What do you offer as an Antenatal Teacher?

It’s a lot more than you think!

What do Antenatal Teachers actually do? I think traditionally we picture someone standing up in front of expectant parents holding a plastic pelvis and a baby doll in a church hall or community center somewhere. Now there is a place for plastic pelvises and traditional antenatal education about how bodies birth babies is vital, but Antenatal Teachers serve their communities in so many more ways than just offering one type of course for parents. 

What myself and many antenatal educators were not totally prepared for when we started this work was how important our role was to parents outside of the ‘Antenatal Classroom’. How we have helped to influence and add to family support in our communities. And how we can offer so much more to expectant and new parents when they really need it. And when you are motivated to do this work, to make a difference, this stuff really counts

What this can look like:
Creating spaces and places for families in early (or late) postpartum to come too, to meet others, grow in confidence and get support
Creating networks of other local perinatal support workers so you can signpost families quickly and safely especially when they are in crisis mode
Creating/Joining alliances of birth workers in your trust with the aim to directly influence the maternity systems in that area to make birth better 
Setting up charity organisations so you can offer more funded support like positive birth groups and feeding support

There are also a huge amount of paid services you can offer as part of your Antenatal Business outside of just courses for couples, for example:
Private Courses or 1-2-1 Pregnancy Support
Workshops for Birth Partners 
Growing Family Refresher Course
Birth Preferences Workshop
Preparing to Feed Workshop
Preparing for Postpartum Course
Newborn Workshop
Pregnancy Retreats
New Parent Retreats 
Pregnancy Circles 
Parent Meet Ups 
Positive Birth Groups and more! 

Whatever you LOVE, what is calling you, what you wish you had and what your community needs.
Our role in our communities is an important one, and your support to a family can be life changing. 

For an idea of how you could make Antenatal Teaching work for you as a business contact us for an info pack, book in a chat and come to one of our free workshops. If you are passionate about birth and making a difference we would love to talk to you.