Prepare For Childbirth — Even In A Quarantine — With These 12 Online Classes

BabyCenter has an in-depth online childbirth class, and best of all... it's free. This video series is broken up into seven chapters that go over "labor basics, stages of labor, managing labor pain, medical procedures during labor and delivery, decisions to make about your newborn, pre-delivery checklist, and birth stories." There are 51 total videos that you can watch at your leisure with or without your partner, and you can re-watch any of them if you forget anything.

The Mama Natural Birth Course, hosted by a real natural mama and an experienced doula, is an excellent online option for anyone planning for an unmedicated birth. This course is the top selling online birth course and runs for $264 — but you do have the option of paying in installments, and it also comes with a 30-day money back guarantee. It goes over everything from preparing yourself for an unmedicated birth, the stages of labor, and how to handle the unexpected stuff that can occur during labor.

Lamaze International has created an entire "online education platform" that covers various aspects from pregnancy to parenting, each available for individual purchase. Each class is either $30 or $35, and covers topics from "Sex During Pregnancy and Beyond" to "Breastfeeding Basics: From Birth to Back to Work." Choose the courses you care about most and watch at your own pace for a completely personalized educational experience.

Like the name implies, Birth Boot Camp is a thorough, customizable, and intensive educational experience (that really embraces the army theme). It educates expectant parents from conception through birth with courses like "Training for an Amazing Hospital Birth," "Training for an Amazing Out-Of-Hospital Birth," and "Homecoming: Life With a New Recruit." These classes range in price from $50 for the breastfeeding tutorial to $355 for the most comprehensive childbirth course.

For busy couples who have no idea what to expect from the birthing process, the Pulling Curls Online Prenatal Class for Couples may be the best option. This course is taught by an ACLS, NRP, and AWHONN fetal-monitoring certified labor and delivery nurse (who is a mom herself), and you have three tiers to choose from, ranging from $20 to $150.

Interested in a hypnobirthing experience? The Hypnobubs online hypnobirthing courses seek to arm you with "knowledge, mindset, support, tools with a tried and tested method of preparation," so you can have a calm and positive childbirth. One major perk of this option is the free "mini-course" they offer, so you can see if you like it before purchasing. Full courses range from $149 to $299, depending on the package you choose.

Kopa Birth was developed by a registered nurse and Lamaze instructor to help parents learn about pain management, relaxation, and making informed decisions during labor. Parents-to-be can choose between their Prepared Essentials ($195) or Prepared Plus ($245) classes depending on your budget and the lessons you’re looking for. You can download a free ebook, and the first module of the Kopa Birth class for free to get an idea of what you’ll get before you purchase.

Are you looking for an online class to teach you strategies for coping with the mental and emotional aspects of labor? Birth Matters is all about helping parents choose the right birth provider, understanding pain management options, and preparing for the life transition that comes with adding a baby to the family. It pulls techniques and recommendations that will fit births in a hospital, at home, in a birth center, anywhere, so moms feel totally in-the-know and never judged. You get lifetime access to the course (and its updates) for $349.

BabyMed University is all about condensing those hours of in-person courses into written info you can digest at your own pace. They dive into details, like exactly what you should and shouldn’t eat (for example, which sushi is safe and which is not). You can either sign up via email to receive one lesson at a time, or read all 10 sections here as you please. Either way, it’s free.

This two-hour SupportingHer class is designed just for partners, helping them understand how they can take part in the birthing process. The course aims to teach birth partners support tactics, techniques for pain management, and guidance on how to communicate with hospital providers. It even includes helpful info about the postpartum period, all for $49.

The Love Your Birth Online Birthing Course is a 10-module guide, created by a certified nurse midwife, that teaches mothers about birth and the postpartum period. The course’s outline gives a detailed description of each lesson, including not-often-discussed topics, like handling a Cesarean, understanding your anatomy, and optimal birthing positions. The course is $397, or $697 if you’d like to speak with a midwife one-on-one.

The Mama Natural course is all about debunking childbirth myths, and making mamas-to-be feel empowered about having a natural birth if that’s what they choose. The course costs $264, which can be made in three payments and includes eight modules on unmedicated birth recommendations. There are also additional video resources about breastfeeding, nutrition, and postpartum fitness.