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Pre Natal Classes

For our online group classes, we ask that participants keep their videos on during 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 session with one of our instructors

We suggest you take your prenatal classes between 20 weeks and 36 weeks. Be sure to register early in your pregnancy in order to ensure a place is reserved for you. Classes are offered in the following formats:
6 Weekday Evenings OR Full Weekend One Day Condensed
  • Your birth support team – The role of the Midwife, family Doctor, OB, Registered Nurse and Doula
  • Stages and Phases of labour
  • Comfort measures including relaxation and massage techniques
  • Breath awareness
  • All options for pain management
  • Making decisions and giving consent
  • Methods of induction
  • Interventions including IV’s, fetal heart monitors, instrumental deliveries, inductions, and cesarean sections
  • Post-birth procedures for babies
  • Post-birth recovery for women
  • Resources in Ottawa
  • Infant feeding
  • Your birth support team – The role of the Midwife, family Doctor, OB, Registered Nurse and Doula
  • Stages and Phases of labour
  • All options for pain management
  • Interventions including instrumental deliveries, inductions and cesarean sections
  • Infant feeding resources
Topics are presented in a variety of methods including videos, hands-on practice, small group discussion and relaxation exercises. Topics are presented in a lecture-like style to allow for the time required to cover the content in a shorter space of time.

Our one-day condensed classes are excellent for those who may not otherwise have time to take a prenatal class at all, or for those who work shift work. We cover the topics shown in the above table, which offers a comparison to our 6-week series and two-day weekend classes.  We focus on labour and birth, leaving you with reading resources for post birth.

Cost of classes is $175 (CAD) (per couple) for the two-day class and $155 (CAD per couple) for the one-day class and includes telephone and email contact with your instructor free parking and air-conditioned rooms. 
*a couple is defined as a pregnant person and one support person (which can be a spouse, partner, friend or family member)

What materials are provided for class?  In order to make the class as interactive and hands-on as possible, we will provide you with a series of links and information sheets five days before your class with your reminder email.  The internet has a wonderful amount of resources and we will link you to up-to-date resources on the net.  You do not need to print them off in advance.   We also make every effort to reduce paper use and keep our and your photocopying costs down.   

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.  Request for date changes within 7 days of class will reflect a $75 fee.  Please keep this in mind when booking classes and plan to be finished your session by 35 weeks.

People who took our online class during COVID-19 had this to say:

Given the continued need to physically distance, the size of our room rentals and the evolving state of our global pandemic, OCEA will continue to offer all classes online throughout 2022.
We dearly want to support the health of expectant families.

The courses offered by the OCEA have been very helpful and informative. They allow you to feel more confident about the labour process, the hospital environment you will be entered into, and bringing baby home. I would recommend this to anyone having a baby.

Bringing Baby Home – with Brandie Lekovic

How easy it was to use Zoom. That this was offered as an alternative rather than just cancelling outright. That we didn't have to get up earlier and travel anywhere :)

Bringing Baby Home – with Erin Shaheen

Excellent experience, good speed, well communicated. She made everyone feel very comfortable, able to contribute and take something away. She is a knowledgeable trainer who kept the training interesting and stimulating. Loved the ice cube exercise!

Pre Natal One Day – with Misty Pratt

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.

Pre Natal – with Lilly Bianchi

Really enjoyed this class. So informative! I would definitely recommend it to friends who are about to become new parents. Erin was an excellent instructor and did a great job presenting the information. Particularly amazing how quickly this class was adapted from in-class to online and how thorough and easy to follow it was. Our confidence as soon-to-be new parents has increased exponentially since taking this class. Thank you!

Bringing Baby Home – with Erin Shaheen

I liked the structure, and being muted at home meant my partner and I could talk about the information as we were learning it.

Pre Natal – with Lilly Bianchi

Julia was a great teacher! Very knowledgeable and passionate. We learned a lot.

Pre Natal – with Julia Wykes

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.

Bringing Baby Home – with Erin Shaheen

Very fun and informative! Lily made online learning more community like than we thought possible! It was great to experience online learning from the comfort of our own home!

Pre Natal – with Lilly Bianchi

Lilly was amazing - she is clearly extremely knowledgeable, answered every participant's question, and her voice was extremely soothing especially during the comfort measures section.

Pre Natal – with Lilly Bianchi

Great use of zoom!

Bringing Baby Home – with Brandie Lekovic

Was very impressed with the educator, delivery, personal stories and experiences and neutral, evidence based opinions and attitude

Bringing Baby Home – with Brandie Lekovic


 
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