13 Of The Best Online Birthing and New Parent Classes
I am 32 weeks pregnant and I’ve just started birth prep (and postpartum prep). I would probably just do a quick review if I had had a vaginal birth the first time around but I didn’t so I feel like a new mom all over again. I found out fairly early on with my first daughter that she was fully breech and never turned so we went for a scheduled C-Section. This time our little girl #2 turned at 30 weeks. With a toddler on the go, I have less time to stop and think about the birth to come but I really need to because I feel my nerves getting the better of me. I turned to friends, Facebook and forums for best suggestions on beloved online birthing and infant care courses to help you out even through the pandemic. Hope these help you!
Virtual Birthing Courses
Spinning Babies
Spinning Babies is an approach to optimize the physical relationship between the bodies of the mother and baby for the easing of childbirth. Spinning Babies is a new paradigm that takes clues from baby’s position and station for natural, physiological solutions. Try it in any birth setting, childbirth program, or pain management plan.
Align the uterus so baby can curl and enter the pelvis as a small, compact – and more active participant.
Release tight ligaments or muscles which may pull or twist may relieve pelvic pain now or discomfort during birth.
Support what’s loose in womb or pelvis with a pregnancy belt.
Open the pelvis to let baby move down during the birth process.
Share birth wisdom with parents and providers in ever deepening layers of understanding birth
The courses range between $18-27.
Nurture: Birth Your Way by Erica Chidi
Trust Your Body and Yourself. You've Got This. Empower your pregnancy, birth, and transition into motherhood with this comprehensive online course based on the book Nurture by doula and author Erica Chidi Cohen.
Manage stress and anxiety during your pregnancy.
Make informed decisions for you and your baby.
Build up your confidence around giving birth.
This course is $95.
Kopa Birth
I was sent this suggestion from a registered doula who swears by Kopa, founded by Kate Griffin who is a Registered Nurse and Lamaze certified childbirth educator and mom of 6. She made these courses with parents in mind who are planning a natural hospital birth. Receive online instruction from a Registered Nurse, Lamaze educator, and mom of 6.
You'll learn powerful, tried-and-true coping tools and techniques to help you manage labor pain without medication.
We'll cover deep relaxation, breathing techniques, labor positions, and so much more!
Your partner will learn practical ways to help you stay calm and comfortable during labor.
And you'll both be prepared to make informed choices about labor interventions in the hospital.
This course is $115.
The Positive Birth Company
The course is a fully comprehensive hypnobirthing antenatal course. The 43 videos have been divided into different sections with each section covering a different topic. For example, one section covers the science behind hypnobirthing; the physiology of birth, how the uterus muscles work, the hormones produced etc. Another section covers relaxation techniques. Another covers interventions including induction and cesarean birth and how you can make all births a positive experience. Another section covers the stages of natural labour in detail, including the third stage so you're fully informed about the benefits of skin-to-skin, delayed cord clamping and what active management means and why you might opt for it. I was also given the pro tip to download their contraction timer app called Freya.
This course is $50 and the contraction app is $2.99.
Mommy Labor Nurse
Birth It Up is for expecting mamas who desire a natural birth (aka, without an epidural), but are nervous about what's to come. This course is a self-paced, self-start course. You have access to Birth It Up: The Natural Series immediately, and you can access it at any point during your pregnancy. The course should take approximately 5-6 hours to complete. After completing this course, you'll have ALL the knowledge you need going into your upcoming birth! Your anxiety will diminish, and you'll actually be excited (instead of nervous) to give birth!
Maybe you are a first-time mom, and you just don't know what labor's going to be like, but want to be prepared!
Maybe you had an epidural with your first, but you TOTALLY wanna go without one this time.
Maybe you've had a C-section, and you SO desire to have a natural vaginal delivery.
This course is $39.
Maternity Care Midwives
This is a very helpful and totally free YouTube recording of Midwife Holliday Tyson teaching a Prenatal Class at Maternity Care Midwives in Thunder Bay, Ontario in 2015.
Some very Practical highlights
13:50 Bashful elephant maneuver
23:45 Penguin walk
29:20 Makine cervix more favorable for birth
37:47 Help for back pain/back labor
This course is free.
New Parent Courses
Tinyhood
Co-founders Becky Miller and Susan Blinn are fellow engineers, friends, and parents. After wrestling with their own struggles - each as new parents, and feeling both overwhelmed and underwhelmed by the lack of clear parental guidance out there—they launched Tinyhood, a curated collection of classes meant to support you throughout your parenting journey—all taught by certified experts. Their vision was to reimagine a day where parents everywhere would exclaim, “Ok, we've got this.”
Online Classes for the Modern Parent
Taught by professionally certified experts
Flexible access, refer back whenever and wherever
Curated collection of essential topics
Tip: Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, they are currently offering most of their classes at deep discounts and their Breastfeeding 101 classes are free.
Courses range from $0-$50.
WeeHuman
Everything you need to feel confident and prepared for your birth and parenting your newborn baby. Explore all of their incredible classes Modern Childbirth, Newborn Care, Breastfeeding, and all our live sessions.
Breastfeeding - $29
Newborn Care - $49
Modern Childbirth - $79
Full New Parent Program - $99
Taking Cara Babies
Cara is a mom of four, neonatal nurse, and wife of a pediatrician. Her passion is teaching parents how to help their babies sleep with the science of a nurse and the heart of a mama so they can reclaim the joy of parenthood. These courses are split up by age from newborn to 24 months. People not only love this blog and resources but swear by the sleep courses. You can also book individual phone consults for extra support.
The courses range from $39 to $319 for all of the courses, videos and phone consults. A standalone phone consult is $75 for 40 mins.
Mama Natural
Genevieve Howland aka Mama Natural is the bestselling author, educator and mom of three. She brings together an elite group of specialists (a Stanford-Trained holistic pediatrician, a certified nurse midwife, firefighter paramedics, and herself to give parents a comprehensive course for holistic families.
Learn how to care for a newborn with calm & confidence.
Gain the knowledge and confidence you need to thrive postpartum.
Discover practical tips and insights from experts in baby care.
Connect with a dynamic group of new mothers just like you.
This course is $89.
The Baby Manual
Looking for a literal how-to guide for your newborn? Meet the aptly named Baby Manual. Through a series of instructional videos that include tips from physicians, childcare experts and experienced parents alike, the Baby Manual walks you through all the basics to help with everything from day one through the early weeks (that’s four hours of content!):
Baby gear overview
Bringing baby home from the hospital
Early weeks overview
Breastfeeding
Formula feeding
Diapering & bathing
Reducing crying
Health & CPR
Sleep
How to have fun with baby
How to go out and about with baby
Finding childcare
Adjusting to parenthood and lifestyle changes
Each video includes a summary of key points at the end to reinforce everything you’ve just learned. The course is accessed via DVD (unlimited plays and can rewatch for future children) or online (unlimited plays for six months) for $59, or you can have both formats for $79. They also offer individual courses, and the Breastfeeding Manual and Healthy Sleep manual are currently available for free (regularly $29.99 each).
The courses range from $0 to $60.
Boot Camp for New Dads
Boot Camp for New Dads is a men-only workshop for guys expecting their first baby. During the 3-hour workshop, "Rookie" dads-to-be talk to "Veteran" new dads (with their babies) about what the first months of fatherhood are really like. The Vets answer questions, address concerns, and share how they and their families are tackling common issues faced by new parents.
Guys talk about how to:
Support new mom and understand what she's going through
Form a parenting team with your partner
Handle gatekeeping and make sure you're hands-on from day one
Troubleshoot crying babies
Become the dad you want to be and bond with baby
Build your relationship before baby arrives
This workshop is $45.
FatherCraft Fathers Ed Course
Father's Ed is designed to be a comprehensive course for guys who are preparing to become a dad for the first time. It's 5 hours of video content, plus an 82-page companion workbook. They put 18 months of development into Father's Ed, including flying to NYC to interview a pediatric sleep expert, interviewing a firefighter, and much much more. They are getting tons of great feedback from new and expecting dads taking the course!
The course is $149.
