Online childbirth classes are booming in popularity. It used to be that expectant parents would take prenatal classes at the hospital or birth center to help prepare them for childbirth, but at the start of the pandemic many places stopped teaching the traditional in person classes.
As a labor and delivery nurse, I have seen firsthand how new parents benefit from preparing for birth with a course. New moms feel more prepared, know what their options are for pain medication or natural pain relief, aren’t as afraid of vaginal birth or cesarean birth, and have a confidence to trust their body. Their support person, whether that be their partner or a friend/family member, felt equipped to help them through the toughest parts of labor.
The Best Online Childbirth Classes
There are plenty of online classes out there to prepare you for birth. Be careful when you choose the one that is best for you – some will only prepare you for specific topics surrounding birth, like natural childbirth or breathing techniques. Many of the online prenatal courses leave out valuable information on baby care, other pain management techniques, or postpartum care.
BirthSmarts Online Childbirth Education Course
BirthSmarts is an online birthing course that thoroughly covers the birth process and postpartum care. This comprehensive course also gives information on the third trimester of pregnancy and the first weeks after baby is born.
This course goes into thorough detail about the following things:
- The labor process: the phases and stages of labor and what you can expect your body to feel like and do through each phase of labor
- Comfort techniques – whether you plan for an unmedicated birth, birth with medications or an epidural, a combination of the above, or are undecided.
- Research-backed information with citations and current best practices information
- Positions to try during labor and pushing, with or without an epidural
- Help for your birth partner or support people. A prepared support system is an asset to your labor team!
- Information on cesarean birth, both planned c-sections and emergency c-sections
- Tips for coping though the toughest parts of labor
- Relaxation techniques
- Downloadable handouts to bring with you on the big day so you won’t just forget everything you’ve learned!
- Lessons on how to advocate for yourself and your baby with free handouts
- Access to a private Facebook group
- Comfort measures
- Sections on newborn care and the first weeks home
- A discussion on postpartum mood disorders and what makes them different from the “Baby Blues”
With the BirthSmarts Childbirth Education Course, you will be prepared for the birth of your baby, however you want it to go. It will prepare you for a natural hospital birth, cesarean birth, and/or an epidural birth or a medicated vaginal birth.
This course was written by a registered nurse and reviewed with a certified doula. It will prepare you for the birth of your dreams and give you peace of mind when the birthing process starts!
Use code THESEHUNGRYKIDS for $15 off of the BirthSmarts Childbirth Education Course
Benefits of taking the BirthSmarts Course:
There are so many benefits to an online prenatal class. A big benefit is that you can work with your partner on your own time and aren’t tied to any particular schedule. You can also review and reread as many times as you’d like, especially as your due date approaches.
Other benefits of the BirthSmarts Online Course
- Work at your own pace on your own schedule, ideal for those with busy schedules
- Can access from any device with internet access
- Lifetime access – so you can take a refresher course closer to your due date or in future pregnancy
- Access to a private Facebook group where you can talk with other new parents and moderated by a labor & delivery nurse and certified doula
- Respectful language used to honor every kind of family
- Feel confident about your birth experience
- Dedicated sections to support people and birth partners
- Learn the best ways to advocate for yourself to hospital staff
- Downloads and handouts that you can print and bring with you to delivery – don’t risk forgetting everything you’ve learned
- 30 day money back guarantee through the Teachable online platform – if you don’t love it, you didn’t waste your money
If you aren’t ready to take the plunge just yet, check out the free 5-day email course.
Cons of the BirthSmarts Course
This childbirth course is written for those that are giving birth in a hospital setting. While much of the information would apply if you were planning for a home birth or in a birth center, it is written with the hospital in mind.
The BirthSmarts course discusses medical intervention in an effort to prepare you for “worst case.” This may be upsetting for some, though it is meant to prepare you for any situation that could arise.
While breastfeeding and other feeding options are discussed in the BirthSmarts course, it is not a focus. If you are looking for breastfeeding classes, I would recommend finding one taught by a certified lactation consultant. BirthSmarts has a sharper focus on childbirth preparation and the first weeks postpartum, similar to other childbirth education classes.
Related: Labor and Delivery: Natural vs. Birth with an Epidural
Lamaze International Online Classes
When you think of prenatal classes, Lamaze may be a name that comes to mind. With over 60 years on the market, they have fine-tuned their classes!
Lamaze classes can be done in person or online. They offer tons of different classes for expectant mothers and parents to take.
Benefits of Lamaze classes
- Take as much time as you need – these online courses can be started and stopped so you can work at your own pace
- Lamaze is a name that you pay for – they have an outstanding reputation for helping expectant parents achieve good birth outcomes
- They do offer a free course to sample and see if it’s a right fit for you
- You can pick and choose which courses you’d like to take
- Course options for labor, birth, postpartum, and breastfeeding
Cons of Lamaze classes
- Your access to the course is limited to one full year
- The focus is really on the natural process – this course is not ideal for those with a medical condition, planning a cesarean, or desire a birth with pain medications or an epidural
- The courses are short and each course is focused one topic – they are each about $29-35 each, which can add up and get expensive
Related: The Best Birth Plan Templates (Reviewed By A Labor Nurse)
Mama Natural Birth Course
The Mama Natural Birth Education course is very popular among expectant parents that desire a totally natural birth. It advertises things like natural remedies, low intervention, and normal biological process. This course is written by Certified Nurse Midwife Maura Winkler and author Genevieve Howland.
Benefits of the Mama Natural Course
- Great for those that want very low intervention, hands-off birth
- Perfect for people desiring a home birth
- Handouts and practice videos
- Access to private Facebook group
- 30-day money back guarantee
Cons of the Mama Natural Course
- Their online birthing classes are very expensive at $264 or three payments of $98
- Not a good choice for those that want an epidural, are planning for a cesarean, or want to learn about pain medication options during birth
- You only have access to the course for 1 full year
While choosing an online prenatal course may seem like a difficult task, the important thing is that you choose one that reflects your values surrounding childbirth. Everyone’s experience is unique, so picture your dream birth and select a course that you believe will prepare you best!
