Antenatal & Hypnobirthing Classes in Leeds

All the knowledge and tools you need for the positive birth you deserve.

Welcome to Birth Journeys

5 star rated antenatal classes in Leeds

Our courses are jam-packed full of evidence-based birth knowledge, hypnobirthing techniques, infant first aid and midwife top-tips for birthing in Leeds.

Get-to-know other local parents-to-be in a safe, non-judgmental environment and leave feeling confident and excited about your upcoming birth journey.

The ONLY Antenatal Course you need

Our group antenatal course is like an all-inclusive package holiday: whilst I can’t guarantee sun and sea in Morley or Rothwell, I can promise a warm, supportive atmosphere with all the tools and resources you need to prepare for birth and beyond. This course is designed to be the only one you need.

An in-depth alternative to NHS or NCT classes in Leeds…

Having trained and worked as a midwife in Leeds for nearly 8 years, I have supported countless families through the most poignant time in their lives.

From home water births through to emergency C-sections, I have seen and celebrate all birth. Most importantly, I have listened and understood what is important to all people having a baby and used this in the development of the course.

No pregnancy or birth is the same, and one size certainly doesn’t fit all when it comes to maternity care or antenatal education: I understand the local maternity system, its policies and recommendations, so helping you navigate your own journey through the NHS is my priority.

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Hypnobirthing: a skill for life, not just for birth

Investing in birth education is one of the most generous gifts you can give yourself and your family. Alongside your wedding day, birth is often described as one of the most important days of your life, yet why as a nation do we spend a hell of a lot more time and money preparing for one over the other?

Sadly birth is becoming more medicalised: whilst this is necessary for some, it isn’t always what’s best or right for most others. Hypnobirthing gives you the confidence to feel calm and in control, taking ownership of your birth and realising what you are capable of. It allows us to cope better with changing situations during labour.

I hear all too often that clients wish they’d booked a course with me in their previous pregnancy – your first birth is not a trial run, and with the right support, knowledge and tools, you can make informed choices that truly reflect what matters to you.

Knowledge is power, but a Birth Journeys course provides you with the tools to use this knowledge to your advantage.

Hypnobirthing teaches us tools to remain calm in changing situations, stay true to ourselves when making decisions and empowers us to advocate for the birth experience we want. The techniques become skills for life, with clients telling me how they’ve used them in stressful situations such as flying.

What’s covered on the course?

Birth fundamentals

Gain a foundation knowledge of the inner workings of pregnancy, labour and birth and the hormones that power them. Understand how to promote ‘normality’ and support physiological birth.

Medical Intervention

Gain valuable decision-making skills, learn how to advocate for yourself and understand more about induction of labour, and the benefits and risks of assisted and operative birth.

Postnatal Care

Consider your post-baby support plan, mental and physical recovery and next steps. Learn about bonding with your baby, slings & carriers and next steps.

Coping Strategies

Discover the hypnobirthing toolbox, learn about the mind-body connection and practice active birth techniques with the help of your partner to manage both fear and pain during birth.

Feeding Your baby

Explore options of breast, expressed and bottle feeding, whilst learning about the importance of responsiveness to aid your baby’s brain development.

First Aid

We are joined by an instructor from Daisy First Aid for a session covering: baby CPR, recovery position, choking, rashes and febrile seizures, giving you piece of mind for your baby’s wellbeing.

Birth Journeys with Leah

10 hour midwife-led antenatal course

£235 per partnership

(Weekend course is £260 as this includes lunch, drinks & snacks)

£50 non-refundable deposit is required to secure your place. The rest due 2 weeks before the course start date. Courses are 10 hours: either 5 x 2hr sessions, or 2 days for the occasional weekend course.

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How are your courses different from free NHS antenatal classes or NCT in Leeds?

Birth Journeys

Midwife-led
Evenings and weekends
In person
Includes hypnobirthing
Includes infant first aid
Gift bag and resources
Local parents-to-be
WhatsApp Group
Postnatal Reunion
Discount on future events

NCT

Evenings and weekends
In person
Local parents-to-be
WhatsApp Group
Postnatal Reunion

Leeds NHS

Partially midwife led
Postnatal Reunion

Book your Birth Journeys Antenatal Course

“One of the standout things for us as a same sex couple, is that Leah’s course is truly inclusive. As a two mum family we are used to facing phrases like ‘mum and dad’ in books, on forms etc, but Leah uses inclusive language throughout her course, which made us feel welcome.”

Meg & Kayleigh, baby born at LGI

“I can’t put into words how grateful we are for the course and how glad we are that we chose Birth Journeys for our classes as it was a big decision to make and we couldn’t be happier. The value for money with this course is astounding and I couldn’t recommend Leah or the course enough.”

Leah, birthed at LGI

“We went into premature labour which affected our ideal birth plan. However with all the knowledge and all the wisdom from Leah we went into the birthing ward with more of a clear idea of what was happening and how important it was to stay calm.”

Jessica & Matthew, baby born at St James in Leeds

Read more of my 5 star reviews on Google

Frequently Asked Questions about Birth Journeys

A lot of people are very skeptical or dismissive when they hear the word ‘hypnobirthing’ as the word itself gives the idea of a ‘hippie’ intervention that involves someone else controlling your mind. In fact, it is almost the total opposite of this and is well-researched. For example, Uldal et al., 2023 found that people who attended hypnobirthing classes gave people more confidence and trust in their own bodies, as well as a sense of control, resulting in more positive birth experiences for this group of participants, regardless of their mode of birth.

This is echoed by Yaqoob et al., 2024 who concluded that regularly practising hypnobirthing techniques during pregnancy resulted in less anxiety and fear during childbirth.

Birth Journeys antenatal course participants have said similar things; for example, Dani, a first-time Mum who attended my March course gave birth to her son on the Lotus Suite at LGI in March. She told me:

“Doing your classes and realising what a labour can be like completely changed my perspective and I don’t think I’d have had the same birth experience otherwise.”

You can book onto an antenatal course whenever is convenient for you, but please bear in mind that the initial deposit is non-refundable. I recommend booking so that you are between 24-32 weeks pregnant when the course starts. The information will be more relevant to you at this stage in your pregnancy, whilst also giving enough time to practice useful hypnobirthing and active birth techniques before the big day. Not to mention being in a course with those with similar due dates around you, vital for the postnatal support we all need.

If this is your first baby and you want a comprehensive course that covers everything you need to know to feel prepared and empowered for birth and beyond, my full antenatal course is the one for you. Including hypnobirthing and infant first aid and led by me, a current practising Leeds midwife, the course runs over a 5 week period (or full weekend for some courses) and has an accompanying WhatsApp support group. Second and subsequent parents-to-be have found the course useful as well, particularly if they have had a previous negative experience of birth or have moved to Leeds from another area.

If you’ve already booked another antenatal course (perhaps online), and are looking for a little bit extra, or you’ve had a baby before and don’t need the postnatal info, you could consider an Active Birth Workshop .These offer something extra to traditional antenatal courses and provide useful tools to optimise baby’s position and encourage natural, spontaneous labour.

Another option is my Pregnancy Relaxation Course: designed for those who wish to discover hypnobirthing and share space with other pregnant people, this short course doesn’t include any postnatal aspects and instead focuses on strengthening the mind-body connection in readiness for birth. Ideal addition to a traditional antenatal class in Leeds or as a refresher for those who have birthed before and want to explore a different approach.

Still feeling a bit lost? Send me a message and we can work out what’s right for you.

Good support in labour has been shown to be protective against feelings of birth trauma (Birth Trauma Enquiry, 2024). I strongly recommend bringing the person who will be accompanying you during birth, so they have a deeper understanding of their role in the birthing process and can help advocate for you during your pregnancy and labour journey. This may not be your romantic partner – some people choose to bring their mum, or another relative or close friend.

Hypnobirthing can work for all types of birth and the techniques learned are especially useful for when birth takes unexpected or unplanned turns. The knowledge of the mind-body connection can help in other aspects of life too. You are welcome to book onto the full antenatal course if you are having a planned C-section, but you may find some of the sessions irrelevant. The beginning of the course is heavily focused on the physiology of labour, and whilst the 3rd session covers medical intervention and operative birth, it centres around remaining calm during unplanned modes of birth and decision-making, rather than the surgery itself.

Want to ask a question?

Get in touch to ask me anything about my 5 star rated antenatal courses

Contact Leah