The Instructor Handbook
Welcome to Bump and Baby Club
We are thrilled to have you join our team of the very best instructors in the UK, delivering modern and personable antenatal classes. Thank you so much for joining us! Our classes are highly interactive and sociable, and the magic of them lies in the connections you make with the clients as well as the connections they make with each other. The more you do to foster relationships, the more our clients will love their experience! We deliver unbiased and evidence-based information which empowers parents to make the choices they feel are right for them. We aim to help them feel great about themselves whatever type of birth they have, and whatever style of parenting they choose. Over the years we have learnt so much about our clients’ needs and why they choose us. We have pulled all this knowledge together and created this handbook to enable you to best meet their expectations.
Our clients are expecting their antenatal course to be: Practical Evidence-based Sociable
Parenthood-focused
Interactive
Open-minded
Balanced
In terms of the general structure of the course, our clients are expecting: 2 hours on Labour and Birth (Uncomplicated) 2 hours on Labour and Birth (Medical Interventions) 2 hours on Life After Birth 2 hours on Infant Feeding 2 hours on Baby First Aid (usually taught by another instructor) A social get-together (without the instructor present) There are certain topics that are essential to our course and should be covered in order to meet our clients’ expectations. And our clients have made it clear that they like the course to be well structured, so these guide lesson plans should be useful. While we are keen to ensure there’s structure to our courses and expectations are met, we encourage you to make your classes your own, by adding character, experience, humour and flair. This really is what makes our classes so unique and special! No single antenatal class is ever going to please everyone, and every group dynamic is different, so please be led by each individual group and get creative with it!
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Sociable.
One of the main reasons people choose Bump and Baby Club is to make long-lasting friendships and it’s important to acknowledge this at the very beginning of the course and encourage friendship-building throughout.
Here are a few crucial things to do at the beginning, to set the sociable tone:
A really warm welcome and a lovely introduction An icebreaker activity (name tags really help!)
Reassure clients that, although it may take a bit of time to feel truly bonded as a group, their connections will really deepen once the babies start arriving and the group WILL become invaluable! Staying in touch with each other after the course has finished is one of the most important things they can do Mention the Class WhatsApp group early (they will already have been given access) - please encourage them to join and get chatting There is no obligation to join the Whatsapp group yourself
but you may if you like (ask Miranda for the link). Please remove yourself once the course has finished Suggest a partners’ only WhatsApp group Let them know about the drinks / female-only time (more detail here)
Remind them about the social get-together, which is scheduled as part of their course. It usually takes place on the Saturday or Sunday after the end of the course and is organised centrally by the Bump and Baby Club team, with one drink per person included. Instructors aren’t required to attend Utilise regular breaks and activities to help clients bond We ask instructors to provide biscuits, with a budget of £5 per class that is reclaimed through expenses
Interactive.
Our clients really enjoy activities that give the class pace, energy, and connection – so please go for it! Avoid falling into the trap of activities for activities sake, however, and include only those that bring an element of fun and aid learning, with clear purpose and conclusion. Not every topic needs an associated activity and particularly topics which will be unfamiliar and information heavy may not benefit from an activity until clients feel they are able to apply new knowledge.
This PowerPoint contains activity ideas for each session of the course - we highly recommend you look through it Join our Team WhatsApp group for peer support, information sharing and ideas Instructors teach in different ways and like different props – please be as inventive as you like! To share images during classes, we recommend printing and laminating images or using the clients’ WhatsApp group
to ping images instantly to their phones You can find a selection of images here.
Please feel free to source your own. We recommend keeping diversity in mind when selecting images
We have a selection of slides that we used for our zoom courses during the pandemic. These have some good images within them, which you’re welcome to use in your classes Our clients would rather not see a PowerPoint presentation, so we strongly discourage this. But if your venue happens to have a projector, it is fine to use it to show images
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Evidenced-based.
The Bumplet is our online guide for clients which they receive a couple of days before the course starts. It contains up to date, evidence-based information on labour, birth and baby care. It is an invaluable resource for clients and it’s really important that you let them know about it at the very beginning of the course, as it can be easily missed within our email.
Invite them to access it during the course on their devices A printable version can be accessed via the contents page Ensure your advice is coherent with that in the Bumplet Be familiar with the contents and direct clients for further reading (you can’t cover everything! And this can be a handy way of managing time/missed sessions) It might be helpful to see your role more as ‘signposting’ people to crucial information and bringing the information to life. You are adding colour and context to the information in the Bumplet, helping people digest the most important messages Please contact us if there is anything you felt unable to answer in a session and need to get back to the group on. You can also use the Team Whatsapp for this purpose. We are here to help! We like to keep all additional resources within the Bumplet section dedicated to this . Please avoid sending links to your groups unless it’s regarding something unique to that group, or needed for an activity within the class If you feel there is something missing from the Bumplet Resources section, please let us know and we would be glad to add it
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Topics to cover.
Here are the topics that are essential to cover, along with guidance notes.
Labour and Birth - Uncomplicated 2 hours
View the class plan >
Where to birth? Home, MLU, Obstetric Ward Have some knowledge of the local units – you’re bound to get asked! Defer to their midwife if you don’t know Time spent on homebirth should be led by the level of interest of the group Physiology of birth Avoid using the terms ‘normal’ or ‘natural’ birth, less problematic alternatives could be ‘non-intervention’ or ‘uncomplicated’ Stages of labour and underlying physiology When to go into hospital – including precipitant labour Coping with Labour Getting the approach right here is really important, clients need to feel free of judgement in their choices. Please discuss it in an open manner, and in detail, so couples feel able to make an informed decision knowing the benefits, risks and alternatives. Non-medical pain relief: Relaxation, breathing, massage, hypnosis, TENS, hydrotherapy Remind clients the course includes a fantastic 90-minute recorded
hypnobirthing course, suitable for any type of birth Medical: Pethidine, Diamorphine, Epidural, Spinal, GA
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Labour and Birth - Medical Interventions 2 hours
View the class plan >
Induction of labour An overview of the process whilst acknowledging this is generalised as each unit will have their own protocol. Complications of Labour This is a good time to invite clients to sound out any anxieties, clarify facts and reassure them about the expertise of those looking after them. Some clients may not want to discuss these topics or may feel squeamish – please ask the group how they feel and invite anyone to step out if they wish. • Premature Labour • Malpresentation (including OP) • Fetal Compromise and Fetal Monitoring • Failure to Progress (please acknowledge the unpleasant terminology here!) • Bleeding (APH/PPH) Management of complications Ventouse and forceps delivery • Difference between them and indication for each • Episiotomy Caesarean Clients value being talked through the process of this, who will be there, how long it will last, where they go afterwards, recovery, associated risks etc. Please bear in mind that some clients will already have an elective caesarean planned and it is crucial that their birth choice is covered in detail and treated with as much care as vaginal birth. • Elective/ Emergency • We would recommend spending at least 30 minutes discussing this
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Life After Birth 2 hours
View the class plan >
Immediate care post-birth • Cord-cutting, Skin to skin, Vitamin K, initial checks, transfer to postnatal ward, NIPE • Touch upon Resus and SCBU admissions
The early weeks Our clients really value information on baby care - it is one of the most important parts of the course for them. Be led by the group - whatever they want to know! Get them on their feet and involved. If you are finding it difficult to fit everything in (we know it is!) then our advice would be to prioritise the practical skills surrounding baby care, as this is what they value the most. Sleeping arrangements and sleep routines need to be discussed in an open and non-judgemental manner whilst also giving up to date evidence and safety guidance. • Practical and interactive • Umbilical cord care • Nappy changing • Bathing • Swaddling (with safety advice) • Winding • Managing a crying baby and troubleshooting • Recognising an unwell baby • Safe Sleeping (SIDs prevention, co-sleeping advice) • Encouraging sleep and routine Emotional health, including PND Discussing postnatal depression, the signs, how common it is, how to differentiate it from baby blues, and how to seek help, is essential, and should be discussed in detail. It is good to emphasise that partners will most likely spot depression before mum does, and that partners themselves can suffer from PND too. Acceptability is key here - as for some people there will still be associated stigma.
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Postpartum recovery This is an essential topic as women can feel woefully unprepared for the realities of motherhood. Our main message is that they should be
kind to themselves and prepared to compromise. • Postpartum healing – how to deal with stitches (abdominal and perineal) and sore perineums • Changes to your body and recovery from birth • Sex after birth • When to see a health professional
Typically, the men leave for a drink at some point during this part of the course (for at least 30 minutes) and it’s important to give the group a heads up about this at least one week in advance, and invite them to let you know if they prefer the group doesn’t split. It is also really important to explain our reasoning for splitting the group. Here it is: We like to create a safe female-only space where women can discuss sensitive topics or ask intimate questions - about their body or anything else at all. eg, how to feed if you have inverted nipples, or what to do if you suffer from incontinence. It also gives the partners some important time to socialise and connect It is also crucial to say that we absolutely do not want to exclude men from the topic of postnatal recovery. They should be included in some of the discussion about it, before they head off for the drink, and encouraged to read The Bumplet for further info and come back to you the following week if they have any questions. Things to bear in mind: - There are no rules - any man, woman or non-binary person can go for the drink or stay in the room. Simply having fewer people in the room creates a less intimidating environment and is valuable for opening up conversation. People should feel free to choose whichever space would be most valuable to them - You are welcome to create some time and facilitate a space within the room for the men, or give them topics to discuss when they go for their drink - If you are unsure how to approach this – please feel free to contact Alex directly to talk it through
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Infant Feeding
View the class plan >
This is an emotive topic for parents and is where we get the most feedback after each course. Getting the balance right between breastfeeding and formula feeding is essential and tone is key for inclusive and non-biased information sharing. We’ve found that clients feel the advice is more balanced if the two feeding methods are introduced together at the beginning of the feeding session in a positive, non binary, manner. You can explain that breastfeeding is likely to be the dominant topic due to technique and troubleshooting advice, rather than any assumed preference. Clients want to know about formula feeding in detail and the class may feel unbalanced without it. There is no obligation to cover the list of pros and cons of breastfeeding vs formula feeding. A minimum of 20 minutes should be spent on formula feeding. State upfront that this class is free from judgment, that all questions are welcome, and that (as ever) we are presenting evidence-based information so that they can feed their little one safely and confidently.
Breastfeeding • Establishing a good milk supply • Positioning and attachment • Feeding cues • Assessing intake • Common breastfeeding problems and management • When and how to seek advice • Expressing and storing breast milk • Mixed feeding Formula feeding • Choosing a feeding bottle and a formula milk • Basics of formula preparation/sterility/storage • How to give a responsive bottle feed • How to know how much to give • How to spot dairy intolerance • How to avoid common problems with formula feeding
Sample class plans.
Here are the sample class plans for you to download and use.
Sample class plan for: 2hr session: Labour and Birth, Uncomplicated
Sample class plan for: 2hr session: Labour and Birth, Instrumental
Sample class plan for: 2hr session: Life After Birth
Sample class plan for: 2hr session: Infant Feeding
Sample class plan for: 4hr session: Labour and Birth (Uncomplicated and Instrumental)
Sample class plan for: 4hr session: Life After Birth and Infant Feeding
Sample class plan for: 6hr session: Labour and Birth (Uncomplicated and Instrumental) and Life After Birth
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Being part of the team.
As a team member you ARE Bump and Baby Club, so please do embody this and let us know if there’s anything else we can do to help you feel a part of the company. Please reflect this in the class by referring to us as the people in the ‘back-office’ rather than ‘Bump and Baby Club’ so we don’t sound like separate entities. To help get you up and running, we require all new starters to watch the full course in-person at least once. Do get in touch if you sense a client might be unhappy - we can’t please everyone all of the time! The best thing we can do is try and spot it early, it can often be really helpful to either have a private chat with that person or we can send a very generic ‘checking in’ email to the whole group. Please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us in the back-office about absolutely anything at all - big or small. We are keen to troubleshoot, solve venue issues and chat through tricky situations with clients. For urgent issues on the day – (such as running late or issues with the venue) it is best to call Alex or Gregg directly or the Bump and Baby Club number 0207 419 8538 Clients receive your name and email address when they sign up to the course (if you’ve given us permission to share it). They are encouraged to contact you if there is something particular about their situation that they’d like to share with you in advance of the course. There is no obligation for you to respond to client emails - please feel free to forward all communication onto us so we can respond for you (we will explain that you are busy!). The important thing is that a member of our team replies to them promptly, so please forward emails on straight away if you aren’t responding yourself. If a client is contacting you about some logistical or operational issue , we prefer to respond to the email ourselves, so please do forward all of those on straight away. You are welcome to let your groups know about any independent service you provide and share a flyer advertising it, but we kindly ask there is no further product placement beyond a flyer. We don’t allow other companies or individuals to advertise their products or services to our groups. If you are approached by a company or individual, please don’t accept their offer. Here is our data protection policy which we kindly ask all instructors to read and sign.
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You are welcome to verbally mention any products and services you like, in an anecdotal way, as long as, there is no suggestion that this is an official recommendation from Bump and Baby Club. If you would like to chat through course content and any of the above with one of our long-standing instructors, we can arrange a zoom call for you. You can bounce ideas, chat through your class plans and ask them anything - please let us know if you’d like us to arrange this.
Thank you for being part of our team. We are so proud to have you on board!
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