CenteringPregnancy: the newest form of pregnancy guidance

CenteringPregnancy is a new form of pregnancy guidance from the United States of America. Instead of having short, individual consults with your midwife, the consults will take place in a group.

centeringpregnancyYou can have a much more active role here than with regular pregnancy check-ups. The women and midwives who gained experience with CenteringPregnancy are very enthusiastic about it. “CP is highly recommended, no women’s whining, but a good preparation for pregnancy, childbirth and the postnatal period with other nice women, where you can benefit from each other. Now that we’re all on maternity leave, we’re still in contact a lot.”

How does CenteringPregnancy work?

What does pregnancy guidance with CenteringPregnancy look like:

  1. The intake is individual
  2. The next ten meetings will take place in a fixed group
  3. The group consists of eight to fourteen pregnant women with a similar due date
  4. The meetings last two hours
  5. The dates and times of the meetings are scheduled beforehand
  6. The group will be guided by two supervisors (a midwife and an assistant)
  7. From 37 weeks of pregnancy (or after the 9th meeting) you will have individual consults at the consultation hour again

“CP is highly recommended, no women’s whining, but a good preparation for pregnancy”

What is different?

What is different from an individual consult:

  1. You have an active role in your own check-ups: measuring your own blood pressure, weighing yourself, filling in the results in your file.
  2. There is ample time to discuss topics more profoundly.
  3. Guest speakers are invited regularly.
  4. There is a lot of focus on what you can do yourself to have a healthy pregnancy and childbirth.
  5. You will learn from other women and you share your own knowledge and experience with the rest of the group.
  6. You support each other and build a relationship with other women at the same stage of life.

What does a meeting look like?

Every meeting starts with half an hour of catching up and drinking some coffee and tea. You will use this time efficiently as well: you measure your own blood pressure, weigh yourself and write down everything in your own file. Next to this, every pregnant woman visits the midwife for an external examination, to listen to your baby’s heartbeat and for any individual questions. These check-ups take place in the same room, but shielded.

During this first half hour, your partner (and older child, if this is the case) is/are very welcome. As soon as we start with the continuation of the meeting, we will continue in the regular group. Then, a topic is explored, such as healthy food or antenatal testing. It’s important that it’s not a one-way street, where the midwife provides you with information. It is up to you and your group members to discuss the topic. The midwife will add information where necessary. Furthermore, it’s not just talking, there are all kinds of exercises and assignments that provide variety. Last but not least, a meeting is scheduled in which you prepare for labour together with your partners.

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Interested?

You can sign up for the meetings with our assistant or at the consultation hour. If you are not sure whether CenteringPregnancy fits you, you can still sign up. Try at least the first three meetings and if it doesn’t fit you, you can still continue with individual consults.