Antenatal classes and groups

Bump and Beyond Antenatal classes

Bump and Beyond offer free antenatal education sessions for all parents living in East Sussex.

Our courses are led by qualified health professionals including Midwives, Infant feeding leads and Community Nursery Nurses. We also work closely with Perinatal mental health specialists, Physiotherapists and other services across East Sussex, to ensure people attending receive up to date, high quality, research-based information in a fun, interactive and engaging way. Birthing partners, Dads and non-birthing parents are encouraged to attend as well.

Main antenatal courses

Our three week face-to-face evening courses are offered at venues in Hastings, Sidley, Eastbourne, Hailsham and Peacehaven. Our evening virtual course allows you to attend from the comfort of your own home. Our sessions help parents to feel more prepared for labour, birth and beyond.

Our courses cover:

The role of Oxytocin
Labour and Birth
Caring for your emotional and mental well being
Role of the birthing partner
Decision making
When pregnancy or labour takes a different route
Feeding
Building loving relationships and developing your baby’s brain
Safer sleep
Crying baby
Safety
Minor ailments
Bathing
Nappy Changing
Plus, lots of top tips along the way

Our courses are a great way to meet other parents to be and to create new friendships.
If an evening course isn’t for you then we also offer a three week virtual day course.

Refresher courses

For those parents that have already had children we offer a refresher course. These courses are available in Hastings, Rye, Uckfield, Crowborough, Denton Island, or as a virtual course via MSTeams.

Each course consists of two, two hour sessions spread over two weeks. We cover a number of the topics included in our main antenatal course but all from the approach of having an older child/children.

To book on to any of our courses, or for further information, please complete our enquiry form, alternatively you can contact bumpandbeyond@eastsussex.gov.uk

Expecting multiples? Let us know via our enquiry form so that we can ensure the course is tailored to your need.

Young parents

For young parents, under the age of 21 but can accommodate anyone up to the age of 25, we offer the opportunity to attend a 3.5hour one-off session as an alternative to our main antenatal course. This session takes a more relaxed approach to discussing some of the aspects of becoming a parent and includes a free gift for all that attend. To find out more please speak to your midwife or complete our enquiry form and tick the box for the ‘Young Parents’ course.

Breastfeeding workshop

Our 2.5 hour virtual breastfeeding workshop is available to all pregnant people/women living in East Sussex, and helps support those wanting to know more about breastfeeding, providing practical and useful advice and information on how to get off to the best start. To book your place, complete our form.

Aquanatal and Aquababes

For those living in Hastings, St. Leonards and Rother we are able to offer a free six week, term time only, aquanatal or aquababes course at Summerfields leisure centre.

For those living in Hailsham, Eastbourne and Seaford we are now offering our six week aquababes course at a local pool.

For any of our courses booking is essential. To find out more please contact bumpandbeyond@eastsussex.gov.uk

Antenatal videos

We have also created a series of videos to help you to feel more prepared for become a parent, that might also be helpful to share with grandparents or anyone else that may be caring for your baby.

For the playlist click here or see the individual videos below:

For more information please contact: