Preparing for birth during pandemic uncertainty

In March 2020 I wrote a blog about preparing for a baby during a pandemic. I thought about simply reposting that blog, but things are slightly different this time. We are not being forced to close society and so knowing exactly what to do around your birth & postnatal education is a little bit confusing.

Should I do an online self-learning course?

Should I cancel the group course I’m booked on to if it’s moved to Zoom?

Should I book an in-person course if it might be cancelled?

Could be questions you are asking yourself.

The first thing to say is, please, do not disregard doing a course because of this uncertainty. Now more than ever, with the health system as stretched as it is, being informed and prepared for birth and the postnatal period is more important than ever. The key is to choose the right course for you.

Let me give you 3 specific areas to consider for live-learning courses:

1. Your course teacher knows how mentally tough it is to be pregnant during pandemic uncertainty. Empathetic support will greatly influence how someone feels about their journey, even if it’s not how they imagined it to be. That in itself could make all of the difference to how you are feeling because you have a listening ear to rely on if and when you need it.

2. Taking away the unknowns and learning what is in your control will make a scary experience much more enjoyable. Yes, birthing in a pandemic can be a hugely positive experience. The important thing is you understand the process, learn to let go of what is out of your control and focus on things that will support the process. That could be your birth place preference, how you set up your environment, who is in your birth & postnatal team, your breathing and how your mind perceives birth. How to navigate unexpected turns and what interventions may be offered to you. All things that we will support you with.

3. If you take a group course, then sharing your journey with people with the same hopes and fears can make the experience a much calmer one- because you never feel alone. When the world around us is upside down, feeling alone can amplify feelings of anxiety. But if someone else says what you are feeling- suddenly that fear isn’t as exhausting, it’s put into perspective and rationalised. Whether that course is in-person or on Zoom is irrelevant- real life communication is all that’s needed here.

Right now you can book in-person and Zoom courses with the Mindful Birth team of teachers- January and February spaces are still available. Yes it’s uncertain as to whether the in-person courses will need to go online at any point, but really that won’t make a difference to the quality of education and support, and the shared experiences that you will gain if taking a group course.

The 1 thing that IS certain is that we are here for you right up until you meet your baby and we will guide you through your birth and postnatal preparation so that you feel calm, confident and ready for whatever the situation may be at the time that you meet your baby.

You can learn more and book your course with us here:

Group courses

Private courses

Or feel free to email us if you have any questions: info@themindfulbirthgroup.com

You can read the mentioned blog post from March 2020 here.