Antenatal classes
Maternity: care during pregnancy
Regular antenatal classes
Our weekday, evening and Saturday classes are face-to-face in the antenatal clinic.
Weekday and Saturday classes are 1 session with information about:
- labour progress and stages
- coping methods at home and in hospital
- breastfeeding (baby's needs, colostrum and milk production, benefits, position and attachment)
- 1st days with your baby
Sets of evening antenatal classes are split into 2 short classes.
Part 1 is about stages of labour and coping methods.
Part 2 is about breastfeeding and 1st days with your baby.
How to book
Some midwifery teams provide their own antenatal classes. Please check with your team before booking a class.
You can book on the Eventbrite website for weekday, evening and Saturday antenatal classes.
We recommend you book a class when you're between 32 and 35 weeks of pregnancy.
Please remember to book a space for your partner too.
We recommend that you open all Eventbrite links in Google Chrome.
Weekday antenatal classes take place on Tuesday and Thursday from 9:30am to 3:30pm.
Sets of evening antenatal classes are split into 2 short classes.
They take place from 5:30pm to 8:30pm on the first 2 Wednesdays of the month or last 2 Thursdays of the month.
You can book both or only 1. Book your class on the Eventbrite website.
Saturday antenatal classes are from 9:30am to 3:30pm and include information about:
- labour progress and stages
- coping methods at home and in hospital
- breastfeeding
- 1st days with your baby
No need to book, just drop in to the antenatal clinic.
Classes in Spanish
- Thursday 9 January 2025, 10am to 3pm
- Thursday 13 March 2025, 10am to 3pm
- Thursday 8 May 2025, 10am to 3pm
- Thursday 10 July 2025, 10am to 3pm
- Thursday 11 September 2025, 10am to 3pm
- Thursday 13 November 2025, 10am to 3pm
Classes in Portuguese
- Wednesday 5 February 2025, 10am to 3pm
- Wednesday 9 April 2025, 10am to 3pm
- Wednesday 11 June 2025, 10am to 3pm
- Wednesday 6 August 2025, 10am to 3pm
- Wednesday 8 October 2025, 10am to 3pm
- Wednesday 10 December 2025, 10am to 3pm
Classes in Arabic
- Wednesday 26 February 2025, 10am to 3pm
- Wednesday 28 May 2025, 10am to 3pm
To request an antenatal class in another language, please email antenataleducation@gstt.nhs.uk.
Let us know your:
- name
- hospital number or date of birth
- preferred language
These 3-hour online sessions take place each month. They are delivered by native speaking NHS professionals including:
- midwives
- maternity support workers
- obstetricians
- health visitors
There are 2 sessions occurring on alternate months.
- Part 1: your rights in pregnancy, making choices, healthy pregnancy, normal labour and birth.
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Part 2: complications in labour and birth; caring for yourself and your baby, infant feeding and mental health. This is also suitable for postnatal women.
We are running online sessions in Arabic, French, Portuguese, Romanian, Somali and Spanish.
Visit the Eventbrite website for a full list of dates and times and to book your place.
Other workshops
Aquanatal classes are exercise classes that take place in a swimming pool. They're taught by midwives.
The classes take place every Tuesday at 2pm.
Location: Orchard Lisle swimming pool, Wolfson House, Guy's Hospital, Great Maze Pond, London SE1 9RT
You can attend this class if you have chosen to have your baby with us.
You can join us at any time during your pregnancy although we suggest you attend classes after you've had your first scan and have been pregnant for over 14 weeks.
You do not need to be a good swimmer to attend.
You cannot attend the classes if you're bleeding or have a low-lying placenta.
Visit the Eventbrite website to book your place.
Please email aquanatalclasses@gstt.nhs.uk if you have a medical condition, are taking medication, or have any questions.
Join our home birth workshop online. Classes take place on Fridays, 3:30pm to 5pm.
- Friday 4 April
- Friday 2 May
- Friday 6 June
- Friday 4 July
- Friday 1 August
- Friday 5 September
- Friday 3 October
- Friday 7 November
- Friday 5 December
No need to book, just join the home birth workshop on Microsoft Teams on the day.
The mental health and wellbeing sessions take place on Mondays, 12pm to 1pm. There will be no sessions on bank holidays.
The session will not take place on:
- Monday 21 April
- Monday 12 May
- Monday 23 June
You can join a session at any stage of your pregnancy and up to 4 weeks post-birth.
The sessions give information about:
- mood changes during and after pregnancy
- antenatal and postnatal anxiety
- depression
- obsessive compulsive disorder
- where you can find mental health support
- coping techniques
- bonding with your baby
No need to book, just join the mental health and wellbeing sessions on Microsoft Teams on the day.
Pelvic health workshops are for pregnant women who need advice about pelvic health in pregnancy. Your doctor or midwife will ask you to attend a workshop if you need it.
A specialist midwife and pelvic health physiotherapist will be talking about your pelvic health and how to look after it in pregnancy.
The workshop will include information about:
- what the pelvic floor is
- the effects of pregnancy and childbirth on your pelvic floor
- things to look out for
- how to strengthen your pelvic floor
- caring for your bladder and bowels
- perineal tear prevention techniques
- caring for yourself after delivery
You can choose to attend a workshop on a weekday:
- morning
- afternoon
- evening
Visit the Eventbrite website for a full list of dates and times and to book your place.
There are 2 different physiotherapy antenatal classes. Both are informal and fun.
The aim is to:
- improve your ability to manage any back or pelvic pain during pregnancy
- educate about the importance of pelvic floor muscle exercises
The classes run on alternate Mondays from 10am to midday. They take place in the antenatal education room at the antenatal clinic, St Thomas' Hospital.
You don't need to have back or pelvic pain to attend. All pregnant women are welcome. You only need to attend these classes once.
Back and pelvic pain class
The class includes a talk and chair-based exercise session led by a specialist physiotherapist.
The talk will cover the changes to your body during pregnancy and how this can cause muscle and joint pain. You'll learn:
- the knowledge and skills to manage or prevent back and pelvic pain at home
- how to recognise the signs that mean you should see a pelvic health physiotherapist
If you are experiencing severe back and pelvic pain, you are still welcome to attend. Please also ask for a referral to the pelvic health physiotherapy department from your midwife, obstetrician or GP.
You should wear comfortable clothing appropriate for exercise.
Pelvic floor class
This class covers pelvic floor muscle training during pregnancy and beyond. The aim is to prevent common pelvic floor problems after the delivery of your baby.
It includes a talk about what pelvic floor muscles are, how they work and the effect on them from pregnancy and delivery.
You'll learn:
- how pelvic floor muscle training can help different pelvic floor problems
- how to do pelvic floor muscle training
- when to start exercising following the delivery of your baby
- the signs that mean you should see a pelvic health physiotherapist
If you are experiencing pelvic floor problems, you can still attend the class. Please also ask for a referral to the pelvic health physiotherapy department and named obstetrician.
How to book
Please email antenatalphysiotherapyclass@gstt.nhs.uk to book your place.
If you have any questions, please call 020 7188 5084 for further guidance.
You can attend our twins or multiple pregnancies antenatal classes from 28 weeks of pregnancy. The classes are face-to-face. There is no need to book a place, just drop in to the antenatal clinic.
Classes start at 9:30am and end at 12:30pm.
- Wednesday 19 February
- Wednesday 16 April
- Wednesday 25 June
- Wednesday 13 August
- Wednesday 15 October
- Wednesday 17 December
As well as attending the twins or multiple pregnancies antenatal classes, we also recommend you book a place on the regular antenatal classes mentioned above.
Join our pain relief talks run by an anaesthetist. You can drop-in on Tuesdays 5:30pm to 6:30pm.
- Tuesday 18 March, join on Microsoft Teams
- Tuesday 22 April, join on Microsoft Teams
- Tuesday 10 June, join on Microsoft Teams
- Tuesday 29 July, join on Microsoft Teams
- Tuesday 9 September, join on Microsoft Teams
- Tuesday 18 November, join on Microsoft Teams
This free class will discuss the following:
- building positive relationships with your baby
- antenatal colostrum harvesting
- getting breastfeeding off to the best start
The class will run every Thursday.
Please note: classes are cancelled for the following dates:
- Thursday 19 December 2024
- Thursday 26 December 2024
- Thursday 2 January 2024
Visit the Eventbrite website for a full list of dates and times and to book.
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Last updated: March 2025
