Group Prenatal Course
Why choose us?
Make friends for life
Having friends who speak the same language and live locally with babies of a similar age is invaluable during the early days. We only provide courses for English-speakers, and we make sure everyone’s due dates are around the same time to ensure companionship and support when it counts!
Top quality teaching in English
Our Prenatal courses are taught by midwives who are either bilingual or native English speakers and are experts in pre and postnatal care. This is to ensure the information you receive is up to date, evidence-based, and that nothing is lost in translation!
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Modern approach
We believe it is super important to consider all the ways you might want to give birth and look after your baby, and teach it in a practical and non-judgemental way, so you leave feeling confident and calm about your choices.
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In-Person (Central Madrid) or Online
Our classes are dynamic, inclusive, and friendly whether you are attending virtually or in-person. In person, our usual location is in Barrio Salamanca.
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Tailored class sizes
We have a maximum of 10 couples per course to ensure the class is intimate enough to feel comfortable when participating.
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Continued support
During the course, our friendly and supportive experts are more than happy to answer your questions or talk you through any concerns. We are also able to offer support for after the birth (such as sleep, lactation etc..) for after baby is here.
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The 'BOBS' Booklet and Baby Registering Guide
Included in the course are the 'BOBS' booklet (Baby On Board Spain) and the Baby Registering Guide! Our carefully written guides to having a baby in Spain, registering the birth, and getting essential documents. Our Booklet and Guide tackle essential things to know before becoming a parent and include useful links for further reading. Mobile friendly and easy to understand, they are the perfect addition to our course and a great resource to use during the confusing newborn period.
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We offer 2 types of Prenatal course, depending on your needs:
The Full Works:
This is a 5 session prenatal course, running over the course of 7 days (Sessions 1-3 over a weekend, Session 4 early in the following week, and Session 5 later in the same week), to teach you and your birth partner everything from how to know you're in labour and when to go to hospital, what to expect and how to cope in the birth. Plus how to care for yourself mentally and physically after, and how to care for and feed your new baby. With a fully organised social event at the end!
Birth Only:
This is a 3 session prenatal course, running over the course of 7 days (Sessions 1 and 2 over a weekend, and Session 3 during the following week), to teach you and your birth partner specific techniques for how to manage labour and birth. You are also welcome to join our social event at the end.
When to start?
We recommend starting any time from 24 weeks pregnant and finishing by the time you are 37 weeks (or 34 weeks if expecting twins or multiples).
How to do the course?
Whichever course you chose, it can be done in-person in Central Madrid or online. Even if attending only online, you are very welcome to attend our in-person social event!
Our course schedule is:
Session 1:
Pregnancy & Labour
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Final stages of pregnancy and what to expect in your body, mind, and from your healthcare providers
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Preparing yourself for labour and postpartum (hypnobirthing, perineal massage, pelvic floor)
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Early signs of labour, and coping at home
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When to go to hospital
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What to expect when you arrive at hospital
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Coping with labour: breathing and different types of pain relief
Session 2:
Birth
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What to expect at each stage of labour
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'Straightforward' vaginal birth process
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Labour interventions (inductions)
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Birth interventions (Ventouse + forceps delivery, caesarean section - planned + emergency)
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Immediate assessment of the mother after birth
Session 3*:
Newborn Care & Feeding
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First days of the newborn
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Neonatal care babies
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Going home and the early weeks with your baby/babies
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Practical skills: Dressing, nappy changing, bathing, nail cutting
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Calming and soothing a crying baby
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Safe sleeping
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Getting started with breastfeeding
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Establishing a good milk supply
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Positioning and technique
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Managing common breastfeeding problems and when to seek help
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Expressing milk- when, how, why
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Bottle and formula feeding
* Only available if booked onto 'The Full Works' course.
Session 4*:
Postpartum Care of the Mother
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Postpartum care
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Going to the toilet and how to care for stitches, sore perineums
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C section wounds
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Your recovering body - what to expect
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Your emotional health
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Your relationship
* Only available if booked onto 'The Full Works' course.
Session 5:
Social event
Whilst the pre and postnatal information provided on our course is essential, we also place huge importance on the social side of things.
We want you to leave your course feeling connected as a group, fully informed, relaxed with each other, and ready to take on this new stage of your lives together.
So our 5th and final session is a social event where we book a space in a central Madrid eatery so you can chat properly before babies arrive, get to know eachother better, and exchange contact information if you wish.