Free antenatal classes can be very useful in pregnancy, especially if you are on a tight budget. The quality and utility of any antenatal class, whether free or fee-paying, depends on the provider. On the UK’s NHS, top-quality antenatal classes are free to patients and available to cater to the needs of parents in your area. Availability and content depend on the NHS trust involved. They may not cover everything available on some private courses, but they will provide good, evidence-based late pregnancy, childbirth, and postnatal care education. Plus, they are led by midwives who work with pregnant women every day and have seen most things, so they should be able to answer all your questions. NCT classes, a popular NHS antenatal class alternative, are not free, though there are discounts and bursaries available for certain participants. You can find free classes from private online providers. However, their more comprehensive courses or course materials tend to require payment. It’s perhaps best to look at these free resources as a complement to your NHS or paid private antenatal course. You can’t really be over prepared for labour, birth, and the postpartum period, and many parents enjoy learning in different ways and from different sources.

Unii’s antenatal course is a comprehensive package of online antenatal classes taught by nine leading experts in pregnancy, labour, birth, and newborn care. They can be watched anytime and on-demand when you are a Unii Plus member. You can task the complete course or different episodes as and when you need to. There are further full-length courses available on every topic the course covers, from a week-by-week pregnancy guide to breastfeeding and formula-feeding lessons, encouraging your baby’s sleep schedule, infant CPR, and your options for labour and birth. All are taught by experienced surgeons, doctors, and other experts in their field. The Unii Babies Podcast, hosted by NHS paediatrician Dr. Saranya Ravindran, answers parents’ questions and offers further insights into pregnancy, labour, birth, and babycare.

Any good antenatal class will offer access to a community or parents with whom you can share your concerns and experiences, as well as experts for your questions about anything and everything, baby. You can find both at unii.com, whether you are trying to conceive, are already pregnant, or are caring for a baby.

How do I know an antenatal class is for me?

Work out what you don’t know.

To ascertain whether a class is useful to you, you should begin by researching whether the course is taught by healthcare professionals or properly accredited maternity and childcare educators, so you are certain of getting evidence-based information. It’s also worth identifying the areas where you feel you have knowledge gaps. Are you concerned about what to put in your birth plan (birth preferences)? Do you feel strongly about avoiding medication but confused about alternatives? What do you need to know more about to achieve the labour, birth, and postpartum period that you want? Your partner’s needs should also be identified. Is he (or she) unfamiliar with nappy changing and how often a baby needs to sleep and feed? Even securing a babyseat in the car can take guidance and practice.

Work out what you know that may need updating.

Antenatal classes can seem most important when you are a first-time parent, but that doesn’t mean you can’t learn new or more recent information by attending classes before baby number two or three, especially if you’ve had long intervals between pregnancies. You may want to try a home birth this time, want to breastfeed successfully for longer, or be expecting different challenges this time around. Research into the best ways to care for newborn babies is ongoing, and midwives need to update their own expertise continuously, so you are certain to get something out of your antenatal classes in every pregnancy.

Understand that it is best to approach free classes with an open mind.

Free classes may not provide the detailed information and individualised attention you need or were hoping for and may also lack practical knowledge on preparing for labour and birth and caring for a baby. This does not mean that they are not worthwhile, just that you may have to spend a little money or seek additional support to get education tailored to your specific needs. In addition, we recommend keeping a running list of questions you have throughout your pregnancy (perhaps in the notes app on your phone) and taking them to every antenatal class, appointment, and doctor’s visit to ensure you get them thoroughly answered before your baby arrives. Don’t worry about asking embarrassing questions, even in a group setting, as healthcare professionals will be used to them, and you could help other parents. With this list, even if free antenatal classes don’t give you what you know you need, you should be able to source it from elsewhere.

How and when do you want to learn?

Knowing how long you and your partner devote to learning (the pregnant parent has a legal right to reasonable time off for antenatal classes, the non-pregnant parent’s time is given at his or her employer’s discretion), and whether you want to learn online, in person, or both ways can also help determine whether a free, non-NHS class is worth your time.

For more advice on taking care of yourself in pregnancy, labour, and birth, check out Unii’s Antenatal Classes, with prenatal video episodes taught by senior NHS midwives, an award-winning obstetrician and gynaecologist, and six other leading healthcare experts. Only at unii.com.

Are free antenatal classes useful in pregnancy?