Is a midwife taught antenatal class best? Midwife antenatal class Welwyn

This question isn’t asked very often, but the question does sometimes come up. With our Daisy Foundation antenatal classes I find that the answer is always very easy. Midwife antenatal class Welwyn

A midwife is absolutely your best friend for your medical antenatal care. They provide amazing care and support to you and your baby. Medical professionals who are highly trained. Highly skilled in ensuring a medically safe arrival of baby. Trained in taking bloods and interpreting results. With special magic powers for knowing baby’s position just by the slightest touch. They can do so much more medically then I could ever write down. Midwives are professionals who will go above and beyond to give you the very best medical care.

But not all midwives would make ideal antenatal teachers.

Presenting to an audience, guiding a group through an educational journey, taking different learning styles into consideration so that everybody can get the best out of the course. Teaching is not for everyone.

So, while your midwife may be the best thing since sliced bread as a midwife, they might not be the best antenatal teachers.

But a midwife can answer my questions on pregnancy?

You may find a “midwife led” antenatal class and think it would be a benefit. But having a teacher who is fully up to date with your rights in childbirth would benefit you much more. Anybody can learn about the birthing process. That process has been going on for millions of years and anybody can become an expert.

A midwife antenatal teacher (as with all antenatal teachers!) will be unable to answer personal medical questions relating to your pregnancy. So, having a midwife deliver your antenatal classes will not help you receive medical advice. Your first port of call in that respect is your own midwife. Somebody with access to your own medical history and records.

Confidence in your Daisy teacher

During my seven years teaching hundreds of clients, there are very few questions that I have been unable to answer. But when it does happen, I always go away and research. I know where to find the evidence and if I ever struggle, I can reach out to the community of 70+ Daisy teachers across the UK.

Somebody knowledgeable, passionate, personable and willing to do the work to make the best experience for their clients is who you want. Somebody who will be there for you throughout pregnancy and through the first year of baby’s life. Continuity. A friendly familiar face.

Your antenatal teacher is highly trained in delivering education and empowering their clients. We do not have to be careful with their employer i.e. the local hospital trust. A non-midwife will only need to consider you, the client. If something feels uncomfortable you do not have to go along with anything just because “it is how it is done” in hospital policy.

How is a Daisy teacher qualified?

As Daisy antenatal and baby teachers, we have gone through a year-long in depth 600-hour learning programme. A year to get us highly qualified to teach you about labour, birth and using your body to help this process. Empowering our clients by instilling confidence and delivering education.

My knowledge of the subject matter deeply etched in my brain. I have read books, investigated research and guidelines, and immersed myself so much in learning that I trained as a Daisy teacher twice! I personally have been teaching for almost 7 years. And I have used the techniques during birth too. I have also trained as a Postnatal Doula and a Babywearing Consultant to continue the support with families. So, you can trust what we’re saying. I am constantly upgrading my knowledge and keeping abreast of new research and information.

There are several midwives who are Daisy teachers, but you do not need to be a midwife to deliver the classes. The fact that many midwives choose to undertake the 600-hour training programme on top of their own midwifery training speaks volumes.

We must undertake an intense full year of training, assessment and complete several assignments to become a Daisy trained teacher. Always remaining up to date with current research and policy and communicate this to clients in a clear and user-friendly way.

Your journey is our commitment. Throughout your baby’s first year of life we are there.

You can have confidence in a Daisy Foundation antenatal course.