Best Pregnancy Courses Vancouver Near Me

Tara Drage: My husband and I took the 7 week prenatal class. The class was good but very basic and should cover more topics if pregnancy, birth, breastfeeding or other post partum issues arise that aren't as planned. I felt quite unprepared when I faced a c-section and troubles with breastfeeding and supplementation (pumping/formula) and getting a newborn to sleep, when co-sleeping is not an option. A regular vaginal birth and labour were covered in great detail but not enough info was covered on induction and what to do when things do not go as planned. Instructor was nice and I met a great group of couples but content is definitely biased, based on your instructor and their values.

Vanessa Konn: Highly recommend to anyone expecting! We took the full prenatal course with our first baby and the found it so helpful for labour and post-partum preparation that we also did the refresher course for our second. Evidence based teaching with really experienced and knowledgeable instructors.

Dominique Basi: Loved the birth refresher course, a great way to prepare for our second kid.But I can’t recommend their breastfeeding / chestfeeding class enough. It gave me total confidence in my baby and body, with the support to reach out immediately for any issues.Lovely people who do great work.

Lisa Yang: It was a pleasure having Stephanie as our instructor. The class was very engaging, informative and enjoyable. We appreciated all the time and effort put into the details of every class, down to the relevant information boards in the washrooms. I'm so glad we took this class instead of just watching online videos. There's just so much more that those videos don't mention, especially all the evidence-based information.

Aryana C: Stephanie was an incredible instructor! My husband and I felt fully equipped with the skills and knowledge for my birth and life with a newborn. I highly recommend the Childbearing Society as a place that will augment your preexisting knowledge around pregnancy as well as provide you with new information that will help your transition into parenthood.

Cody Rocko: Taking the 7 week prenatal course was easily one of the best decisions we made for our pregnancy. We are first-time parents who felt a little dazed by all the information out there. Stephanie was an amazing teacher. We went home every week with lots of new things to discuss that we simply didn't know anything about beforehand. This course gave us lots of options to consider backed by data and also just made us feel simply more empowered to advocate for the birth we realized we could have. If this is your first birth, I couldn't recommend this course more.

Anna Regev: Great little place that offers huge support to expecting parents! I have been a part of the baby circle & it helped me so much as first time mom — definitely helped me bond better with my babe through the connections created during the sessions & learning experiences. Thank you!

Sharleen S: Took the “Healthy Pregnancy” Seminar and Prenatal classes with hubby through Childbearing Society. They did such an amazing job with evidence-based information, practical ways to practice compassion throughout pregnancy and being overall supportive to any further questions. Will definitely be checking out their postpartum resources as well! Thank you so much 3

Anna Ikonostasova: My husband and I took prenatal classes with Stephanie and really enjoyed them! Although we did lots of research, reading and learning about birth before these classes, we still got a ton of useful information. Stephanie taught us pros and cons of different situations during birth and baby care, encouraging us to make our own decisions based on what we think is best for our family.

Victoria Barber: Recently took the prenatal classes with my husband - we highly recommend. We had agreed if we just learn one new thing, or get confident about what we already know - the class was worth it. But we got a wealth of brand new information, learned a lot of useful skills and information about stages of labour and what babies go through post delivery, it was a really great weekend of learning. The instructors were lovely, inclusive and very knowledgeable. Highly recommend to all first time parents or those looking for a refresher.

Eunice L: I’ve taken several classes here and it has been a great resource to connect with other parents. An important thing I took away is like every other resource to not just take everything at face value but use what you learn and hear as an invitation to find out more during your own independent research.

Bethany Dobson: My husband and I took the 7 week prenatal class and highly recommend it. We’d read various birth/baby books, and we still learned so much! Stephanie fit an amazing amount of information into each 2 hour session. We appreciated that she took time to explain how much a partner can do during birth and the newborn phase. We also thought she did a good job balancing “wellness” versus “medical” beliefs and assuring the group to make their own choice for their families. We didn’t fully agree with every point of view, but I think that would be impossible considering all the differing opinions about birth and health. We don’t fully agree with each other either!

Tiana Sharifi: This is strictly for the prenatal classes. I only gave the 2nd star because the instructor was a nice woman, however, these classes were the biggest disappointment and waste of money we made. We chose this class because their website provides such a detailed outline that we thought it would be thorough and detailed. "Rudimentary" is the word my husband used to describe it. If you are someone who naturally reads a book or two or googles information, you won't learn anything new in this class. Both of us heard no new information or knowledge- it was so basic and information was so basic that we gained nothing but wasted hours of our time and weekend.In addition, the instructor shared opinions that were harmful such as stating that newborns are very resilient and covid shouldn't be a huge concern.....hospitals and experts of course are stating the opposite given babies don't have an immune system when they are first born.Information regarding once the baby was born was missed as well- such as swaddling, burping, and colic. Instructor didn't believe in swaddling but research has shown it is safe with particular forms of swaddling sleepers.

Kyla Lalani: Critical:QualityA lot of very dangerous ideas and suggestions mentioned in this class. None of their philosphies are backed by science.

Marbie Alura: I highly recommend them! My partner and I attended the Pleasure in Pain Workshop, Birth Prep Class and Breastfeeding Clinic. All of them were informative, inclusive and well worth the time and money spent. It was also great to connect with other soon to be parents! Kudos to Jasmine and Stephanie, they were our instructors for two of the classes and they were both great!

Taryn Lalani: We took the 7 week prenatal class and the 3 hour home birth seminar. Instructors were incredibly knowledgeable, kind, generous with their time, and were so supportive of questions.

Katka Dojcakova: This was one of the best decisions I've done to register for these prenatal classes. Aleksandra was so captivating, I was looking forward to each class. Very informative and helpful.

Sarah Whittall: My husband and I attended the weekend prenatal and breast feeding class. We both valued the information that was taught to us, the instructors were very knowledgeable, and kept things interesting. This was a very worthwhile class to take.

Dikun Yang: Helpful knowledge. Great experience. Highly recommended!

Michael Dee: I highly recommend the prenatal class with Aleksandra Henderson. She has an excellent attitude and approach when it comes to birth and everything that goes with it. This was is a very helpful and informative class with practical advice. The classes are very well organized and well presented. Aleksandra is very knowledgeable and experienced with the birthing process. From pre-labour to post-partum, she has many tips and a lot of wisdom to share.I've always thought these types of classes would be kind of "hokey" and I'm sure many of them are, but this is not one of them. As a partner who feels very much like a spectator to the whole process, I now have a much better idea of what will happen, what might happen and what our options might look like. Aleksandra was very good about giving us time to ask questions, even outside of class time.Unfortunately, we aren't in the market for a doula, but if we were, we would confidently hire Aleksandra.

Andrea Šrolová: I can’t imagine a better prenatal preparation. It helped my partner to get involved and both of us to communicate our thoughts, hopes and expectations. Apart from that, the course was very informative and practically focused.I recommend it!

Anees Khorram: Highly recommend this class for all expecting parents. We had Bethany as our instructor. She was amazing. Kept things very engaging, a lot of room for questions and discussion, and kept everything light and fun.

Karina Chumachenko: My partner and I had an amazing experience with Dancing Star Birth prenatal classes. We loved that we had a chance to learn about birth from absolutely different perspectives and experiences. Every class we had a safe space for a discussions with other couples expressing their concerns and opinions about birth. Best part is how respectful everyone is in that space. We felt how our couple became closer after this experience of learning about birth. We want to thank Bethany for being an amazing mentor all the way through ❤️

Eilis Whelan: I took prenatal classes with Dancing Star for the past 6 weeks. Overall, I really enjoyed the experience. My instructor, Dori, was extremely kind, approachable, and welcoming. I loved the small class sizes as we got to know all the other couples a bit, and have even formed a group to stay in touch and have a baby meetup in the future. My only wish is that a bit more time focused on newborn care and a bit less time focused on labour. But overall I would recommend Dancing Star!

Canan Alsaihaty: We attended a prenatal class with Dori and she was great at validating everyone's feelings while also preparing us realistically for birth. I was NOT looking forward to having to give birth and I can say that the class took away a lot of my anxiety and made me have more realistic expectations. It also helped a ton in giving me confidence when it came to my birthing plan and taught us strategies on how to make sure that we make informed medical decisions.Dori made sure to include the partners and their roles, which I loved as talking about birth is often centred solely around the person giving birth.I would recommend taking a prenatal class with Dori to any first-time parents-to-be!

P L: Niki does a fantastic job teaching! She teaches with enthusiasm, passion and humour. I highly recommend Dancing Star Birth!

Tarra Horsfield: We attended the 3 day prenatal class at Pomegranate midwives on the weekend with instructor Jessica Medrea who is also a birth doula. Both my husband and I were very impressed. The class was focused on education and advocacy regarding the whole birthing and postpartum process. Leaving the weekend, my husband and I feel more empowered and unified as a team than ever before. Jessica was amazing, she used an evidence based approach to examine birth decisions and offered multiple perspectives. As a holistically minded couple, we appreciated this critical thinking and examination of informed consent and how to assert this. I would 100% recommend this class.

Agata Osinska: The classes were excellent. Morag is a fantastic instructor who provides very practical and comprehensive information. We had started the classes not knowing much and came out of the 6 week program feeling a lot more confident. Morag provides a very good overview of all the options empowering future parents to make the best decisions for them and their baby.

Martina Bolcic: We learned so much from Morags class! We did the zoom classes from the comfort of our own home which was awesome. Morag kept us engaged the entire time and allowed us to ask as many questions as we wanted along the way. We felt very confident going into our homebirth and were realizing what stages of labour I was in along the way.Hubbs felt way more confident and was the BEST birthing partner ever!I also love that Morag was a doula..(sorry not sure if she still is) and really understood the physiology of birth and not fear mongering the process.Highly recommend this course!

Evada Perón: My partner and I just completed the birthing class instructed by Morag and I could not recommend it more! Morag kept the atmosphere fun and relaxed and initiated conversations and shared resources that have really opened up our perspective and helped us confidently create our birth plan/preferences. We both feel equipped, empowered and excited for our upcoming labour/birth. Thank you Morag!

Rob Williams: Thank you to Dancing Stars Birth for giving us all of the information we needed to prepare for our baby!Going into this class we were acutely aware of all of the known (and unknown) unknowns surrounding the birth of our first born. On completion I am happy to say that we felt fully prepared for what was to come and confident in our options and rights. The class is informal and informational and a great forum to build connections with other expecting parents. On a personal note, we would like to sincerely thank Morag for all of her generosity and connections with her community. You have helped us in our greatest time of need and we will be forever thankful.Tara and Rob.

Linla Messin: WOW! Five stars does not give justice to what a beautiful experience my husband and I had at our Dancing Star Birth class this past weekend! From the moment we walked in, we knew we were welcome-Dori had set up a cozy, inviting space for us with candles and pillow seats, and a kettle ready for whenever any of us wanted some tea to warm our hearts. We all sat sitting in a circle facing each other, which I was pleasantly surprised by and found much more conducive to an intimate learning environment than the modern, impersonal classroom style of students in chairs just facing the teacher. I believe this was a subtle but powerful detail that really helped us six couples get to know each other better in the three sessions we had together. Dori taught us how to cope with pain, what to expect with each stage of labor, how to approach interventions, and postpartum skills such as breastfeeding and keeping our babies happy and healthy, and so much more than I can cover here. Most importantly, she taught us how to trust in our innate wisdom and to tap into our instincts as we navigate the fears and anxieties we have surrounding birth. We learned that birth is not just something that “happens” to us, but a process that we can have an active role in. She helped us know how to make informed decisions about interventions so that we can still feel like we have a say when a birth may not go as planned, whether that be a home birth or a hospital birth, or whichever in between. As we all were first-time parents, this empowerment that Dori gave us was invaluable. Dori is a very warm person who makes you feel relaxed and known when you’re around her. She was so patient and gave each person time to think about their questions and she never hurried her answers. Not once did she make us feel like our questions were silly or dumb. My husband and I were particularly impressed with how she fluidly adjusted her teaching to tailor to the specific needs of us six couples in particular, rather than teaching a rigid curriculum with information that does not apply to us. She also used a variety of teaching methods, such as props, videos, and group brainstorming. Her lovely birth-educator-in-training, Jessica, is also a doula and helped roleplay and share her wisdom with us, and it was just a wonderful bonus having her there with us! The 12-13 hours we shared in that space were filled with laughter, fun, enlightenment, and heartwarming stories. I believe I can say that we all walked away from the class as couples more committed to welcoming parenthood as a loving team, as more compassionate human beings towards our babies, towards each other, and towards ourselves, and having a greater respect for the gift of birth. The birth lessons and life lessons you will learn from this class…wow…you cannot put a price on it. It’s worth the investment. My husband and I would love for more parents out there to share in the transformative experience we had this weekend! :)

Jenna-Lee Tuttle: This class was incredibly informative and full of information that was very useful. Our instructor had a wealth of experience and knowledge. They were really good at answering any questions we had. I found that it really helped prepare me for my birth and early parenthood. I’m so happy that we attended and would recommend to all expectant parents! A +++++

Martha Lanphear: As a local doula, Dancing Star is my go-to recommendation for prenatal education for my clients. It's important that I refer my clients to a class that will prepare them for their birth with evidence based knowledge from instructors who know the system surrounding birth first hand. My clients who take this course come out with such a solid foundation of knowledge around physiology of birth, options available to them and tools to have informed conversations and questions surrounding their care. Can't recommend this class more!

Morgan Edgar: We loved our weekend class with Dancing Star Birth a few months ago. The class prepared us for our birth and helped my partner support me during our long hard birth. The baby care and breastfeeding information was invaluable. The class was fun and very informative and the instructor was very knowledgeable. I also connected with some of the other parents in the class and meet up for walks in the neighbourhood. I would highly recommend this class to others.

Radu Medrea: We took these classes to prepare for the birth of our first child and are so glad we did. The most valuable parts I think were all the information we received about the choices available to us during our labour and birth, and the information about medications and epidurals. It was so useful to hear in detail about how it all works!

mason lemons: Total waste of time and money,12 hours class that could be done in 4 hours.The instructor Dori is completely ignorant on important topics such birth phisiology and pharmacology,she wasn t able to answer many questions on that.Also the teaching method is very weak,lacking any visual or digital support.I would not reccomend this classes,total waste of money and time,read a book instead

GUY STOWELL: We did the Zoom course with Dori, she is the best! She is very funny and great communicating things, we actually really enjoyed it and for sure we are a lot more confident having more knowledge on what's to come. Wait until you see her performance of someone having contractions , haha so good.

Daniela Szary: My husband and I registered with Dancing Star because we had heard fantastic testimonials about their services. We were so looking forward to our classes but were informed that given the risk of covid, classes would be hosted virtually rather than in-person. While we understand the rationale behind this decision, we were disappointed because in-person learning was a very important element for both myself and my husband. I had expressed my concerns to Dancing Star and asked for a last minute withdrawal and refund as this wasn't part of our birthing plans. Dancing Star didn't challenge our request but honoured our decision and promptly withdrew us and refunded us. I am so thoroughly impressed with how they handled what could have otherwise been a tricky situation. From this experience alone it is obvious that they put the MOM, DAD, AND BABY FIRST and because of that, I can only assume that they provide excellent prenatal services and education. Thank you!

Jim Chisholm: Judy is a fabulous facilitator and provides comprehensive information on the full spectrum of birthing options in an unbiased manner. My wife and I thoroughly enjoyed our Pre-natal in a Day class. Had time permitted for us, we would have enjoyed an extended class as Judy does a great job in fostering a sense of community. I highly recommend Dancing Star Birth for anyone who is expecting a baby.

Jillian Klassen: I couldn't recommend Allison and Marlene enough! After completing the full day prenatal class, my husband and I feel so much more prepared for labour and delivery. I now know all the information we need in order to make well informed decisions during the process and feel more at ease about everything.They are both engaging, knowledgeable, friendly, approachable, and make the day really enjoyable. I also appreciate that they are inclusive to all different family types through the language they used in the class, as well as all types of labour and delivery choices.

Tessa Danelesko: Best pre-natal class ever! We were engaged all day and left feeling much more prepared. We still talk about our learning weeks later. 10/10 recommend!

Philippe Lapointe: Great class with all the info I was looking for!

Dimple: Very informative class! Definitely eased some of the nerves for labour and delivery. Any questions or misconceptions we had were clearly addressed. We feel more ready for baby! Glad we attended:) Alison and Marlene were great and very knowledgeable.

Megan Bonn: Alison and Marlene's Down to Birth prenatal class was so informative, especially for those mamas delivering at BC Women's. They shared so many insights on what to expect from the moment you arrive at the hospital, through all stages of labour and delivery, and for those first few hours/days postpartum. After taking the class, I am feeling much more confident and prepared for labour and delivery!

Katrina Dutkiewicz: What a great class! Alison and Marlene really made for a fun day and the time flew by with lots of helpful tips! Highly recommended!

Ryan Lee: This class was super helpful and informative! There was a ton of information to fit in but Alison and Marlene managed to keep us entertained and engaged throughout. Highly recommend!

Julia McGuinty: AMAZING! Alison and Marlene made this day informative, exciting and entertaining. My husband and I can't recommend it more. Thank you so much ladies! Your passion and love for what you is admirable and your energy is infectious! xx

Ailish Bergin: Alison & Marlene were very informative, knowledgeable and engaging during the whole course. They provide you with all the information and tools you require, encourage open conversation about your fears and concerns and quickly help to put you at ease. They are very reassuring and even though it is a long day with lots of information they had enough energy to keep the class engaged. They are very supportive and advocates for both mom and dads to have the labour they want by going through all scenarios and options available. It was nice to see that on the day we did our course it was the dads to be who were asking the questions and getting very involved. I had a follow up app with my Dr after the course to go through some options available to me but I already had the information I required, great job ladies. I would def recommend Alison and Marlene’s course for all soon to be parents.

Sonia K.: My husband and I signed up for this class hoping it would be in-person, and were disappointed when it was changed to a full-day online instead. Despite our hesitation, we decided to stay registered with the Zoom version and are so glad we did! After spending the day learning and laughing with Alison and Marlene, we feel more prepared, calm, and focused on what we need to do in the next few weeks to fully prepare for our first baby's arrival at BC Women's Hospital (where they both work).Alison and Marlene clearly have a great deal of experience and practical knowledge about pregnancy, labour, and postpartum that we were not able to find through the extensive research we were doing on our own. We also found it helpful to be able to ask specific questions and have them address our worries with honesty and sincerity.We highly recommend this course. It is well worth the course fee, whether online or in-person!

Caroline Philippson: This class was exactly what we wanted and needed. These two are informative, caring, hilarious and so knowledgeable. I would HIGHLY recommend this class to anyone and everyone expecting.

Kelsey Snape: This class was so great!!! Marlene and Alison made us feel informed, empowered and ready to have our baby. They managed to cover a huge amount of information in one day, without making it feel overwhelming. The dynamic between the two of them kept the class laughing all day! We were unsure what it would be like to do an in person class during covid but it was clean and safe and I think, so important to be face to face with other couples who are also having babies. We now have a small community of people that we can continue to connect with after we have our babies! Thanks so much Marlene and Alison at down to birth for helping us new parents feel ready for this crazy new adventure!

Kate Freeman: This class was everything I had hoped it would be. Alison and Marlene are obviously experts in their field, but also kept it fresh with a great sense of humour. It was an interesting, informative, empowering class held in an inclusive, and safe environment. Definitely would recommend.

Jennifer Melbourne: Amazing class! Both women were very knowledgeable and very friendly. I would highly recommend this class to first time parents.

Suzanne Liu: Excellent class! Very informative, run by two very knowledgeable Nurses. My partner and I greatly enjoyed the class and can't recommend it enough!

Camille Lopez: Just completed their one day course, and I can not say enough great things about it! Alison and Marlene are amazing!! They are oozing with useful birthing knowledge, and are super funny and engaging. At first, I thought I would only be doing this for my husband, but I also learned so much! If only I could shrink them and put them in my hospital bag when that big day comes. 😝

Farhana Raheem: The Down to Birth Prenatal pre-natal course gave my husband and I the information and confidence we needed to feel prepared for labour and parenthood. We found Alison and Marlene were so knowledgeable, humorous, and matter-of-fact in their teaching. We went through the stages of labour and what to expect and had a lot of our questions answered. There were a few videos shown in class that was helpful for us to gain an understanding in the labour process and the aftermath. The class also included some very useful information for breastfeeding and the choices couples could face during delivery. We felt good about having all the information presented to us to consider and felt it wasn't biased one way or another.My husband and I both agree that we were glad we took Alison and Marlene’s class. We feel it helped with our understanding and addressed our fears and anxiety. I highly recommend this class.

cristobal capponi: Excellent and totally recomendable. 👏👏👏.

Beth Mac Donald: What a fantastic class. Met every one of our expectations and more. Amanda is engaging, high energy, positive and open to answering ALL questions you may have. Highly recommend using her. Thank you Amanda :)!

Liam Tynan: Amanda was amazing! So much clear and honest info. Will definitely recommend to friends.Small class so could easily ask any questions we had.

Laura Baptist: Highly recommend this class! Amanda is an amazing instructor— we learned so much and feel so much more prepared for what’s ahead. She is passionate and enthusiastic and it made the course fly by while instilling valuable information we wouldn’t have know otherwise. Thank you!

Brittany Seligman: Totally worth it! Both my partner and I would highly recommend Amanda's class! She's enthusiastic, informative and really good at taking any and all questions as she goes along. I feel so much more ready for what's to come now :)

Libor Stros: Amanda was very knowledgeable as well as entertaining. We got all our questions answered and we feel more prepared for the big day. Definitely recommend!

Stephanie Fung: Thoroughly enjoyed Amanda’s prenatal class! Had the opportunity to ask lots of questions and appreciated her perspective as a nurse and mother. Amanda is high energy without being imposing and I learned a lot from her!

Lorraine Bocharova: I felt extremely empowered after the class. Felt much more confident to making decisions of my birthing plan, having the tools/skills to cope when labour happens and what to expect after giving birth.The class was small and intimate, which was great for everyone having a chance to ask their questions and got a thorough answer or discussion.I was glad that we could attend a physical class, the COVID safety protocol was very clear and everyone was being very respectful.I really enjoyed the parts where there were physical demonstrations, sometimes you just have to do it to get it! For example, massaging skills that partners can do to help easing labour pain, breastfeeding positions...etc.I would 100% recommend taking the prenatal class with Amanda! :)Thank you Amanda for the great class!

Canan Kurt: Amanda was great and had super knowledge. The class was fun, very informative, well structured and all in all very helpful. I would highly recommend it.

Matt W: My wife and I took Amanda's private virtual prenatal class on Zoom. We enjoyed the class so much - it is very educational and Amanda's teaching style is very engaging. We were able to ask all our questions (from labour, to birth, to the newborn stage) and Amanda provided clear answers. She has a medical background so was able to educate us on the science part (which is fascinating) and she is also a mom so she gave such great practical tips. If you are hesitant in taking her class online, don't be! My wife and I have come away from the class feeling ready and excited for the birth process. Thank you Amanda!

D M: I didn't think I needed to attend a pre natal course as I've spent a lot of time around babies. But my husband and I booked a weekend course at Samara Birth Services and it was the best thing we did. We learnt so much (it's totally different when you're having your own!). Amanda is lovely, friendly and very knowledgeable. It was reassuring to know she is a nurse and worked on the maternity ward at St Paul's Hospital. I strongly recommend her courses.

Lea Granado: Pablo and I took a weekend pre natal class in February. We really enjoyed the teaching style of Amanda and really felt more ready for the D day after the class. Amanda took time to answer any questions during and between classes . We highly recommend her class to future parents :) Thanks a lot for the great experience.

Jen & Jon: We were in the weekend prenatal class a few weeks back. The class is 6 hours long per day. Our class size was only four couples, which was great because we easily had all our questions answered. We initially thought that the class would be a chore, since it takes up the entire weekend; however, Amanda, who is full of energy, made the class enjoyable. As a self proclaimed "birthing nerd", Amanda is very knowledgeable about the subject and teaches perinatal nursing at BCIT as well as being a perinatal nurse at the St Paul's. She provides a balanced discussion on the options available (pain management, delivery options, etc) and discusses the pros and cons of each option to help us make an informed decision. This was something we really appreciated as it didn't feel like we were pushed towards any particular option. There's a great deal of breadth of subjects in the class as well, from what to expect, techniques for pain management (including hands on practice of massages), breastfeeding, and more. Thanks Amanda, we are a lot more prepared now after taking your class. We will definitely recommend your class to our friends and family.

Debanjali Chakroborty: My husband and I did the group weekend class. It was nice to meet other would-be parents but it was a small group of 4 couples which was fantastic. We were dreading going to class for 6 hours each day but it was totally worth it. Since we are first time parents and have no family in the city, both of us left the class much more informed and less scared about the process and what we should be doing. Amanda was amazing in answering all our questions and she gave everyone individual attention. I highly recommend these classes.

Jamie Kraft: Highly recommended! I’m a first-time dad and this class was absolutely fantastic for me. I came away feeling much more confident about the impending birth because afterward I felt like labour suddenly wasn’t such a mystery. Better than from reading books, I could visualize the processes and know what to expect. Amanda is a fabulous instructor and an absolute wealth of knowledge (medical science and traditional). She teaches, but also prepares the class for the birth experience.

Jeanette Elmore: I was actually a bit worried that taking a prenatal class would make me more nervous of labour and childbirth, but Amanda's approach was so empowering, enlightening and full of useful information that I feel very ready to take this on! She has great energy and knowledge, uses engaging teaching exercises and tools, and covers a TON of information over short period of time, all without overwhelming. Her approach focuses on a natural, woman-empowered birth while also providing education about the options and medical interventions available during labour, with their pros and cons! Highly recommended.

Joanna Adam: We just completed the weekend group prenatal classes with Amanda. She was fantastic and I couldn't recommend her more highly. Amanda is the perfect mix of knowledge, objective reasoning, humour and realism. She provided clear guidance on what to expect during delivery and the immediate days following birth, emphasising the importance of shared decision making to ensure the birth experience is the best it can be for both mother and baby. I really appreciated how she explained the physiological process and I feel much more prepared for giving birth than a did before we took her class.

Flavia Marcondes: I had a pre natal weekend class with Amanda and it was absolutely amazing! She is really knowledgeable and kind, answered all our questions and backed up all information with helpful research data. I now feel way more capable of making decisions during labour and coping with the whole process - for that I am truly thankful. I am already recommending her to my friends!

Emma Nelson: Amanda is an excellent facilitator. She's extremely engaging and has a wealth of knowledge that helped us to build our confidence and understand what to expect during labour and the early newborn stages. We covered alot in the two day course, certainly more than we anticipated! Thank you :)

Jen Chen: My husband and I attended the recent 2 day weekend course with Amanda. We were so glad we did. We left with more confidence in the whole labour process, newborn care, and breastfeeding. Amanda is an excellent instructor, extremely knowledgeable and engaging. We would highly recommend Samara Birth Services prenatal classes to any new parents to be.

Virginie Pironin: My partner and I attended the weekend pre-natal course in September and were impressed at how passionate and knowledgeable Amanda was! She taught us so much and all in a very relaxed and pleasant atmosphere. Thanks to her, we felt well prepared when the time came to give birth to our son and her tipps were very helpful. We definitely recommand Amanda and Samara Birth Services!

Emily Ward: We can not say enough good things about the midwives at Westside! The blue team was fundamental in the birth of our little boy and we can't thank them enough. Everyone who works at the clinic go out their way to offer a calm, kind and stress free experience from when you Register to getting signed off 6 weeks after your little one is born. We would recommend them to anyone considering midwifery care. Never dreamed I'd be able to have a water birth in hospital but my team advocated for me and it was the best experience. Thank You Westside

Gabriela Raimova: Very disappointed !My first pregnancy experience with the midwife’s was great and their care was excellent (unfortunately I end up having not an easy natural birth with emergency cesarean section - successful tho ).Everything end up well so I have decided to apply again with my second pregnancy.But for my big surprise I have received a call from the receptionist today saying they won’t accept me as they prioritize mothers who wants natural births not cesarean sections!Shocking.. Sorry moms .. WOW !

Sarah Khloe: This was our first bb and we really loved the care we received from westside midwives - everyone was great and Sarah and Sonia who were there for the actual Labour & birth were amazing thank you!Sarah&Bryan

Harpreet Shoker: I am so grateful for the prenatal care I received from westside midwives for both my children. All of the midwives were kind and caring. They respected my decisions and helped guide me instead of telling me what to do. They offered their opinions but never pushed anything on me. I had Marella present at both births and she was very relaxed and calming. The post natal care was also exceptional. I felt like all the midwives were nurturing and caring. They took their time and were not rushed. I am beyond thankful for their love and support!

Anaïs Audibert: They are fantastic ! They are super professional, very kind and supportive. They make you feel confident at every stage, I highly recommend them !

Lyubov in Canada: Choosing Westside Midwives to take care of my pregnancy was one of my best decisions. I was with the Green Team and want to say a HUGE thank you for all your professional help and support, knowledge, and care. I felt uplifted after each visit to the clinic, well-cared of, and confident that everything would be great.I had the most magical home birth with Holly and Ruth, which I dreamt of, and I’m so grateful for giving me a chance to have a delivery like this.Kate, Ruth, Holly, and Alison provided my baby and me with fantastic aftercare: they helped me with breastfeeding, sleep, mood and answered another zillion of questions we had. I’m super grateful for the whole team and can’t recommend them enough.

Jo P.: I was indecisive between an OB or MW till my friend who was having a second baby same time with me introduced me to them. I was with the blue team and the experience was wonderful! Their team was very diligent and professional during each appointment, answering all my questions and help me more at ease with my pregnancy. The front desk was very kind and patient, always making effort to accommodate my changeable schedule and replying my emails promptly. I highly recommend their service and wish every mama a healthy and happy pregnancy!

Enas Ahmad: My experience with westside Midwives (Green team) was more than amazing, switching from an OB to their clinic was the best decision I've made for me and my baby. The care I received before, during, and after labour (with homes visits, breastfeeding, mental and physical support ) was absolutely amazing. The difference between the care and attention I got from an OB vs midwives was night and day. I recommend anyone with a normal pregnancy not to think twice about following up with Westside Midwives. Kate and Catline (who was their student intern at that time) helped deliver my baby boy and I couldn't have asked for a more loving and caring experience. Also, the office staff (Bir Kaur and Cara) were always very friendly and responsive (unlike my experience in the OB office).

L P: I absolutely love these ladies. They accepted me rather late, I was almost 6 months pregnant. I was also a somewhat difficult case as I wanted a VBAC. They were with me 100% of the way and very attentive to all my concerns and questions. I ended up being in labor for 31 hours and one of the blue team members was always (!) present with me. With their support and care, I birthed a beautiful and healthy baby daughter via VBAC. Cannot recommend them enough!

L Dhaliwal: My experience with Westside Midwives (green team) was absolutely amazing. The professionalism, attentiveness, knowledge and care that I received during my pregnancy and 6 weeks postpartum with my newborn was fantastic. Everyone I interacted with including the midwives and office staff were wonderful. I could not have asked for a better experience for my first pregnancy. I will forever be grateful to Westside Midwives for their care.

Ashley Macdonald: My experience with westside midwives (green team). Couldn’t have been any better. I had a rough pregnancy with really intense hyperemesis gravidarum and these amazing women took such good care of me. I always felt seen and heard when I was in their care, and never felt rushed out the office. Bir Kaur is the friendliest face at the front desk and was always quick to answer any emails or phone calls. Holly and Kate were the midwives involved with my labour and delivery and I have never felt so supported in my life. Holly helped me through early labour and was so sweet always checking in. Kate stayed all night at the hospital with me and helped me safely deliver my sweet little girl! She was calm, kind, funny, and supportive. I’ll never forget her looking me in the eye and letting me know she wouldn’t let me suffer. We had a short 5 day NICU stay and the team was there to visit us and check in. Post partum care was also amazing and so supportive. I can not say enough good things about the team and am already looking forward to when I have another baby to get back into their care!

Camila Silva: Best decision I made was choosing Westside Midwives. As a first time mom, I had no idea what pregnancy and labor would be like. I was part of the green team and I had the time of my life. The clinic is great, every time I called or emailed with questions, the reception team would immediately redirect it to a midwife, who would quickly reply or call, if needed. They arranged all the appointments i needed, which was a huge help. I was able to meet all of the team before the big day. I was so scared of the delivery, and they were so good at keeping me calm without dismissing my feelings. My only complain is that i wish they could be our care giver for the whole first year!

Nicky Collins: My entire experience with Westside Midwives was great! The ladies on the blue team were all extremely friendly and passionate and the care during pregnancy, labour and postpartum was amazing. The reception team was very organized and helpful. I would definitely recommend Westside Midwives to anyone looking for a midwife in Vancouver!

Gabriela Mello: My biggest regret is not knowing about Westside Midwives with my first pregnancy. I couldn't be more thankful for everything the nurses did for me during this pregnancy. They are absolutely amazing and I couldn't have done it without them all so thank you!!!!

Shaina Unger: My care from Westside Midwives was amazing. Having a baby in 2020 was hard with Covid rules, but Westside midwives put my worries at ease. I was able to have the labour and delivery of my dreams. An unassisted water birth at the hospital where I got to catch my baby on her way out. My midwife was so attentive but let me do my thing. She was there to help, but never felt intrusive. The care I received after birth was the most special. Coming to my house to look after baby and I was key in a great recovery. I couldn’t recommend this group of midwives more. It makes me want another baby just to work with them again. Lol.

Joanna W: I was with the Blue Team with my first pregnancy and I highly recommend these wonderful midwives. They are really passionate with their job and I felt supported throughout my entire pregnancy and my 6 weeks postpartum. Delivery was not the smoothest with tons of hiccups. All the hormones and disappointment made me quite emotional but Marella managed to make me feel empowered, calm and well taken care of. Our birth story could have been terrifying but thinking back, my husband and I can only remember our baby’s birth as a wonderful and beautiful experience... all thanks to Marella, Thea and Lena. We are forever grateful!

Natalie Hill: I have nothing but wonderful things to say about the team at Westside Midwives. I received professional, compassionate care all the way through my pregnancy, labour, delivery and post-partum. I highly recommend them.

Laurel Plewes: My pregnany was very normal so everything seemed fine, although there were some red flags. At one point i asked if i could take melatonin. Instead of finding out and telling me the answer I was directed to a website to go read for myself. Um.... nope. You should know that and not send me to a website.My labour was very long (50+ hrs) and I had to do a lot of advocating for myself. I suggested things and they would say yes or no. During the pushing the midwife would not allow my partner to get behind me to push, which is what I felt I needed because I was so tired. Never gave an explanation why. My pushing was ineffective bc I was so tired and needed to lay down between pushes. The midwife kept repeating the same I instructions on how to push which I didnt find helpful and my pushes were ineffective. Finally the nurse described what to do and that made pushing easier.After the birth I had issue with milk supply. They had a student come and see me who was lovely, but i needed more attention then that. Again, I was offering options and they were the ones saying yes or no. They did not believe me that I had low supply and tried to say my baby was just colicky. Then they connected me with the Vancouver Breastfeeding Clinic, which I would NOT recommend. Granted, the midwives did warn me that i would likely not like it there.If you have known low supply or need any help with breastfeeding post labour, from my experience, this would not be the midwife group for you. My son is almost 2 and I am still wishing I have received some more/different support than what I recieved.

Marydel: This was my first pregnancy and I had a wonderful experience with Westside Midwives. They were all so personable and helpful through every step. I was with the Blue Team. I was well taken care of and felt comfort in knowing my baby and I were in good hands. I can’t thank them enough for everything, especially Marella, who was an amazing coach during my delivery.Thank you again Westside Midwives. If I could give more stars, I would!

Willa Zimmerman: I could not have had better care during my pregnancy and postnatal period. I am forever grateful for the westside midwives team and the support they provided us!