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 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

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 (Dutch) and Pascale Bonnet (English)

Recommended at 20 weeks of pregnancy.
Themes of the course:

• Proper posture to avoid back pain
• Exercises to help circulation, stiffness and tiredness
• Breathing and relaxation techniques
• Perineum and pelvic release excercises
• Making contact with the baby
• Coping with pain
• Movements and upright positions to facilitate dilation
• Positions for the expulsive stage
• Talking the woman through the stages of labour
• Partner classes for support during pregrancy, labour and birth.
• Parents and baby reunion to integrate the birth process

Manual for home practice included

Tips

• Eat light before practicing
• Wear loose and comfortable clothing
• Practice at home regularly

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

Childbirth Preparation information evening in English

intended for couples more than 32 weeks pregnant

This course is a one-off childbirth preparation session of about 2.5 hours, in which couples are advised how best to prepare for giving birth and to make informed choices.

If you already have a child you may find this evening useful as a refresher to prepare yourself for the big day.

The course is presented by Truus Gale, a Dutch midwife for more than 20 years and prenatal teacher.

Subjects to be handled

• How the health system treats childbirth in the Netherlands
• Dilation, what happens in your body; when to call the midwife
• Attitude towards contractions and pain
• Different ways to cope with labour and how your partner can support
• Pain relief possibilities at home, in the hospital and in the Birth Clinic
• Breastfeeding information
• Hand-outs including birth stories of expats
• Your questions answered

In the break you will be given a guided tour of the adjacent Birth House Amsterdam

Dates 2012: april 13 ( friday) and june 7 ( friday)

Time: 19.30-22.00

Costs: € 20,-pp or €30,- per couple

Location: Coursecentre Geboortecentrum Amsterdam

Breastfeeding preparation information evening in English

Preparation for breastfeeding during pregancy increases the likelihood of a relaxed and comfortable start in life for your new family. If both parents know how to recognize the baby's behaviour it becomes easier to respond adequately. And by early recognition of and response to problems you can prevent stress.

In this 1-evening course all the basics of breastfeeding are covered, and you can expect an answer to these questions and many more:
•How does milkproduction work
•How to know your baby's is drinking well
•What can a partner do?
•Demandfeeds or scheduled?
•How to feed comfortably
•And there is always time for other questions

Dates: march 26( monday), april 23 ( monday)may 24 (thursday)

Time: 1930-2130 hrs

Location: Borstvoedingscentrum Amsterdam

Wethouder Frankeweg 44

1098 LB Amsterdam

For information and registration please call Geboortecentrum Amsterdam 020-6853898