Pregnancy | 7.8.2026
Birth preparation courses: content, options and costs
A birth preparation course (also known as antenatal classes) provides expectant parents with knowledge and reassurance and encourages pregnant women to trust their bodies. Midwife Stephanie Kriesel explains what matters most, and you can find out which costs are covered under basic and supplementary health insurance.
What can you expect from a birth preparation course?
Birth preparation courses provide information about the final trimester of pregnancy, the postnatal period, and the first weeks and months with your baby. They explain what you can expect during labour and birth and offer practical tips on breathing and relaxation techniques, as well as guidance on topics such as breastfeeding and baby care.
In her classes, midwife Stephanie Kriesel finds that expectant parents often have very different perceptions about the birth process. “Social media often presents an idealised picture or focuses on exceptional and dramatic cases. During the course, we talk honestly about what expectant parents can realistically expect.”
For example, you will learn about different birth positions, the available options for pain relief, and the role the father or birth partner can play during labour and birth.
What are the aims of a birth preparation course?
Birth preparation courses offer reassurance for the birth and the first weeks with your baby. You can ask questions, reduce any anxieties you may have and learn how to adapt to different situations during labour and birth.
Midwife Stephanie Kriesel encourages thorough preparation while keeping an open mind: “Every birth is different and nobody knows in advance how it will unfold.” A course presents various options and helps you approach your own birth journey with confidence and a positive mindset.
Birth preparation courses also give you an opportunity to meet and connect with other expectant parents, which often leads to valuable connections that continue beyond the birth.
