Our Classes

We are proud to offer

Baby Steps

Welcome to OCEA's Tuesday morning new parent group!  Bring your baby, a warm drink, snack, and come to meet new friends!  
 
This new parent group will run on Tuesday mornings from 9:30-11 for eight weeks.  Each week we discuss a different topic around life with a newborn.  This group is geared toward families with babies from 0-6 months.  Topics will be reflective of each group's needs and may include any of the following:

  • Getting out and about with a newborn: sharing ideas of fun, easy outings with your newborn
  • Finding and creating time-saving strategies as a new parent
  • Family adjustments: setting gentle boundaries with loved ones, and managing expectations from friends and family.  
  • Days with our newborns: sharing ideas and suggestions for setting a nice rhythm to our days
  • Sleep and naps:  let's share our sleep wins and challenges!  
  • Open question week:  Bring your questions and let's discuss and brainstorm some ideas
  • Planning family meals: meal prep is an ongoing task, as support during the "5-7 pm shift" and so much more.
  • Baby wearing: bring your carriers, let's try them on and make adjustments
 
Baby Steps will be facilitated by Michelle Morra, an OCEA  prenatal educator,  postpartum doula and parent to five.   Michelle's calm approach to gentle parenting and supportive care towards new parents will make this a wonderful, non-judgemental, safe group.  Michelle looks forward to welcoming you and your baby in the fall!  
 
The cost of the class is $150 (+hst)

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 date changes within 7 days of class will reflect a $75 fee.  
 

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 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

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

Erin was amazing and I would highly recommend her class. We found it incredibly valuable and she was just so lovely!

Bringing Baby Home – with Erin Shaheen

The Bringing baby home class is an excellent course that equips you with the knowledge and resources to feel more confident going into new parenting. Highly recommend taking the course in your 2nd to 3rd trimester!

Bringing Baby Home – with Erin Shaheen

Erin was absolutely amazing! The way she teaches is so engaging and funny and the two full days spent together over Zoom flew by. She was extremely knowledgeable and helpful and her approach was very open, kind, and non-judgmental.

Bringing Baby Home – with Erin Shaheen

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

Yes: Ottawa CEA provided us with the best educational experience out of the multiple baby classes we took. The content is very well researched, concepts are explained clearly. Multiple perspectives for many issues are provided with evidence and encouragement is given to make your own informed choices with extra resources. There is no "fluff" and we felt much better about bringing a baby home after. I will be referring back to the resources from this course often. I highly recommend Ottawa CEA for expecting parents.

Bringing Baby Home – with Erin Shaheen

My husband and I had the pleasure of attending prenatal classes this weekend, guided by the wonderful Michelle. Her kindness, expertise, and unwavering support made the experience truly invaluable. From Saturday to Sunday, we felt empowered and informed, thanks to her guidance. Without hesitation, I would wholeheartedly recommend these classes to any expecting couple. Michelle's dedication and warmth create an environment where you feel not only prepared but also genuinely cared for.

Pre Natal – with Michelle Morra

Excellent instructor, could not have asked for better.

Pre Natal – with Lilly Bianchi

We really enjoyed Erin’s style and appreciated the additional materials sent to us. There were lots of opportunities to ask questions and Erin is clearly an expert! Her demonstrations were very helpful and her attention to everyone’s unique circumstances (eg. Which neighborhood we live in, which car seat we have) was much appreciated!! Would definitely recommend this class to others!!

Bringing Baby Home – with Erin Shaheen

Was able to do it from the comfort of my home

Bringing Baby Home – with Brandie Lekovic

Our educator was fantastic. We were really impressed by her. She knew her material, but was engaging and interesting, even remotely for the first time. We felt she was careful with her word choices. She had a pleasant demeanor and was very adaptable and responsive based on our questions and based on the new format of the course without any issues. We would highly recommend this course, but we would recommend any class with her particularly. She made us believe we could bring home a baby and we would all survive!

Bringing Baby Home – with Erin Shaheen


 
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  • In Person

    Baby Steps
    7 weeks
    Tue, Jan. 14 · Jan. 21 · Jan. 28 · Feb. 4 ·
    Feb. 11 · Feb. 18 & Feb. 25, 2025

    09:30 AM - 11:30 AM
    300 des Pères-Blancs Avenue
    Register now

  • In Person

    Baby Steps
    7 weeks
    Tue, March 18 · March 25 · April 1 · April 8 ·
    April 15 · April 22 · April 29 & May 6, 2025

    09:30 AM - 11:30 AM
    300 des Pères-Blancs Avenue
    Register now