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Pre Natal Classes

For our online group classes, we ask that participants keep their videos on during class.  Like an in-person class, this creates a sense of community and safety.   If you prefer not to be seen, we recommend a private session with one of our instructors

We suggest you take your prenatal classes between 20 weeks and 36 weeks. Be sure to register early in your pregnancy in order to ensure a place is reserved for you. Classes are offered in the following formats:

6 Weekday Evenings OR Full Weekend One Day Condensed
  • Your birth support team – The role of the Midwife, family Doctor, OB, Registered Nurse and Doula
  • Stages and Phases of labour
  • Comfort measures including relaxation and massage techniques
  • Breath awareness
  • All options for pain management
  • Making decisions and giving consent
  • Methods of induction
  • Interventions including IV’s, fetal heart monitors, instrumental deliveries, inductions, and cesarean sections
  • Post birth procedures for babies
  • Post birth recovery for women
  • Resources in Ottawa
  • Infant feeding
  • Your birth support team – The role of the Midwife, family Doctor, OB, Registered Nurse and Doula
  • Stages and Phases of labour
  • All options for pain management
  • Interventions including instrumental deliveries, inductions and cesarean sections
  • Infant feeding resources
Topics are presented in a variety of methods including videos, hands-on practice, small group discussion and relaxation exercises. Topics are presented in a lecture like style to allow for the time required to cover the content in a shorter space of time.

Our one-day condensed classes are excellent for those who may not otherwise have time to take a prenatal class at all, or for those who work shift work. We cover the topics shown in the above table, which offers a comparison to our 6-week series and two-day weekend classes.  We focus on labour and birth, leaving you with reading resources for the postpartum time.

Cost of classes is $175 (CAD) (per couple) for the two day class and $155 (CAD per couple) for the one day class and includes telephone and email contact with your instructor free parking and air-conditioned rooms. 
*a couple is defined as a pregnant person and one support person, which could be a spouse, partner, friend or family member)

What materials are provided for class?  In order to make the class as interactive and hands-on as possible, we will provide you with a series of links and information sheets five days before your class with your reminder email.  The internet has a wonderful amount of resources and we will link you to up to date resources on the net.  You do not need to print them off in advance.   We also make every effort to reduce paper use and keep ours and your photocopying costs down.   

Refund Policy: When cancelling a prenatal class after it has been booked there is a $25 (CAD) administration fee. If the cancellation occurs less than 14 days before the class there is a 50% cancellation fee. If it is less than 7 days there is no refund.  Request for date changes within 7 days of class will reflect a $75 fee.  Please keep this in mind when booking classes and plan to be finished your session by 35 weeks.

People who took our online class during COVID-19 had this to say:

Given the continued need to physically distance and wear masks, OCEA will continue to offer all classes online throughout 2021.
We dearly want to support the health of our expectant families.

Lilly was friendly, engaging, relatable, professional and very knowledgable. We really enjoyed her as our educator!

Pre Natal – with Lilly Bianchi May 25, 2020

I've been reading a lot about parenting and have a sister in law who is very passionate about parenting and I have been around to watch her raising three kids so I have been exposed to a lot of the philosophies. I really appreciated the break down of the sleep discourses and looking at the sleep training stuff, as I had a friend who sent me a huge amount of sleep training info that was like an airplane manual it was so complex and I thought it seemed a little intimidating and unnecessary/counterintuitive, so I was glad to hear that it is not the bible of baby sleep approaches.

Bringing Baby Home – with Erin Shaheen March 28, 2020

Was great to be in the comfort of your home. At 33 weeks much more convenient to be on your couch, have your own pillow and make yourself comfortable.

Pre Natal – with Julia Wykes April 25, 2020

I would highly recommend this course. It is probably the best investment we have made in preparing for our first child. Lots of useful information presented in an easy-to-digest way, without opinion, bias, or "horror stories". I feel so much more prepared for labour, birth & the early days of parenthood.

Pre Natal – with Lilly Bianchi Jan. 9, 2021

Very very pleased. I'm difficult to impress, do a lot of research on my own and have very high (some would suggest too high) of expectations with very low tolerance to incompetence....i give Julia a 10/10 :D

Pre Natal – with Julia Wykes May 28, 2020

Brandie did an excellent job at teaching the course via zoom. She was engaging, offered great tips and information.

Bringing Baby Home – with Brandie Lekovic April 18, 2020

What a wonderful human!! She was so nice and extremely informative :)

Pre Natal – with Julia Wykes Jan. 23, 2021

Erin is amazing at her job, she made the class easy to listen and follow. Her energy brought the class to life, as it was filled with tons of information. It says a lot that it held my husbands full attention throughout ! Great class , great instructor!

Bringing Baby Home – with Erin Shaheen March 21, 2020

Very fun and informative! Lily made online learning more community like than we thought possible! It was great to experience online learning from the comfort of our own home!

Pre Natal – with Lilly Bianchi April 10, 2020

If you have any fears or concerns about labour or the initial time after birth this course if for you! The instructors offer a non-judgmental and safe environment where students learn how to cope with all aspects of the process, including current COVID-19 issues.

Pre Natal – with Lilly Bianchi April 10, 2020

Was very impressed with the educator, delivery, personal stories and experiences and neutral, evidence based opinions and attitude

Bringing Baby Home – with Brandie Lekovic April 10, 2020

Great use of zoom. Thank you.

Pre Natal One Day – with Brandie Lekovic March 22, 2020


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