Parent education programmes to support you in pregnancy and when your baby arrives

Antenatal classes are a great way to prepare for the birth of your baby.

They provide you with information and advice on how to look after baby when they arrive and can increase your confidence. Attending classes can also be a good way to meet other expectant families in your area. Friends made at antenatal classes often meet each other through the first few months with a new baby and are often a source of support for each other.

What classes are available?

NHS classes are free and include topics such healthy pregnancy, labour and birth, infant feeding and bonding, becoming a family and caring for your baby.  Courses available and how to book depends on whether you'll be giving birth in Bradford or Airedale.

The Bradford Antenatal Birth and BeYond (BABY) service aims to provide you with the best quality information which is easily accessible and can help you to make choices about many aspects of your care such as choice of place of birth, pain relief in labour and how to feed your baby.

Our parent education modules, delivered by our specialist parent education midwives Caroline Lamb and Gina Melia, are designed to give you information about labour, birth and parenthood. You can book virtual classes and access the training material on the parent education page.

Attending virtual classes allow you to be involved in group sessions whilst being in the comfort of your own home.

We do offer a one-to-one service for ladies with complex needs and this is usually via telephone or a video call. Speak to your midwife or doctor who can refer you for this. We also have a Facebook page from which you are able to gain up-to-date information regarding the Women’s and Newborn Unit, as well as information regarding pregnancy, birth, infant feeding and beyond.

If you have any parent education questions you can contact the department by sending an email to parenteducation.bri@nhs.net. If you don't have access to the internet, please speak to your community or hospital midwife.

As the current situation changes we will update you on what is available to you. Please don’t forget to look at our Facebook page for regular updates.

We have also produced this short film on the latent phase of labour:

Airedale's classes remain online for the time being and are delivered via MS Teams. This can be accessed on any device with access to the internet, without the need to download an app. We offer a variety of classes and you can attend at any time during your pregnancy, but we suggest that between 28 to 36 weeks of pregnancy is ideal. Spaces are limited per class to ensure quality and therefore it is advisable to book early, Please book following your 20 week Ultrasound scan. Parent Education sessions aim to be informative, fun, interactive and relevant to you! If there are any other classes you would like to see, please contact us with your suggestions!

There are currently three core sessions on offer, each lasting around 2 hours:

• Labour and birth
• Comfort options and When Nature Needs a Hand
• Caring for your baby: building a positive relationship

We encourage you to book all three as a course, although this is not mandatory. We have also introduced a Weekend Workshop where all three sessions are delivered in one day. This runs from 10.30 to 16.00 with breaks built in. Please see below for a brief overview of what they cover. If you would like to book any sessions, or to enquire about availability, please contact Single Point of Access team on 01535 292411 or 292412.

For further details on Airedale NHS trust's offer, visit the Maternity Parent Education page here

If you would like any information about our services in different languages or formats, please contact our Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS) on 01535 294019 or email anhsft.patientadvice@nhs.net

Welcoming a baby into the world can be very exciting but it also has its challenges, it can leave you feeling worried, anxious and alone. The Baby Steps programme aims to help parents prepare for all the changes coming their way.

Baby Steps is a free, online programme delivered by Action for Children.

Visit our parenting programmes page for more information about the course and to complete an online form to apply

After applying, if you need any further help or support you can contact Action for Children by:

• Calling 07734 496669
• E-mail babystepsbradford@actionforchildren.org.uk

Here’s what other parents said after the programme

Mum aged 18:

Baby Steps has helped me with my confidence and provided me with information that I still use to this day. You have made me feel so welcome and comfortable throughout the programme, and I hope new mothers-to-be benefit from the programme like I have. 

Dad:

We were having our first baby, my wife was new to the country, we had no family or friends. Baby Steps supported us emotionally and helped us understand what to expect when having a baby in the UK. We made a friend who lives locally and helps my wife to socialise in the community. We felt so comfortable by attending the group, it was a great learning experience for us. We learnt the importance of parenting responsibilities, and how we can make a positive difference in our child's life.

New programmes and workshops available district wide!

We are pleased to share that we have a 6 week programme: Preparation for parenthood and two exciting new workshops: Becoming a new family and Understanding your child's behaviour.  

These programmes are available across the district to all parents/carers, and we encourage anyone who is supporting to come along too!

To find out more and to register using a simple online form please take a look on our HENRY programmes and workshops page.

The form can be completed by parents/carers or a practitioner supporting them.

There are lots of other classes available privately which may be more specific to your needs.

The NHS has a useful tool which allows you to search all antenatal classes in your area.