So, should you do an antenatal course? Here are a few good reasons why….

• Dedicated time for you to think about your baby.  We all lead busy lives, and sometimes you might feel that your pregnancy, labour, birth and impending parenthood get pushed to one side as you meet deadlines at work, keep on top of the house and your social life. Being able to concentrate on your baby and your new life as a family is invaluable.
• Increase your knowledge.  Many people have access to the internet and there are hundreds of books out there but it can be useful to talk to someone with training and experience, who knows the local service, and has access to sources of information which can give you research based evidence, statistics and national guidelines.
• Learn new skills.  Courses look at how you can help yourself and what your birth partner can do to help you through labour. You also have the opportunity to practice skills you’ll need when your baby arrives, such as nappy changing, bathing and settling a crying baby. 
• A safe place to ask questions.  There are no silly questions and you are  encouraged to ask whatever you need to know. Chances are, someone else has asked it before you and someone else will ask it after you! You might want to discuss something arising from one of your midwife appointments  or explore an idea you’ve read about or heard about from someone else. And if I don’t know the answer I will say so, but will always do my best to find out the information you need. 
• Consider the birth partners role.  Partners can feel a little isolated as everything seems to centre on mum and baby. Partners are given the opportunity to talk about their concerns, will also gain new skills such as massage and babycare skills, and have the opportunity to think about how they can communicate your needs as a couple to your caregivers at a time when you may not be in a position to. 
• Discover your options.  Did you know you have a choice about how 3rd stage is managed? Or that you can decline induction and be monitored instead? Birth is not a conveyor belt, where one size fits all. Each one is different and you have choices to make which will influence the way your labour progresses. Antenatal courses are a great way of empowering you with the information you need to make an informed decision. 
• Have the confidence to get the birth you want. Much of pregnancy will be spent preparing for the ‘big event’. And to each couple it is a major life changing event which means it is important for you to have the birth you want. Of course there are no guarantees, and sometimes things happen during a labour which could not have been foreseen, and action must be taken for the safety of you and your baby. However, you are more likely to achieve the birth you want if you have all the information to hand, and are able to assert that knowledge confidently, so that you can make the right choices for you at the right time.