Different Types of Pregnancy Classes Explained

There are two main different types of pregnancy classes, including exercises classes and childbirth preparation classes.

Exercise classes

• Engaging in exercise during pregnancy is a perfectly healthy way for a woman to enjoy her pregnancy. It can be fun and stress relieving to join exercise classes as they enhance a healthy pregnancy and encourage fitness.
• It is always recommended that a woman check with her pregnancy doctor about any exercise regime before beginning. This is because some exercise regimes can be considered too dangerous or strenuous for pregnant women and put unhealthy pressure on the body.
• One of the safest and most popular pregnancy classes for women keen to exercise are prenatal yoga, pilates or tai chi classes. These exercise pregnancy classes are specifically run for pregnant women and only involve positions that are comfortable for a pregnant woman to perform.

Childbirth Classes

• The other main pregnancy classes a pregnant woman or couple may wish to join are childbirth or prenatal classes. These help prepare the expectant mother for labour and give an opportunity to discuss pregnancy with other pregnant women and couples in a more social environment than a doctor’s office.
• Childbirth preparation classes operate on the belief that couples and pregnant women will feel more at ease about the pregnancy process if they know more about the different stages and what to expect. There are a number of different types of childbirth preparation pregnancy classes that follow different methods including the Lamaze method, the Bradley method and the Leboyer method.