Best Antenatal Course Welwyn Hatfield?

Compare Bump and Baby Club, Happy Parents Happy Baby, Mindful Birth Group, NCT and CubCare

CubCare Antenatal Classes postnatal reunion

CubCare Antenatal Classes postnatal reunion

Congratulations on your upcoming arrival!

You're looking for an antenatal class in Welwyn Hatfield?

I imagine you are expecting a baby and looking for an antenatal class or course, perhaps Bump and Baby Club, or an NCT course in Welwyn, Hatfield or even Potters Bar? There are a host of options you could choose from, and people will only ever be able to recommend the one they've done - an antenatal course is usually something you only do one of. There's my CubCare Active Hypnobirthing Antenatal Course, NCT, Bump and Baby Club, Happy Parents Happy Baby and Mindful Birth to choose from locally. But what is the difference between them?

Are Antenatal courses worth it? There will be people saying there is no need to do antenatal classes at all. So what do you do?!

Firstly, antenatal education is so important and you need to do your homework. I have written a blog about this that you can check out here.

Trust me that the birth of your baby will have an impact on you for a long, long time and you deserve to be as prepared as you can be.

Secondly, it really pays to do your research rather than just opting for the first antenatal classes on Google, or go with the NCT because they have been around for the longest time. Or with Bump and Baby because you've heard

You want to look for the absolute best education you can get. Not all antenatal classes are created equally.

In this blog we’ll discuss the differences and similarities between CubCare Antenatal Courses, Bump and Baby Club and NCT. These are the main antenatal classes run in the Welwyn Hatfield area in Hertfordshire.

Who are the main Antenatal class providers?

NCT is the company that everyone has heard about. Because it has been around the longest is the one that most grandparents to be will recommend. NCT stands for National Childbirth Trust, they are a charity and they run private antenatal courses across the UK.

Often when parents-to-be attend private (i.e. not NHS) antenatal classes they are combined together under the heading NCT classes.

But they could have attended any numbers of private antenatal courses. CubCare Antenatal classes are one such private antenatal option.

But is NCT it any better than alternative providers? Most people choose one Antenatal Class provider, so it is difficult to say who is better!

Bump and Baby Club were founded in 2013 and have a range of “club”, or locations, across the UK. Happy Parents Happy Baby was founded in 2018, as was Mindful Birth Group. CubCare was founded in 2021, although Jilly has been teaching her Antenatal classes and courses since 2015.

CubCare Antenatal Class graduates

CubCare Pregnancy Yoga - to prepare your body

Lets compare NCT, Bump and Baby Club, Happy Parents Happy Baby, Mindful Birth Group and CubCare.

NCT, Bump and Baby Club, Happy Parents Happy Baby, Mindful Birth Group and CubCare run antenatal classes. That is, classes for pregnant people and their birth partners. These companies run classes locally to Welwyn and Welwyn Garden City, and it can be easy to think it doesn't matter which provider you go with. But there are some important differences so it is important to do your research.

The NCT’s flagship offering are their antenatal courses that typically run over 15-18 hours (that time includes lunch breaks and a 2hr postnatal reunion). So likely 13 hours of education.

Bump and Baby Club classes are 12 hours – including a 2hr pub meet without the teacher, and 2 hrs on first aid. So 8 hours of antenatal and postnatal education.

Happy Parents Happy Baby has 8hrs contact time with the course teacher, 4 hours of social time (2 during pregnancy and one postnatal). There are also 4 online Q&A sessions (not personalised to the group).

CubCare’s flagship offering is our Antenatal Hypnobirthing course. Its 12.5 hours live, but every single moment of that is education (minus 10 min here and there for snack and comfort breaks). PLUS a fully comprehensive online antenatal course AND 4 hours of Pregnancy Yoga. As well as a postnatal reunion and ongoing support through the first three years with baby classes, exclusive discounts on postnatal and baby courses and workshops.

Plus…you get some more fabulous extras when signing up to a CubCare Antenatal Course. You just will not find these extras anywhere else.

Comparison Table:

NCT, Bump and Baby Club, Happy Parents Happy Baby, Mindful Birth Group and CubCare.

CubCare Antenatal Course

£230

12.5hrs main course - labour, birth, feeding, recovery and babycare

4 hours pregnancy yoga

Babywearing course and support with trained babywearing consultant

Postnatal reunion

WhatsApp support

Full Hypnobirthing AND Active Birth courses included

Comprehensive online course to compliment live course teaching - topics include sleep, starting solids, infant development, babywearing, postnatal recovery

Continued support until age 3 with classes and workshops

Payment Plans

Bump and Baby Club

£210

10hrs main course - labour, birth, feeding and babycare, first aid

2hr social no leader present

Pre-recorded Hypnobirthing

First Aid included

No information on course leader

Happy Parents Happy Baby

£199

8hrs main course - labour, birth, feeding and babycare, first aid

2hr social, postnatal reunion

1 session on Hypnobirthing

4 Q&A online sessions

First Aid included

Not much information on course leader

Mindful

Birth Group

£275

8hrs main course - hypnobirthing, labour, birth

Online course including videos on feeding, sleep, babywearing, weaning - 1 year access

Payment Plans

Not much information on course leader

NCT Antenatal Course

£299

17 hours – 2hr postnatal reunion, 2hrs (likely) and lunch on longer days.

Course includes birth, feeding, recovery

Postnatal Reunion arranged with course leader

No information on course leader

Are NCT classes worth it?

Speaking to most clients who attended NCT, they will say that they booked because people suggested attending an NCT course to make friends in the local area. They did not look for alternative providers because they did not know that NCT is a company, not a genre.

Once clients have attended one of our pregnancy or postnatal baby classes they will say that they wished they had researched more. They wish they had discovered CubCare during pregnancy.

We provide a friendly environment to make friends, but the classes themselves are top quality. Delivering important education to you at a time when you need it.

What is Bump and Baby Club?

Bump and Baby Club are fairly new to Welwyn and Welwyn Garden City, but have antenatal courses across 143 locations in the UK.

They bill themselves as a modern and sociable antenatal class, with 8 hours of antenatal and postnatal education, 2 hours of first aid and a 2 hour pub get together.

Most Bump and Baby Club teachers are practicing midwives, which can sometimes create a conflict of interest between NHS trusts and providing truly unbiased education to clients.

What is Happy Parents Happy Baby?

Happy Parents Happy Baby are new to Welwyn and Welwyn Garden City, but have antenatal courses across many locations in the UK.

They bill themselves as a modern and sociable antenatal class, with a lot of paid time focused on socials.

Most Happy Parents Happy Baby teachers are practicing midwives, which can sometimes create a conflict of interest between NHS trusts and providing truly unbiased education to clients.

What is Mindful Birth Group/Mindful Natal?

Mindful Birth are new to Welwyn and Welwyn Garden City, but have antenatal courses across many locations in the UK.

What is a CubCare Antenatal Class?

A CubCare class, course or workshop is an entirely independent company. In fact, we are a completely independent business and there is only one employee!

CubCare is the definition of a sole trader. All communication, emails, telephone calls, Whatsapp messages, classes, follow-up, meet ups, reunions will have Jilly behind them.

The wonderful thing about this is that you will be able to get a feel for me before attending class. My face will hopefully be familiar, making for less nerves when you walk in the room!

My qualifications make me a very well rounded teacher, and I can fully support you on your own journey without having to be mindful of head office.

I have close connections with the local NHS trusts at Lister and Barnet hospitals and can give you a truly local approach.

As a Daisy Foundation trained teacher I have gone through a year-long, 500-hour training pathway to enable us to deliver classes and workshops. With assessments and checks of our teaching standards along the way. This is equivalent to the qualification that NCT teachers undergo. Bump and Baby Club teachera are generally all midwives.

I personally have undertaken additional training and enrol in all sorts of CPD (continuous professional development) courses and workshops each year to develop our knowledge even further to bring your more information within courses. I am always keeping to date with current guidelines.

I am a birth and baby geek, with a passion for helping you understand your rights. I have been teaching classes for 10 years too, so incredibly experienced and have supported hundreds of families.

What does CubCare teach?

There are three different options for antenatal education when it comes to a CubCare Antenatal class.

Pregnancy yoga is a weekly mum-to-be or birthing person only movement-based class designed to be done throughout pregnancy.

We combine elements of pregnancy yoga, hypnobirthing and antenatal education to provide a unique class. Classes focus on how to prepare your body for birth and how your body moves, adapts and changes ahead of, and during birth.

Our flagship Antenatal and Hypnobirthing course is designed to be done in conjunction with Pregnancy Yoga but can be done alone as well.

This is a ground-breaking week 12.5 hour antenatal course for mum-to-be or birthing person plus birth partner/s and is the most comprehensive course you will find.

If you are looking for the best way to prepare for labour, birth, the postnatal period and the first few months with baby.

Classes focus on how the process of labour works and how you can help move things along, and cope really well at the same time.

Time is spent getting familiar with techniques, and how you, your baby, your body, and birth partner can work together to make birth positive.

We discuss things like induction, water birth, caesarean deliveries, recovery, the stages of labour, 4th trimester, feeding, caring for baby and much more.

We cover hypnobirthing, active birth, biomechanics and advocating for yourself in a difficult maternity system.

If you have already have a baby, then our Refresher Antenatal Course will offer the special elements of our Antenatal Course, but in a condensed version. There is also a 1:1 coaching call to get to the heart of your individual situation.

This can be done in conjunction with Pregnancy Yoga but can be done alone as well. We’ll work with you and your birth team to prepare fully for birth and/or looking after yourself and baby afterwards.

Some special client words about CubCare Antenatal Classes

“This labour was SO much better than the first. Your CubCare refresher antenatal course helped so much for the labour, it was much calmer than the first and much more controlled. The breathing techniques were so helpful – I breathed her out!”

“I felt completely in control for the entire 26 hour labour – I just felt so calm, the breaths were incredible and the consultant commented on how she couldn’t believe I’d refused an epidural. I felt confident enough to question and on occasion challenge recommendations of the midwives so that the birth ended up being as natural as possible! A very positive experience to look back on. Thank you!!”

"Jilly has a talent for creating a really welcoming, friendly and safe space which is great for mums and babies alike. The CubCare Antenatal classes are informative and fun, yet relaxed, and centrered around the babies, so it’s fine if one is crying, another is asleep and one is having a nappy change!"

Five more ways CubCare is different from NCT, Bump and Baby Club, Happy Parents Happy Baby and Mindful Birth

All admin contact, classes, workshops, meet ups and support is given directly by Jilly, the owner of CubCare.

I give my time and energy to supporting our community 100%, and that means hosting free meet up myself too. You will be greeted and looked after by me in every class or meet-up you attend. That is amazing if I am your type of person, perhaps not if I rub you up the wrong way! (I try my best to not do that!)

I am the self-employed owner of CubCare.

That means I am a very small player, with little to no marketing budget. I work so hard to get word of mouth recommendations.

It also means that I am not necessarily a household name where parents and even grandparents know the name. It does not mean I am not delivering a first-class experience. I work harder on my classes and offerings to ensure quality over brand name.

I can offer truly individual support and a standard class format.

I understand the challenges and difficulties within the maternity system right now, and I can adapt my support to reflect that.
Plus, I know that there are vital topics that need to be covered that you might not have any idea about. I do not leave the course planning up to you to choose the content.

I offer a range of Pregnancy classes. I firmly believe that you need to prepare you body and mind for any birth situation - and modern day living means that often we haven't prepared either properly.

My pregnancy yoga classes infuse active birth and body biomechanics (I know about the human body) to make sure you are fully prepared.

I don't stop my support once baby is born.

You can start our classes from 14 weeks pregnant and continue until your baby starts school. There are even workshops and events suitable past this age too.

Our CubCare Baby classes are perhaps even more sociable than the pregnancy classes, because those connections are even more important when you have a new baby.

Download our Freebies

Labour and Birth

Watch our introduction to antenatal education webinar, our labour and birth overview - to start your antenatal education journey. Understanding the process, and what you can do to influence it.

Pregnancy Planner

Free Pregnancy Planner to help you prepare for a little one. Prepare your body, your mind, your finances and your home. Get organised, feel good and prepare for an active, positive birth.

Birth Partner Guide

Your ultimate guide to being the best birth partner during pregnancy, birth and recovery. Learn what you need to do, and what you need to learn to be the best birth partner possible.