Doulas provide non-medical support to women and can be invaluable in providing knowledgeable and emotional support for families during labour and childbirth, and the postpartum period.
Most first-time mothers find the prospect of childbirth extremely daunting. The fear of the unknown and knowledge that births aren’t always straightforward lead many women to attend childbirth preparation classes or employ a doula.
The Health Services Authority (HSA) offers a free eight-week educational series called ‘ParentCraft’. Classes are held on Monday evenings 5.30pm-7pm at the Hibiscus Conference Room located at the Anthony S. Eden Hospital. There is no charge or need to register in advance. Led by experts in the relevant fields, topics include, among others: nutrition for pregnancy, labour and delivery, knowing your baby, breastfeeding, infant CPR, alternative methods of delivery and immediate post-natal care both in the hospital and at home, safety, immunisations, family planning, relaxation in pregnancy and motor development in the first 12 months. If you miss any classes, you may make them up during a subsequent eight-week course cycle. Please call Tel: (345) 244 2649 or (345) 244 7627 for more information. You can also visit the HAS ParentCraft Class page.
Doctors Hospital offers free antenatal classes that are an hour long and run for three consecutive weeks. Topics include what to expect when you’re pregnant, pregnancy complications, health and nutrition, the four stages of labour and recovery, breastfeeding, mental health and newborn care. You will also be offered a tour of the maternity ward. Tel: (345) 325 9000.
OceanMed also offers antenatal classes which educate and empower women through pregnancy, childbirth, and postpartum. Led by a certified childbirth educator, the classes provide evidence-based, Cayman-specific guidance to help you feel confident and prepared. Choose between a 4-week series on a weekday evening or a one-day weekend session.
Topics include birth preferences, hospital information, labour stages and pain management, partner support, breastfeeding, postpartum recovery, newborn care, and practical tasks like birth registrations and health insurance.
These sessions also foster a welcoming community for expecting parents to connect and build lasting support networks. For class details, dates, and prices, contact Elyse at epascal@oceanmed.ky.
RVC Rehab Services/Nurturing Birth Experience offers group and private courses in the Lamaze method of childbirth which approaches childbirth as a natural and healthy process and neither supports nor discourages the use of medical interventions delivery. Instead, they educate mums-to-be about their options so that they can make informed decisions. The course consists of four two-and-a-half-hour sessions with a maximum of 12 couples. They are also a great way to meet other parents-to-be. Refresher childbirth classes, lactation consultation, and doula services are also available. Tel: (345) 949 6024 or (345) 916 8970.
Island Doula Ltd. offers birth and postpartum doula services for mums to be and their families by providing emotional, practical/physical and informational support. As a certified birth and postpartum Doula, with a Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing, Monique Hayles can assist with everything from creating a birth plan, birth preparation classes, labour/ birth support, postpartum preparation classes and postpartum care. Island Doula Ltd. also offers several packages ranging from four to twelve weeks of support. Custom packages can also be curated based on a family’s specific needs. For more information, call (345) 928 8876 or email: info@islanddoula.ky. You can also find Island Doula on Facebook at @monique.hayles.ledgister or on Instagram at @island.doula.
Ariel Grace is a pre and postnatal Pilates instructor, birth doula and founder of The Mom Method. She teaches a “Prep to Push” workshop, offers private 1:1 and group prenatal and postnatal Pilates classes and offers doula support. You can find her on Instagram @arielgracewellness or visit www.arielgracewellness.com.
Candice Langford is a pelvic health physiotherapist at Align Wellness Studio. Her sessions help empower and prepare women for childbirth. Tel: (345) 640 5050.
