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Antenatal Education & Preparation

Antenatal Education / Parent Craft Classes

The Antenatal Education (Parent Craft education) team in The National Maternity Hospital play an essential role in promoting, and helping you  maintain good health in pregnancy and beyond. We aim to help prepare women and their partners for labour and the changes and challenges that their new baby will bring to their lives. We know that a positive birthing experience can positively affect a woman’s long term wellbeing, and we aim to empower women and their partners to believe in themselves through a partnership approach. 

In order to keep you safe during the coronavirus pandemic, we have replaced all our on-site classes with interactive webinars (virtual classes). 

Please see the full menu of classes below. 

Email classes@nmh.ie or call Nicola or Susan (01) 637 3499 to book your place.

If you do not receive a reply from us, please check your spam folder as there is sometimes an issue with hotmail, yahoo and gmail. 

When emailing, please include:

When you are due (EDD)
Hospital number
Is it your first baby?
Is there anything in particular we need to know about you?

We need your feedback to help develop our service. Please take a few minutes to complete this evaluation of your class:

Click here to take our Survey

Introducing The NMH eLearning Hub

To complement and support your antenatal education needs, a multidiciplinary team led by Professor Grainne Flannelly have developed an  eLearning Hub,  This incredible multidisciplinary team  is composed of NMH healthcare professionals including midwives, physiotherapists, lactation consultants, dieticians, paediatricians, obstetricians, psychologists and many more.  Each resource takes you through a series of educational modules to help you on your journey through pregnancy and beyond, and will be referenced throughout your virtual classes. We recommend that you review each module prior to the classes.

 

 

Antenatal Resources for Women During COVID-19

In response to the current covid 19 pandemic, the antenatal education team has had to dramatically change the way antenatal education classes are provided. A multidisciplinary team have developed an eLearning Hub, which is located on this site.  We recommend all women to access this educational hub and would appreciate your feedback.

Webinars

We are providing interactive online antenatal classes via gotomeeting and webex.

These include:

  • Early pregnancy class
  • First time mothers classes
  • Refresher classes
  • VBAC (vaginal delivery after c section) class
  • Elective section class (for women who know they will be having a planned c section)
  • Young mum’s classes (women aged 18-22yrs)
  • Preparation for Breastfeeding class (led by lactation consultant)

We are responding to women’s and their partners' feedback; adapting and reviewing this new service on an ongoing basis. 

We suggest that approximately 30 weeks is a good time to do your labour antenatal education webinar.

To enhance your learning experience, we suggest you review the material on our eLearning Hub prior to the classes.

To book your place, please email classes@nmh.ie 

When emailing, please include:

  • When you are due (EDD)
  • Hospital number
  • Is it your first baby?
  • Is there anything in particular we need to know about you?

Other online classes available to you:

  • Preparing to breastfeed class, run by lactation consultant. Please email classes@nmh.ie for further information or to book your place.
  • Tus Mhaith (good start) - for women with a BMI over 25, please email dietitian@nmh.ie

 

 

Virtual Early Pregnancy Class

The focus of this class is on promoting wellness and maintaining good health in pregnancy and beyond. It is aimed at women up to approximately twenty weeks gestation, however all pregnant women are welcome.

We strongly advise you to attend this class as it is an opportunity to meet a midwife, physiotherapist, dietitian and pharamacist early in your pregnancy, and can help lay the foundation for a positive experience for you and your nominated support person. 

To get the most out of this class, we recommend that you take time to go through the material available on The NMH guide to keeping well in pregnancy. 

https://rise.articulate.com/share/Yr_wlHG_80oigSWQyyddGTth_T4kJvBv#/

 

Virtual Classes for First Time Parents

We currently run sets of classes for first time parents at least twice a week. 

Classes currently consist of a "labour and delivery" class in the morning and a "babycare/postnatal care" class in the afternoon.

You can choose to do this set of classes over one day, or split it up over two days, for example;  it might be helpful to do the labour and delivery class at about 28-30 weeks, and the babycare/postnatal class clser to your due date. 

The classes are designed to complement  and build on the information in the eLearning hub and you will find them more beneficial if you have reviewed the relevant modules before your class. 

The NMH guide to Labour and delivery:

 https://rise.articulate.com/share/zMU4l-dkONipTjMMY0z3HF8NRv5EPY3u#/

The NMH guide to caring for yourself and your baby after birth:

 https://rise.articulate.com/share/rxZXr_ehil0Dh5Bh2Vc4Oo3mFJnFj_Nc#/

Please click on links below for outline of first time parents classes.

Class one:  "Labour and Delivery"

Class two: "Baby care and Postnatal care"

 

Virtual Young Mums and Dads class

This is a class aimed at the younger mother and father (late teens to approximately 22 years of age).

It is a small, interactive class, facilitated by a midwife.

Partners and other support people are welcome to attend.

Last approximately two-three hours. 

For further information:
Nicola Jordan: njordan@nmh.ie
Susan Doyle sdoyle@nmh.ie

 

 

 

Virtual Refresher Class (for women who have a child already)

This class is designed for women who have had a previous vaginal delivery and aims to help prepare for this pregnancy's labour and delivery.

It is facilitated by a midwife 

Partners welcome.

 

Virtual VBAC Class: preparing for vaginal delivery after previous caesarean section

This class is designed to support women who have had a previous caesarean section and are hoping for a vaginal delivery in this pregnancy. This is known as a VBAC - Vaginal Birth After Caesarean section.

The class aims to empower women to maximise their chances of a vaginal delivery.

It is facilitated by a midwife 

Partners welcome.

 

Virtual "Preparing for an Elective Caesarean Section" class

This class is designed for women where it has been decided that an elective caesarean section is the most likely delivery method.

It is facilitated by a midwife and aims to prepare women for their Caesarean Section. 

Partners are welcome.

Virtual "Preparation for Breastfeeding" Class

This class is facilitated by lactation consultants and will help start a positive breastfeeding journey. Further information is available on the Breastfeeding page.

this virtual class is held on the first Friday of every month at 12.45hrs 

 

Antenatal videos in conjunction with whatsupmum

Antenatal videos in conjunction with Whatsupmum

We have been working with Whatsupmum to bring you short, focused, educational videos, which you can watch in your own time. We hope that you will find them helpful and would love to hear your feedback.

For Pregnancy related videos, please visit  https://whatsupmum.ie/pregnancy-videos/pregnancy-videos/

For Parent Craft videos, please visit https://whatsupmum.ie/parentcraft-classes/parentcraft-class/

Information for patients on blood group and transfusions

Information for patients on blood group and transfusions
If Your Blood Group is RhD-negative

A leaflet is available to explain the standard of care given to pregnant women who have been identified as having an RhD-negative blood group.

Blood Transfusion Information for Patients

Leaflets are also available to help explain blood transfusions for mothers and babies and why you may need one.