Antenatal sessions; lived experience and staff views of provision in Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire

This report summarises the findings from a survey conducted to find out what people think about antenatal education in Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire. The survey was open from November 2023 until February 2024. Participants were required to have received antenatal care/education or been pregnant within the past two years. In total, 263 people completed the survey.

Based on the findings, the report makes ten recommendations.

• Increase awareness about antenatal education; advertise in health settings and promote both in-person and online.
• Ensure that every eligible person is offered antenatal education, and that those offered an antenatal fayre also have access to antenatal classes.
• Offer antenatal education outside of normal working hours, to increase participation from those who work.
• Offer antenatal education at a reasonable time before the baby is due.
• Limit the size of antenatal classes so that individuals can socialise and feel part of a close group.
• Facilitate antenatal classes so that everyone can contribute.
• Increase content covered around breastfeeding, beyond ‘breast is best’ approach.
• Increase content covered about labour beyond vaginal birth, to include more information about caesarean sections.
• Provide more information (signpost to local support, websites, apps etc) about postnatal support for mum, baby and family, to involve information about breastfeeding support, mental health, relationship dynamics, and looking after a newborn.
• Consider adjustments to the content so that attendees from all population groups in BNSSG feel included.