Great Expectation Pregnancy Program
Great Expectation Pregnancy Program
We offer 15 different classes to help expecting mothers and their partners learn more about pregnancy, birth, breastfeeding, and parenting. Use this page to gather more information on class content, schedules, and prices. Classes are listed below.
Classes fill up quickly; Please sign up WELL IN ADVANCE.
- Infant Nutrition (Second Trimester Classes)
- Baby Care/Parenting (Second Trimester Classes)
- Infant CPR/Massage
- Childbirth (Third Trimester Classes)
- Expecting Twins or More
- The Afterglow: A Postpartum support group
- The New Nest: Emotional Self-Care During Pregnancy NEW
- Mindfulness-Based Childbirth and Parenting
- General Information About Registration
- Other Programs and Groups
- MILK-Mother & Infant Lactation Kooperative – FREE
- Prenatal Yoga NEW
- Class and Gift Package
**Join Us for the UCSF Women’s Health Resource Center Birth Center Tour! View the video and sign up! **
INFANT NUTRITION (Second Trimester Classes, 5-8 months of pregnancy)
Breastfeeding Basics and Breastfeeding & Returning to Work
This class is offered as a two-part series or all day intensive on Saturday or Sunday. Please call (415) 353-2667 or refer to the Great Expectations brochure for class locations.
Breastfeeding Basics
Learn about breast physiology, milk production, let-down, latch-on and positioning. This class teaches participants how to overcome breastfeeding challenges, problem solve and how to establish a successful breastfeeding relationship right from the start.
Breastfeeding and Returning to Work
This class is designed to provide you with practical tips and advice on breastfeeding your baby while working. Topics include preserving a breastfeeding relationship, choosing a breastpump, storing/collecting/transporting breastmilk, problem solving, exploring child care options, and how to establish a successful breastfeeding relationship right from the start.
*Class participants receive a $25 discount on breastpump purchases at the UCSF Women’s Health Resource Center. Please mention discount at time of purchase.
Fee: Two-part comprehensive class, $80.
BABY CARE/PARENTING (Third Trimester Classes, 6-9 months of pregnancy)
Parenting During the First Few Months: Basic Baby Care With A New Baby
This workshop offers basic survival techniques to care for your newborn and emphasizes postpartum care for mom. Learn about newborn characteristics, infant milestones, bathing, hygiene, diapers, diapering, crying, comforting, sleep and recognizing the signs of illness. Great for first time parents. This class is offered in a two-part series or all day on Saturday.
Fee: $90 per series
Infant CPR
Learn vital skills to handle an emergency. This class covers recognizing an infant or child in distress, performing emergency measures to relieve airway obstruction in a choking infant or child, performing CPR on an infant or child who is not breathing or is without a heartbeat and identifying risks of preventable infant and childhood injuries. This is a great class for parents, family members and childcare providers.
Fee: One session class $110 per person.
Note: This is not a CPR certification course.
Infant Massage - Predelivery (Class recommended after 20 weeks of pregnancy)
Learn playful stretches and soothing ways to communicate with touch that will benefit the physical and emotional health of your infant. This class will cover massage techniques that can help regulate sleep for your infant and help alleviate the physical discomforts of colic, gas, and congestion. Learn how to attune to the body language cues of your baby so that you can feel more confident and self-assured in your responses as a parent.
Teaching will be provided with the use of:
- Watching a demonstration on DVD for visual reference. Following the techniques taught by Vimila McClure in her book Infant Massage.
- The use of dolls for hands on practice techniques to use with your newly arrived baby
- Demonstrations of techniques by teacher following the routine in provided handouts
- Group discussions facilitated by instructor
- Class handouts
Fee: One session class, $50.
Infant Massage with Newborns (This class can be taken after your baby is born)
Babies two weeks to pre-crawling babies (ten months) are more than welcome to attend.
This class will give parents a way to review techniques taught in the first Infant Massage class along with your baby in the room. (However, the infant massage pre-delivery class does not necessarily need to be taken with the infant massage newborn class.)
This fun class will focus primarily on you and your baby enjoying the infant massage together. It is also an opportunity to review hands on techniques with your child and ask questions about the different techniques you have been practicing with your baby.
In this class you will learn:
- A full body massage (including additional techniques and playful stretches for older infants)
- Self-relaxation skill for new parents
- Massage techniques to support your babies physical development
- Tips on how to monitor the amount of sensory stimulation your baby can tolerate
- Techniques to help your baby deal with gas, colic and digestive pain
- Calming techniques to sooth a fussy or tired baby
- Techniques to address discomfort or ear ache and cold congestion
Location: Class will be held at 2356 Sutter Street, Third Floor, Suite J308.
Fee: One session class, $50
CHILDBIRTH (Third Trimester Classes, 6-9 months of pregnancy)
Childbirth Preparation: Integrated Methods
Classes are a 4-week series
This class provides an overview of the stages and process of labor, breathing and relaxation techniques, support, medication options, variations in labor including cesarean birth, and immediate postpartum care for mother and baby.
Fee: $165 per series.
Please bring two pillows, a blanket and a snack to all classes.
Intensive Childbirth Preparation
A one-day workshop designed to give participants the basic tools and information for preparing for birth. This class incorporates all information from the Childbirth Preparation: Integrated Methods class into an accelerated format.
Fee: $180, One session class, 9:30AM–4:30PM
Please bring two pillows, a blanket, and a snack to all classes.
Childbirth Preparation: Birth Alternatives
Classes are 4-week series (Please note that the November series is a condensed 3 weeks series).
This class addresses the needs and interests of women who wish to have an intimate, fully-involved birth experience. This class covers the basic childbirth preparation content with an added emphasis on natural delivery and making choices in response to the birth process. Labor support techniques and comfort measures from home birth and other cultures are emphasized.
Fee: $165 per series.
Please bring two pillows, a blanket, and a snack to all classes.
Pain Relief & Labor
Learn about the pain medication options available to assist you during labor and childbirth. Discuss your concerns or questions with a UCSF Anesthesiologist.
Fee: One session class, NO CHARGE
Birth Center Orientation
Join us for the UCSF Women’s Health Resource Center Birth Center Tour!View the video and sign up!
Expecting Twins or More
Breastfeeding Twins or More
This class is designed to prepare expectant mothers on how to confidently breastfeed multiples. Learn practical tips and special considerations for nursing twins or more including latch-on, positioning, establishing a plentiful milk supply, and overcoming breastfeeding challenges.
Fee: One session class, $55
*Class participants receive a $25 discount on breastpump purchases at the UCSF Women’s Health Resource Center. Please mention discount at the time of purchase.
Expecting Twins or More
This one-day workshop is designed to give expectant parents basic information on raising twins or more including reassuring advice and practical considerations. Topics include important aspects of prenatal care, labor and delivery, feeding issues, and preparing home and family for the arrival of multiples. The instructor is also a mother of twins.
Fee: one session class $50
* Note the 6:00 pm starting time!
The Afterglow: A Postpartum Support Group for New Mothers
(Recommended for mothers, support person(s) and babies 0-6 months)
In this six-week postpartum support group, new moms with their babies will gather to share their experiences and support one another in their new days of parenting. During this group participants will learn about the “Baby Blues” and the emotional changes that can occur after childbirth. They will practice self-care, relaxation techniques, including yoga, which is clinically proven to reduce stress and increase mom’s wellbeing. They will also discuss the highs and lows of motherhood in a supportive space and connect with other new parents. This 6-week series is facilitated by Melissa Whippo, LCSW & Juli Fraga, Psy.D
Fee: $150 per series
The New Nest: Emotional Self-Care During Pregnancy NEW
During this three-part series, you will learn about the importance of emotional self-care during pregnancy. We will share practical tools that will help you transition from pregnancy to parenthood.
Week 1: Babies & Biology: Discuss how pregnancy impacts your mood and offer tools for self-care.
Week 2: From Partners to Parents: Talk about some common transitions partners experience as they prepare for baby’s arrival, and how you can prepare for and cope with these changes.
Week 3: The Mom Tribe: Review resources many new families and mothers need to help them navigate the first weeks of parenthood. We will also discuss emotional and parenting resources that you can prepare before the baby’s arrival. Recommended after 20 weeks.
Fee: $75 per three-part series
Workshop facilitated by Melissa Whippo, LCSW & Juli Fraga, Psy.D.
Childbirth Preparation: Mindfulness-Based Childbirth and Parenting (MBCP)
The UCSF National Center of Excellence in Women’s Health in collaboration with the Osher Center for Integrative Medicine is currently offering Mindfulness-Based Childbirth and Parenting Education (MBCP). The MBCP Program is an invitation to begin or deepen the practice of mindfulness for meeting the profound changes in our bodies and minds during pregnancy, childbirth and parenting. Through mindfulness meditation, yoga, and group dialogue we will learn a way to fully live the joys and challenges of this transformative time and cultivate lifelong skills for healthy living and wise parenting.
Course is a 9-week series that integrates childbirth education with mind/body skills. It includes an all-day session after the 6th week and a reunion class after the birth.
Fee: $630 per couple, $355 single, plus $40 for materials
UCSF Discount for Faculty/Staff/Students: $571 per couple/ $305.50 per single.
For more info or to register, please call 415-353-7718 or visit www.osher.ucsf.edu
The Mind in Labor: Working with Pain in Childbirth
Based on the mind/body work at the pioneering Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Clinic at UMass Medical Center, this will be a day for looking deeply at pain and fear during childbirth and for cultivating tools to work with them in the process of giving birth. The workshop is an excellent complement to any childbirth education class, including refresher classes. It can also be helpful for those who anticipate a birth experience that needs special medical attention or who have had a difficult previous birth experience.
Fee: $425 per couple/ $215 per single. Partners are encouraged to attend.
To register, please call 415-353-7718 or visit www.osher.ucsf.edu.