HAABI birth – Preparing to Meet Your Baby

Exclusive collaboration with Paths To Parenthub

The only antenatal course specifically for those who are pregnant through donor conception. Delivered virtually, it not only gives you the chance to learn everything you need to know before having your baby, but it offers the chance to do so within a group that have walked a similar path, with understanding of some of the emotions and anxieties you may feel in relation to donor conception. Not only this, but it allows you to create friendships and share your journey with other families who have walked this path to parenthood, including future connections for your new child.

Chloe @HAABI, an experienced midwife will lead you (and your partner if applicable) through this course, sensitive to the difficult journeys that many of you have had to get to this stage. There will also be an opportunity to chat with Becky, Paths To Parenthub founder, to ask questions about her own personal experience of having her babies after using a donor.

Week to week workshop overview

This private labour and birth workshop is tailor made to suit your needs. This course is for you and your birth partner to attend, and covers all aspects of labour, birth and the period immediately following the birth of your baby.
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Taught in the comfort of your own home via Zoom, this group workshop is a wonderful place to meet new (online!) friends who are at a similar stage of pregnancy as you. The course is taught in 4 sessions, each lasting approximately 2 hours, with a short break in the middle of each session.

This workshop is best commenced at around 30-32 weeks of pregnancy, aiming to finish around 34-36 weeks of pregnancy. Workshops can be taken at any time though, so if you’d like to join us earlier or later in your pregnancy then please do.

What’s included?

SESSION ONE: ​

What to expect

  • What to expect in the last weeks of pregnancy, and how your body will change
  • Exploring your thoughts on your ideal birth
  • Importance of monitoring baby’s movements and quash the myth that babies don’t have any room left to move!
  • Physiology of labour, muscles of the uterus and your anatomy explained!
  • Fear, tension, pain cycle and how you can stay relaxed and focused

SESSION TWO: ​

First stage of labour

  • What is labour?
  • Early and active labour
  • Options available to you in labour and where would you like to give birth
  • Baby’s position and how this affects your labour
  • Natural and medical pain relief methods
  • When you should call your midwife / go to hospital
  • Relaxing the senses : touch, sound, smells
  • How to be the best birth partner – massage, positivity, encouragement

SESSION THREE: ​

Second stage of labour, decision making and informed choice

  • Discussing your due date and post maturity
  • Medical induction of labour – why do we offer it and what’s right for you?
  • Natural methods of inducing labour
  • Monitoring, examinations and observations offered in labour – what and why?
  • The second stage of labour (the big push!)
  • Vaginal tears, episiotomy and perineal massage
  • Relaxation and focus techniques for the second stage of labour

SESSION FOUR – PART ONE (1 hour): ​

Thinking ahead

  • Your hospital bag – what to bring for mum, baby and birth partner
  • Birth interventions – instrumental or assisted birth and caesarean in labour – what and why?
  • Hospital or Home Birth?
  • Third stage of labour – your wonderful placenta!
  • What will happen once your baby arrives?

SESSION FOUR – PART TWO (1 hour): ​

Meeting your little one (or ones!)

  • The importance of skin-skin, delayed cord clamping and early feeding
  • Vitamin K, weighing and checking your baby
  • Care of mum and baby following birth
  • Tips for having a calm transition with your new family member
  • Feeding basics
  • Building your birth preferences with the information covered in the course.

SESSION FIVE
(OPTIONAL EXTRA):

INFANT FEEDING AND POSTNATAL ESSENTIALS : £50

This is an add-on option to the full labour and birth workshop. This is a two hour course that covers postnatal care for mum and baby, infant feeding (breast, formula and mixed feeding), safe sleeping and basics such as nappy changing and bathing.

Sign up now

£170

Minimum of 3 people

Available dates:

October course
Weekend course – Saturday 3rd/10th/17th/24th October
Weekday course – Thursday evenings 8/15/22/29th October

November course
Weekday course – Wednesday 4th/11th/18th/25th November
Weekend course – Sunday 8/15/22/29th November

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