Allaying fears about becoming a parent

Allaying fears about becoming a parent through Antenatal Classes

There's no question that becoming a parent for the first time is the most rewarding and awe-inspiring event in life. The overwhelming sense of responsibility is both magical and terrifying and many first-time parents can feel overcome with the amount of learning needed to ensure that they raise healthy, confident children. 

While it's true that no one person has yet created a definitive guide to all aspects of parenting, the positive news is that there are great resources available for new parents to help allay fears and enable them to develop the skills and resilience needed to nurture their babies. 

When baby first arrives, every single day brings new insight and challenges. For example, new parents may be concerned at certain responses by the child, worried about certain types of crying, or have secret fears relating to development, reaching the various milestones following birth, or other 'firsts' as a parent. 

This is why pregnancy classes are invaluable, giving new parents the confidence to recognise normal responses and behaviours with their child and gain positive insight into what to expect, as well as what is natural, 'normal' or healthy for their new baby. Through antenatal classes, you meet others who are having babies at a very similar time, which is fantastic for starting to build your support network and also having babies the same age can provide huge reassurance, through the natural conversations and comparisons made between infants. 

There is often a misconception that pregnancy classes only provide advice and guidance up to the point of birth. This couldn't be further from the truth. Classes like Bump to Cradle have a significant focus on after the birth and how to cope with those early days of having a newborn baby. Navigating the challenges of new parenting is a rewarding and life-affirming experience, but it can also be a time of worry and new fears. By engaging with compassionate, experienced professionals through parenting classes, new parents have an open forum for asking questions, learning, sharing personal experiences and gaining reassurance. 

Antenatal classes can provide empathetic and sensible advice on all aspects of baby's first months, from breastfeeding through to sleep, baby communication, health, immunisation, dealing with colic and much more. Having an experienced guide to lead you through these exciting first few months and offer a consistent support network is ideal for new parents. To find out more about our pregnancy classes in Bristol, contact us at Bump to Cradle today via mim@bumptocradle.com or by looking at our website www.bumptocradle.com. We run antenatal courses throughout the year in Bristol.