The Birth Centre offers a variety of courses. Choosing the right one for you depends on your expectations and preferences. All the courses provide you with good guidance during pregnancy and prepare you for the birth. They all deal with important subjects like breathing and positions during the birth. Below is a brief description of each course and some additional information. If you are interested in taking a course, enrol soon! Preferably as early as possible in pregnancy because our courses fill up quickly. The course you choose, and therefore the number of lessons, determines when the course begins. It’s ideal to have the last lesson two or three weeks before your due date. For extra information and enrolment, call or visit the Birth Centre office.

Antenatal courses

Antenatal Mensendieck

This course is compact, practical and informative. Each two-hour lesson consists of three parts:

    •    exercises for the whole body, aimed at posture and minor physical problems;
    •    attention for a particular muscle group that is susceptible to change, such as the buttock, pelvic                  floor, stomach and hip muscles;
    •    breathing, relaxation and concentration exercises aimed at the birth, plus positions for pushing.

There is individual attention, and work on everyday movements, like standing, sitting, walking, climbing stairs, lifting, lying and turning over in bed. The course also deals with the recovery after the birth. There are eight lessons before the birth, one of which is with the partner, and there is one reunion after the birth, together with the baby.
Trainers: Jessica van Eenige & Asta Altena
Cost: €180.0
Dates: Friday            9.30 - 11.30 hrs  5-03 untill 23-04 and 14-05 untill 2-07
             Wednesday 9.30 - 11.30 hrs 31-03 untill 26-05 and 1-06 untill 21-07
                                                   


 

Antenatal Yoga

This is a course designed to support you through pregnancy and prepare you for the birth through simple yoga exercises. Yoga experience isn’t required. All the exercises are aimed at relaxation (for example through breathing exercises), muscle awareness, posture improvement, visualisation, and sound. There are twelve lessons before the birth, two or three of which are with the partner, and there is one reunion after the birth, together with the baby. In the lessons attended by the partners, they learn about the specific breathing techniques you have been learning during the course, so they can support you during dilation and when you are pushing. This course is also taught in English.
Trainers: Greetje Schaap and Pascale Bonnet (English)
Cost: € 200.00 (for 12 lessons)  € 125.00 (for 7 lessons)
Dates:        Monday         20.30 - 22.00 12-04 untill 28-06
   English:  Wednesday 19.30 - 21.00 hrs 17-03 untill 28-04
                     Saturday     10.30 - 12.30 hrs 17-04 untill 29-05 and 5-06 untill 6-07


 

Pregnant and Fit

This is an all-round, active and practical course to support you during pregnancy and prepare you for the birth. Each lesson begins with information and tips on a specific subject to do with pregnancy, birth and motherhood. The second part of the lesson is practical. In the first part of the course, there are active and dynamic exercises to music to maintain your fitness. As the course progresses the exercises become gentler and the attention shifts to relaxation, breathing and birthing positions. There are ten 90 minute lessons before the birth, two of which are with the partner, and one reunion after the birth, together with the baby.
Trainer: Mirjam Vos
Cost: €185,00 for 11 lessons of 1,5 hour and €140,0 for 6 lessons of 2 houres.
Dates: Wednesday 17.00 - 19.00 hrs 24-03 untill 28-04
              Tuesday      16.30 - 18.00 hrs 6-04 untill 22-06
                                    18.15 - 20.15 hrs 1-06 untill 6-07



Course for Couples

This course is the choice for couples who are expecting a baby and want to prepare together. The course deals with essential questions relating to pregnancy, birth and new parenthood. Each lesson has a theme, which is explored through exercises, massage and discussion. Important subjects are the pregnant body, contact with the baby, breastfeeding, giving birth (breathing, dilation and pushing) and new parenthood. The course consists of six two-hour lessons before the birth and one reunion afterwards, together with the baby.
Trainers: Greetje Schaap
Cost: €196,00
Dates: Monday 20.30 - 22.30 hrs 1-03 untill 5-04