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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 the postpartum time.

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 could 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 ours 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 and wear masks, OCEA will continue to offer all classes online throughout 2021.
We dearly want to support the health of our expectant families.

It was easy to share questions verbally or in writing, or that you had the opportunity to ask them more privately, before or after the class via text with Julia. It was a nice option that made me feel more at ease.

Pre Natal – with Julia Wykes March 31, 2020

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 July 11, 2020

Thanks for being willing to add in information about how to deal with our fur babies when we bring the baby home!

Pre Natal – with Lilly Bianchi April 10, 2020

If you have any fears or concerns about labour or the initial time after birth this course if for you! The instructors offer a non-judgmental and safe environment where students learn how to cope with all aspects of the process, including current COVID-19 issues.

Pre Natal – with Lilly Bianchi April 10, 2020

The slides accompanied by Erin’s explanation and the fact that it was interactive.

Bringing Baby Home – with Erin Shaheen March 28, 2020

Easy going, could speak up and ask questions without feeling judged.

Pre Natal One Day – with Brandie Lekovic March 22, 2020

She was fantastic. I really appreciated her non judgmental approach. She provided information in a scientific manner, without inserting a personal bias.

Pre Natal – with Julia Wykes Dec. 12, 2020

Lilly was friendly, engaging, relatable, professional and very knowledgable. We really enjoyed her as our educator!

Pre Natal – with Lilly Bianchi May 25, 2020

She was fantastic ! Made the class fun to attend !

Bringing Baby Home – with Erin Shaheen March 21, 2020

Julia was great! She kept things light, down-to-earth, and didn't sugar coat things. We all tend to have ideas about what childbirth is like based on tv, movies and old-wives tales, but she was great at dispelling anything that may have mislead us in the past. Her knowledge and experience in the area of childbirth was incredibly helpful.

Pre Natal – with Julia Wykes April 9, 2020

We had a wonderful experience during our online class session. Misty is incredibly knowledgeable and the curriculum is easy to understand for first time parents. It helps to learn beyond medical knowledge presented in a textbook. We left the training feeling much more at ease about the birthing process and have many resources to refer back to if needed. Thank you! Crystal and Serge

Pre Natal One Day – with Misty Pratt July 11, 2020

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 March 21, 2020


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