ABSTRACT
In this chapter, we shall explore various approaches to helping pregnant women and their birth companions prepare for labour and birth, including thinking through the purpose of childbirth education and what sort of support women and their birth companions might need. We describe changing attitudes and practices in childbirth education, noting how the formal ‘classes’ which became the dominant approach in twentieth century maternity care have shifted into less formal groups emphasising peer support and sharing of parenting as well as childbirth experiences. We also discuss the teaching and learning theories that underpin effective approaches to childbirth education and consider novel methods to engage women and their partners, including storytelling, use of photos and simulation. Finally, we note that childbirth education is something that all of us who work in maternity care are engaged in, through childbirth conversations with women and their partners. We discuss how best to have those conversations so that women feel listened to and supported.
