How do Online Childbirth Classes Differ from In-Person Childbirth Classes?

Here are some of the pros and cons to taking an online childbirth class as opposed to an in-person class:

Online Birth Class:

  • You can do it when it’s convenient for you. If you are someone who has a tight schedule, or you’re trying to fit in as many work hours as you can before baby comes, it might be really helpful for you to just do the class when you have time. For people who already have children, an online childbirth class can be a huge benefit because they don’t have to pay for childcare or arrange a class around the schedule of the children. Especially for people who had an adverse birth experience the first time around or second time around, they might be attracted to childbirth education but have a hard time getting away from the kids. Online childbirth classes are a great option for this population.
  • Online you might have access to classes you wouldn’t otherwise, such as classes from midwives or doulas that aren’t available in your geographic region.
  • You can select in-depth knowledge about the areas you really want help with (such as natural birth, coping techniques, newborn cues, etc) and spend less time on the things you feel confident in
  • You can select classes that are focused on your particular situation, such as if you are planning a Vaginal Birth After Cesarean (VBAC), if you are pregnant with multiples (twins or triplets), or if you are giving birth as someone with a medical condition that will make your situation different from the average population
  • You can view and see hands-on demonstration of different coping techniques and how to support a laboring person. We demonstrate various positions and support methods to help a laboring person through their natural birth.

When Should I Take An Online Childbirth Class?

As with any childbirth education class, you want to take the class in time to be prepared for the birth of your baby, but close enough to the birth that you remember what was covered and the bulk of the content. (If you have hired a doula or a midwife, they will be available to help you remember some of the things you forgot, but it can set each individual at ease to remember what they talked about in their childbirth education class.) Typically, we recommend doing childbirth education sometime in the third trimester before 36 weeks. This will allow you time to incorporate what you’ve learned and practice some of what you want to from the class before it’s time to actually give birth, even if your baby comes on the early end.

Additional Birthing Class FAQs

  • Description text goes hereSarah McClure and Charli Zarosinski are Certified Professional Midwives with years of experience helping people prepare for birth in homes, hospitals, and birth centers. Sarah and Charli are practicing home birth midwives and the co-founders of Hearth & Home Midwifery, where they have assisted hundreds of clients to have natural births at home and to navigate the complex decision making of the prenatal, birth, and postpartum period. They are the creators of The Homebirth Midwife Podcast and creators of Your Natural Birth: How To Prepare for the Birth You Want.” Sarah and Charli designed this course with one thing in mind: to provide the information they wish every birthing person had when planning a natural birth.

  • This course is designed for anyone who wants to have a natural birth but who also wants to know about the common interventions, just in case. It’s specifically written for first-time moms, people planning a VBAC, people who have not had a natural birth before, or anyone who felt after their first birth that things didn’t go as they wanted.

  • You will have access to the course for one year.

  • Yes, childbirth classes are eligible for reimbursement with a flexible spending account (FSA) or health savings account (HSA).

  • Yes, we will practice a number of hands-on techniques for comfort measures and pain relief, and do a simulation of labor where you and your support person can practice what you’ve learned.

  • No! Many people find that taking the course in third trimester helps them to remember the details and have the information fresh in their mind for their birth.