Basingstoke, North Hampshire

Our antenatal course covers what your choices are in pregnancy, labour and as a new parent from the perspective of an honest, friendly midwife. Plus, you’ll make a group of local friends who are also preparing to meet their baby!

Our reviews speak for themselves - this really is an antenatal course with a difference.

Making a group of local friends during an antenatal course is a given, but you deserve to come away feeling informed and positive about your birth experience too!

What we cover:

• All types of birth experience, including what happens during vaginal, caesarean and assisted births, how to prepare for giving birth to your baby, and how to write preferences for every birth

• How to make your labour as comfortable as possible and how to keep active, including using a rebozo scarf and massage techniques for pregnancy and labour - equipping your birth partner as well as you!

• The many choices you will most likely come across during pregnancy, labour and the postnatal period

• The birth partner’s vital role throughout the labour process and the postnatal period

• Postnatal recovery after vaginal and caesarean births and how to prepare for the postnatal period, including writing a postnatal plan

• Different methods of feeding your baby, including how to establish breastfeeding and common issues that can occur. We also discuss formula feeding, how to bottle feed and expressing

• Plus- you get ongoing support via WhatsApp from a midwife as well as a thorough handout with all of the information in to refer back to which is invaluable!

Why is our course different from more mainstream antenatal courses?

• It’s written, developed and taught by a midwife, unlike lots of antenatal courses out there. We believe that it’s important that you know how to navigate the maternity system and what actually helps during labour as most people give birth within the NHS! Someone with experience in the maternity system is best placed to help you with this and can help prepare you for whatever happens.

• It’s 50% focused on giving birth and different birth experiences and 50% focused on postnatal, feeding and baby care as we believe preparation for the postnatal period is equally as important!

• You know who your antenatal teacher is before you sign up! An important part of the course is the support you get from the midwife running your course so this is important! Check out the about me sections for our locations around the UK to get to know who’s in your area!

• The antenatal course helps you know what all of your choices are around birth, the postnatal period and feeding your baby. We believe that decisions should be presented in a non-judgemental way and that you deserve all of the information! All births are different but you deserve to feel in control and supported whatever you decide and whatever happens.

• You get a fab group of friends expecting a baby at the same time as you in your area which is important, especially during maternity leave!

• Our course is super inclusive! All types of family are welcome and there are no old-fashioned patriarchal messages here! Birth partners are prepared just as much for birth and the postnatal period and given important tools to help!

  If you want to find out more about parents’ experience of the antenatal & postnatal course though, check out our reviews over on our Facebook page, ourTrustpilot pageand on Google!

I am Nikki - a midwife and mother of 3 gorgeous children. I adore my job - and babies - so I feel very lucky to be able to support women and families on their journey to becoming parents. I believe that everyone should have all the information they need and want as they prepare to welcome a new member to their family. I want to offer parents a comprehensive understanding about birth and those first weeks with a newborn in order to reduce fear around birth and feel safe as they get to know their baby. In order to achieve this sense of emotional and practical support I regularly offer help with individualised birth planning including coping techniques for birth/labour, infant feeding and hypnobirthing techniques. I am a warm and friendly person who is creative in adapting support to suit the needs of my clients.

Following my training and work at St George's Hospital in Tooting and Kingston University I have worked in a variety of midwifery settings. Over the last 8 years I have built up a wealth of skills and experience from my work in natural birth centres, labour wards, a fetal medicine team, day assessment units, antenatal education settings, postnatal wards and in the community. I moved to Hampshire when we outgrew our London flat and I now work as a Community Midwife. A personal achievement has been facilitating a group in Tooting called 'the Positive Birth Movement' where women would come together to talk about all things birth related and share information in preparation for birth and the postnatal period. I adore teaching The Village Midwife antenatal course to local parents and can’t wait to meet you!

“Highly recommend The Village Midwife! Nikki was so helpful, supportive and non-judgmental. The material was informative, easy to understand and not scary! We’re feeling much more prepared and excited about baby boy’s arrival, thank you!” - Steph

“My husband and I participated in The Village Midwife antenatal course in North Hampshire with Nikki, and we are so incredibly happy with our choice! I was 36 weeks pregnant when we attended, the furthest along in our group but that wasn’t an issue at all. The information Nikki gave us was so helpful as we discussed the birth of our baby and what happens when the baby gets here! Most courses just focus on the birth, especially with having a hypnobirthing mindset, but Nikki showed us that hypnobirthing stems beyond birth and into the fourth trimester continuing to use methods learned through the process.
My husband and I refer back to the booklet handout all the time, we felt informed during labour and had the confidence to ask questions where we were uncertain.

I hear a lot about another common antenatal course that people say is outdated information ‘but you make friends’, whereas The Village Midwife course is informative, interactive, and a lovely comfortable place to meet expectant parents. I definitely recommend this course to anyone debating which course will give you the best experience and information.
And a big thank you to Nikki who made everyone feel comfortable and confident, and for not being biased towards one type of birth or only teaching us about the “perfect” labour/birth which is all people see on social media nowadays. I felt supported not only during the course, but know where to ask for help afterwards, that means a lot.” - Lily

The Village Midwife Group Antenatal Course: £200 as well as the antenatal course this includes a comprehensive 100 page handout, follow up links and ongoing support from midwife Nikki

To secure your space on an antenatal course using the link above you just have to fill out your details and pay £80 now. The rest is paid a week prior to the antenatal course starting or can be paid in instalments (email us to arrange this!) The price includes you plus your birth partner.

Please note: We offer a £25 NHS discount for healthcare professionals, a £15 return discount for previous clients and a 35% single parent discount. We also offer discounts and payment plans to parents who are struggling financially - contact us for more information about The Village Midwife Accessibility Fund, no questions asked.

If you’re looking for something more personalised, Nikki also offers 1:1 antenatal courses that are at your home and flexible according to what you want to cover. This is £50/hour including ongoing support, a comprehensive handout and sessions at a time that suits you. Please contact us to enquire about Nikki’s availability for this!

Drop us an email at admin@thevillagemidwife.co.uk or use our contact form. Alternatively if Instagram is easier - reach out to our founder Sophie here!