Birth Preparation

Prenatal Birth Preparation Classes

Preparing to be a parent can be a time consuming business. If you are working full time you may feel it is as much as you can manage to fit in your many obstetric appointments. You may also be eager to embrace the new world of pregnancy you have now entered and be interested in finding out more about the wide range of antenatal classes available here in the Grand Duchy. Both the hospitals in central Luxembourg offer a wide range of classes taught in French, German and Luxembourgish and also some in Portuguesse.

The good news for English-speaking ex-pats is that English-speaking classes in the hospitals are now becoming more common. There are also a couple of asbl organisations (the Luxembourg equivalent of a Charity) that specialise in offering services to new parents. Carry on reading for a summary of the range of prenatal support available here in Luxembourg.

 

The Well Baby Clinic of Luxembourg asbl: are an English-speaking group that offer a range of services to support you through pregnancy, birth and early parenthood. Support available includes: Antenatal classes and Birth and Beyond – an exciting new course which is designed to fit in with parents’ busy lifestyles. As the course takes place at weekends it is ideal for couples to attend together or for mum to attend on her own or with her birth partner. During two full day sessions and one postnatal reunion, Birth and Beyond offers you information and emotional support for pregnancy, birth and caring for your baby. After your course you will not only be more prepared for labour and birth but also more confident about what to expect as you become a parent.

The Well Baby Clinic of Luxembourg also offer a Mums, Bumps and Babies Group which meets every second Wednesday in the morning and offers you a chance to meet and socialise with other new mums. The group provides the opportunity to receive advice and support on breastfeeding and other issues related to the reality of becoming a new parent such as coping with crying, managing sleep and antenatal and postnatal depression.

 

Initiativ Liewensufrank asbl: a Luxembourg parenting charity, also offer a wide range of support services including birth preparation and hypno-birthing in English as well as French, German and Luxembourgish. It is also useful to know that they offer a Baby Hotline which you can call on (+352) 36 05 98, Monday to Friday between 9:00-11:30 am or email (berodung@liewensufank.lu) at any time with any questions or concerns you have about pregnancy, giving birth or parenting in the early months. Initiativ Liewensufrank also offer breastfeeding support, counselling, and a lending library of parenting books and DVDs with many titles in English.

 


 

Hospital Prenatal Classes

Maternité Grande Duchesse Charlotte

If you are giving birth at the Maternité Grande Duchesse Charlotte you can access a range of Prenatal classes in French or Luxembourgish and in English on request. Topics covered include: diet in pregnancy; preparation for birth; haptonomy (helping parents to use touch and feel to form a relationship with their baby in the womb and introducing techniques to help mother and baby work together during labour); prenatal yoga; hypnobirthing, breastfeeding support and pre and postnatal fitness.

 

Clinique Privée Docteur Bohler

The Clinique Privée Docteur Bohler offers similar classes to help prepare for birth and parenthood. Although most classes are conducted in French or Luxembourgish, the Bohler Clinic also works with The Well Baby Clinic to provide birth preparation classes in English.

You can also download aPreparing for birth PDF leaflet in French here which contains some useful information and contact numbers. You can even take a virtual tour of the facilities by visiting the hospital’s web site. If you are a registered patient, you can also complete an online learning package.

 

Centre Hospitalier Emile Mayrisch/Centre Hospitalier du Nord

Antenatal classes and lactation advice are also available at Centre Hospitalier Emile Mayrisch in Esch-sur-Alzette and in Ettelbruck at Centre Hospitalier du Nord (CHDN) although courses tend to be delivered in French or Luxembourgish.

 


 

Article by:  Kate Ensor, who is a coordinator for Passage and a postnatal group facilitator & childbirth educator at the Well Baby Clinic of Luxembourg.

Last updated:  Friday 17th April, 2015