Our Classes

We are proud to offer

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.

OCEA's classes are fantastic! I have taken a handful and learned a bunch from each one. The facilitators are stellar, every class is worthwhile

Bringing Baby Home – with Brandie Lekovic

Julia's manner and the information she provided was so reassuring. We feel prepared for the birth and so excited to meet our baby girl. It was a delight to be enrolled in her class.

Pre Natal – with Julia Wykes

Learning about travel, answering questions related to Covid 19, having her demonstrate baby carriers (I was about to give up on mine before this) and just all of the support for caring for a newborn that we would have otherwise not known.

Bringing Baby Home – with Erin Shaheen

This course exceeded my expectations. Even done through Zoom it was a very informative and welcoming environment. I feel much more prepared having taken this course. I highly recommend it.

Pre Natal – with Lilly Bianchi

I loved Brandie's chat at the end about plugging the baby into your life, and seeing the first 6 weeks as "vacation."

Bringing Baby Home – with Brandie Lekovic

Julia was an amazing educator and I would highly recommend her and this course to new parents. It was incredibly helpful.

Pre Natal – with Julia Wykes

Excellent course that exceeded expectations! Very informative and so well delivered. We feel much more prepared.

Pre Natal – with Brandie Lekovic

This class strikes a great balance between super practical guidance and insights on day-to-day life with a new baby, and also up to date, thoroughly referenced, scientifically backed health information and parenting discourse.

Bringing Baby Home – with Erin Shaheen

Julia was very informative and engaging. She kept the topics interesting through the online format.

Pre Natal – with Julia Wykes

Phenomenal workshop with an equally phenomenal facilitator. Erin was so knowledgeable on ALL topics relating to this course, it was a breath of fresh air to know that we could ask any question and she would reply with personal, professional experiences, or both. My husband and I learned so much in this course, as a couple we feel more confident in preparing for our first baby, and now are aware of many additional resources that are available to us. Amazing experience!

Bringing Baby Home – with Erin Shaheen

It was useful to understand the real benefit of breastfeeding compared to formula, as opposed to all the judgemental information that is out there.

Pre Natal – with Julia Wykes

We very much enjoyed the online OCEA pre-natal course and are glad we took it. We appreciated that our instructor presented unbiased information on the birth process that was specific to Ottawa hospitals. Even my partner who already has experience with childbirth and babies learned a few new things! Would recommend to other expecting parents.

Pre Natal – with Misty Pratt


 
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  • Online

    Bringing Baby Home
    6 weekday evenings
    FULL
    Tue, May 6 · May 13 · May 20 · May 27 ·
    June 3 & June 10, 2025

    07:00 PM - 09:15 PM
    Online Class Using Zoom
    Register now

  • Online

    Bringing Baby Home
    weekend
    2 Registration Left
    Sat, May 10 · May 11 · May 17 & May 18, 2025
    09:00 AM - 12:00 PM
    Online Class Using Zoom
    Register now

  • Online

    Bringing Baby Home
    6 weekday evenings
    Mon, May 12 · May 19 · May 26 · June 2 ·
    June 9 & June 16, 2025

    07:00 PM - 09:15 PM
    Online Class Using Zoom
    Register now

  • Online

    Bringing Baby Home
    weekend
    FULL
    Sat, June 14 · June 15 · June 21 & June 22, 2025
    09:00 AM - 12:00 PM
    Online Class Using Zoom
    Register now

  • Online

    Bringing Baby Home
    6 weekday evenings
    Mon, June 30 · July 2 · July 7 · July 9 ·
    July 14 & July 16, 2025

    07:00 PM - 09:15 PM
    Online Class Using Zoom
    Register now

  • Online

    Bringing Baby Home
    weekend
    Sat, July 5 · July 6 · July 12 & July 13, 2025
    09:00 AM - 12:00 PM
    Online Class Using Zoom
    Register now

  • Online

    Bringing Baby Home
    6 weekday evenings
    Tue, Aug. 5 · Aug. 7 · Aug. 12 · Aug. 14 ·
    Aug. 19 & Aug. 21, 2025

    07:00 PM - 09:15 PM
    Online Class Using Zoom
    Register now

  • Online

    Bringing Baby Home
    weekend
    Sat, Aug. 9 · Aug. 10 · Aug. 16 & Aug. 17, 2025
    09:00 AM - 12:00 PM
    Online Class Using Zoom
    Register now

  • Online

    Bringing Baby Home
    weekend
    Sat, Oct. 18 · Oct. 19 · Oct. 25 & Oct. 26, 2025
    09:00 AM - 12:00 PM
    Online Class Using Zoom
    Register now

  • Online

    Bringing Baby Home
    weekend
    Sat, Nov. 1 · Nov. 2 · Nov. 8 & Nov. 9, 2025
    09:00 AM - 12:00 PM
    Online Class Using Zoom
    Register now

  • Online

    Bringing Baby Home
    weekend
    Sat, Nov. 15 · Nov. 16 · Nov. 22 & Nov. 23, 2025
    09:00 AM - 12:00 PM
    Online Class Using Zoom
    Register now

  • Online

    Bringing Baby Home
    weekend
    Sat, Dec. 6 · Dec. 7 · Dec. 13 & Dec. 14, 2025
    09:00 AM - 12:00 PM
    Online Class Using Zoom
    Register now