Virtual Classes

Mount Sinai offers live virtual childbirth classes taught by certified childbirth educators. Our introductory classes—with several options and supplemental courses—will prepare you for the prenatal, childbirth, and postpartum periods.

Our small group classes are highly interactive. They provide a comprehensive overview of each topic. The schedule and cost of virtual classes are available here. If you have any concerns about the cost, please don’t hesitate to reach out. Private classes are available on each of these topics upon request.

Introductory Courses

We offer three introductory courses, Understanding Birth, Understanding Your Newborn and Parenting Guidance, and Understanding Breastfeeding. They will prepare you for childbirth and newborn care. We recommend that you complete all three courses during your prenatal period.

We appreciate that our patients have busy schedules and different learning styles. You may want to review material weekly, devote one day to learning, or learn just the basics.

Understanding Birth Course

Understanding Birth is a class with three course options. The courses vary in length, but all address these topics:

Pregnancy
Stages of labor
Breathing and relaxation/massage techniques
Pain management
Scheduled induction
Cesarean birth
Postpartum preparation

All the Understanding Birth courses offer lectures, slides, videos, and demonstrations. You will also have time to practice breathing, relaxation, and massage techniques, and ask questions. The three course options are:

Understanding Birth is a series of three classes, held over three consecutive weeks. Each session lasts for three hours.
Understanding Birth (Comprehensive) is a one-day, 6.5-hour class divided into morning and afternoon sessions.
Understanding Birth (Fast-Paced) is a 3.5-hour express class that covers the basics of childbirth.

Understanding Your Newborn and Parenting Guidance Course

Understanding Your Newborn and Parenting Guidance is a 3.5-hour course that addresses the essentials of newborn care and parenting guidance. You will learn about:

Newborn traits and behaviors
Sleeping patterns
Soothing your baby
Diapering
Bathing
Feeding
Safety

You will also practice holding, burping, diapering, and swaddling an infant. We will provide guidance on making decisions, healthy attachment, and development from birth to six months. We do not address breastfeeding. This class is led by experts in parenting and human development.

Understanding Breastfeeding Course

Understanding Breastfeeding is a two-hour prenatal class taught by a certified lactation consultant. We talk about:

How to succeed at breastfeeding
Stimulating milk production
Positions for breastfeeding
Getting a good latch
Expressing milk

Comfort Measures During Childbirth Course

Comfort Measures During Childbirth is a two-hour interactive class that complements the Understanding Birth classes, and is especially helpful for people who have taken the fast-paced class. We emphasize:

Practicing positions for labor during the first and second stages
Breathing and relaxation techniques
Labor massage

We will not discuss pain management.

Infant CPR and Safety Course

Infant CPR and Safety is a 2.5-hour infant cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and safety class. It addresses CPR techniques for infants from birth to one year. An RN and certified CPR instructor will teach you how to recognize choking and what to do if it happens. The class will also address:

Safe sleep positions for babies
Infant and child safety
Safety products
Burn care
Poison control
When to call 911