People who took our online class had this to say:
I've taken other online pre-natal classes and this is the first that felt really comprehensive, unbiased and supportive. In my partner and I have enjoyed the hands on techniques, the balance between practical and academic and getting to know other couples expecting their first child. Lilly was non-judgmental and very well informed, she shared her knowledge eloquently.
Was able to do it from the comfort of my home
My husband and I expected a baby-basics class. What we ended up getting out of the Bringing Baby Home course was plenty of up-to-date information on just about everything baby-related, reliable resources we didn't even know existed, and, most importantly, peace of mind! We would highly recommend this class to all expecting couples. Even if you have done other prenatal classes, you will not regret doing the BBH course.
Erin is a fabulous teacher! Great personality, very approachable, very non-judgemental. She is also super knowledgable. Would highly recommend her and would love to hire her as a Doula if they are allowed to work again when we give deliver.
My husband and I thoroughly enjoyed our experience with the Ottawa CEA's Pre Natal Course. The instructor was fabulous and covered a lot of vital information in just one weekend. We left the course feeling more confident and better informed about the experience ahead of us. It was a great opportunity to bond with my husband over the birth process and have our questions answered in a comfortable, warm and friendly environment. We highly recommend this course and are looking forward to taking the CEA's "Bringing Baby Home" course.
Julia was so helpful and answered all the questions I had which really helped to ease some of the anxiousness I've been facing with covid19 restrictions in place and how it may impact my birth experience. I am so thankful for her knowledge and care!
Amazing class, made us feel so much more prepared for the arrival of our baby!
I was a little skeptical to do this class through zoom, but I had heard so many good things in the Pregnant in Ottawa group, and am very happy we made the choice, as it was very well done.
Lilly was fantastic and had a calm, informative and empowering approach to educating our class on prenatal subjects and what we could expect as new parents. She was very thorough and welcomed any questions we had, which created a very open and comfortable atmosphere for learning. Lily took the time to learn about each couple's care and birth plans, and was able to cater information to us in a very thoughtful way. My partner and I looked forward to our lessons and felt we benefited from them immensely, I would highly recommend this course to parents-to-be!
Although we have plenty of resources available to us, including couples that have recently had babies (some of which explore more "alternative" or new methods in raising their children and others more conservative), plenty of people that are giving us advice, books, online tutorials etc... this course was truly invaluable. The course structure made a lot of sense and the instructor (we had Erin) was so knowledgeable, answering questions based on her wealth of experience, existing research studies, historical context and so on. We can't imagine this information being conveyed in any other way other than in a class such as this. We literally could ask anything pertaining to the course topics and would get a very good answer. We will be recommending this course to everyone that is expecting. We found it especially helpful that we had not made any baby related purchases yet because one component of this course was about what products to buy, should wait to buy, not buy and WHY. Thank you!
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.
The workshop on bring baby home was informative: It is especially working so well with busy couples, as the instructor focuses on each topic with the detailed explanation. You have time to discuss with your partner, as well as in the class at large. The instructor is very professional, effective and friendly. We took a two-day workshop, but time went on so fast. We're very happy about this workshop.
Again thanks for all the work you've done to make the class accessible during this time and to update all the resources.
The Bringing Baby Home course is a great guide to the many how-to's that new parents face. As much emphasis is put on pregnancy and labour, this course allows you to learn and understand what awaits you once your baby is in your arms. We feel much more confortable and excited for the arrival of our baby as this course allowed us to put some worries at ease and opened our eyes to other great options to help raise a happy family.
Amazing class! Very hands on and practical!
"The Bringing Baby Home class was great and answered a lot of our questions about what to buy and what we could live without. We feel more confident in our decision-making abilities in choosing baby gear and really appreciated the hands-on experiences like diapering, swaddling, and trying out different baby carriers. We have already recommended it to friends and co-workers!"
I actually learned about the Ottawa CEA through a friend. I would definitely recommend the Bringing Baby Home course to all first-time parents. It really helps to demystify a lot of things surrounding baby care. I feel much more prepared to welcome baby home after taking this course!
Of course! Ottawa CEA Pre Natal Class was the most informative source of information that I've come into contact with since getting pregnant! This isn't an old-fashioned, dry course that tells you not to smoke (because you should know that anyway), or shows you how to swaddle a baby. The information provided was up-to-date, reliable and relatable. The teaching method was objective, with no judgements of one's perferred method of childbirth. There was much more active learning than I had expected, but it never got overwhelming. The pacing was perfect for two days! The course gave me a clear idea of what it might be like to be in labour, and empowered me with information. I know feel as though I have actual tools that will help me prepare for the big day! I highly recommend this course for both soon-to-be parents, as my support partner also gained much knowledge from the course and feels more comfortable with being my support.
Erin's enthusiasm for babies, parenting, and supporting new parents really made the class shine.
Great class, for someone that had high anxiety about birth, this class was exactly what I needed, I was one of those women that wanted to have a Cesarean birth because I was so afraid of labour and pain, so my family and friends couldn't believed it when I came out of class and told them I hoped I have a natural birth, I can't believe it either!!. They help with not only the understanding of the birth process but with elements on how to cope with the fear and of course pain.
My husband and I were NOT looking forward to taking a pre-natal/birthing class, in fact we tried to get out of doing one. However our midwife urged us to take one because we are first time parents. All we had to go on about what would happen was from movies really and we were both dreading what we thought would happen. Both of us were actually really surprised at how much we enjoyed the class, and how much we learned. I can say now that I eat my words about not wanting to go, and we both are very glad to have all of this information in our arsenal to help us have a healthy birth.
Lilly was so amazing! She was informative without being judgmental, honest withput being scary, and clearly knew the material inside out. We would absolutely recommend this course to other new parents!