, websites and videos, in ways not possible in person. We acknowledge that this also increases inclusivity for those who have barriers to in-person attendance due to transportation limitations, for participants outside the City of Ottawa and for those who may either be on bed rest or are immune compromised.

This is NOT your regular online class! Erin has a Master's in Education specializing in course development and has tailored the content delivery to an online, small-group format. We look forward to having you join the BBH class!

This class welcomes all families including families giving birth to babies, or having babies join through adoption or surrogacy.

We ask that all participants keep their video on throughout the small online class. Like an in-person class, this creates a sense of community and safety. If you prefer not to be seen, we recommend a private one-on-one session with one of our instructors. Online classes are accessible to anyone across Canada and run over four weekend mornings from 9 am-12 pm or online over six evenings.

Our Bringing Baby Home class is a hands-on parenting class for expectant parents including

Choosing daycare and managing the wait list
Building your after-birth support system, including filling in service gaps when you do not have a Family Doctor
How to decide what items to purchase for life with a baby
Basic baby care including bathing, swaddling, and holding the baby
The difference between cloth diapers, disposable diapers and diaper service and the diaper loaner program
Benefits of babywearing and how to pick baby carriers for ergonomics
Infant Feeding and introducing solids
What you need to know when purchasing a car seat for your baby
Learn how to properly and safely install your car seat
How to properly restrain newborns in car seats
How to deal with choking
Babyproofing: how to make your home safer for your baby
Learn the most common cause of injuries and how they can be prevented
Where to purchase home safety products

The cost of the class is $200 (CAD) (per couple).
*A couple is defined as a pregnant person and one support person (which can be a spouse, partner, friend or family member)

Refund Policy: When cancelling a prenatal class after it has been booked there is a $25 (CAD) administration fee. If the cancellation occurs less than 14 days before the class there is a 50% cancellation fee. If it is less than 7 days there is no refund. Requests for changes within 7 days of class will reflect a $75 fee. Please remember this when booking classes and plan to finish your session by 35 weeks.

People who took our class had this to say:

We dearly want to support the health of expectant families.

If you are in the fence about taking this class just do it! You will not regret your decision. Highly informative class that is great for both mother and partner. We are definitely more confident as first time parents! Thank you:)

Pre Natal – with Julia Wykes

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.