Setting up pre-natal classes in Adelaide

[James & Stephanie Fairbairn]

Hi everyone on the oz list;   I have recently moved from England to Adelaide and as a qualified childbirth educator I am attempting to set up some classes here in Adelaide. At first, not knowing the system here I tried to find a post at a hospital - but I am not a midwife, so I didn't get very far with that... Right now I am thinking about running classes myself independantly and am wondering what is the best way to go about it.   I have been reading all the ozmid messages with interest over the past few months and would value your opinions about how women may feel about attending classes outside of the hospital system as it does not appear to be the 'culture' of the birth experience here. In Britain I used to work on behalf of the National Childbirth Trust and couples would book months in advance to get a place on a course as well as going to the hospital ones, so it's a bit of culture shock for me here!! I suppose the main differences in hospital and private classes were that you were in a smaller group of 6-8 couples and each class were free to set their own agenda for the course and over 9 sessions of 2 hours there was more time to discuss issues and practice positions and demonstrate massage etc.. Often the couples I taught were meeting together after the first few weeks and still see eachother regularly months and years later. In fact at the reunions the biggest benefit they cite is the group support in the postnatal period from people they have got to know closely and feel they have gone though this enormous experience together - it appears that the men get as much from this as the women.   I would love to hear any advice from everyone out there on the list and possibly midwives in Adelaide who could advise me on how of even if I could promote my classes in this area when women come to book in their pregnancy. Also, from any breatfeeding counsellors who might be prepared to lend some support to breastfeeding sessions within the course.   THANKS!!!!.......from Stephanie in Adelaide.