Expecting your first child is both exciting and overwhelming! You will quickly find that the more knowledgeable you are, the easier your parenting journey will be. Whether you are pregnant or have a toddler, these first-time parenting classes will help you to feel confident in raising your child!
I thought I was prepared for my first daughter and to my surprise, I had no idea what I was doing. After three months of just “winging it,” I bought my first online parenting course and that changed EVERYTHING for me.
That’s why I put together this list of parenting classes for first-time parents. My hope is to prepare you for this season, so you can enjoy it instead of stressing over every little thing!
The BEST First-Time Parenting Classes
At Bless Our Littles, we like to talk about things we love and think you might enjoy too. Some of the links on this page may be affiliate links (see disclosure here). This means we will receive a commission if you click on a link and make a purchase. This is no extra cost to you. There are some products we have tried and others that we haven’t but think would be helpful to you!
Before we get into all the different kinds of parenting classes you can take, it’s important to note that what you need to learn may look different from me. We both come from different backgrounds… and hat’s okay!
I’ve included all the classes that I believe are helpful for new parents. Many of these classes can be taken online, which I LOVE because I can do it in the comfort of my own home. But there are some classes that will be good for you to connect with other parents too.
1. Pregnancy Nutrition
My water broke at 36 weeks pregnant because my bag of waters was weak. My midwife during my second pregnancy thought this was due to lack of nutrients. Needless to say, taking a daily prenatal vitamin just wasn’t enough.
Focusing on your nutrition during pregnancy is not only going to help you recover faster, but will help you grow a healthy baby. You may be able to find a local nutritionist that holds classes, but this is one you can definitely take online!
Before I got pregnant, I took Kori Meloy’s Freely Rooted course! This is specific to pregnancy, but I believe this way of eating helped me to carry my second baby girl to term…. despite the fact she had a rare congenital heart defect.
I haven’t personally taken Holistically Loved’s Nutrition Class, but I have heard WONDERFUL things about it. This would be a great course if you want something specific for fertility, pregnancy, and postpartum.
2. Birthing Class
You probably expected to see this on the list, BUT DON’T SKIP THIS ONE. (Yes, I put that in all caps to get your attention!)
Finding the right birthing class is the most important part of preparing for labor and delivery. I had no idea that online classes existed until ours was canceled and we were forced to find an alternative.
There are pros and cons to going in person, but personally, I found the online classes WAY more helpful. I could watch each module at my own pace and go back to sections that I wanted to rewatch.
The Best Online Birthing Classes
Since I had no choice but to take a childbirth class online, I have taken two courses that I LOVE. I recommend these to all of my friends.
- Mama Natural Birth Course (Read My FULL Review Here)
- Built to Birth Course (Read My HONEST Review Here)
3. Newborn Class
Everything from swaddling to preventing your baby from peeing on you is important in those early days. Truthfully I thought I was prepared to be a mom, but little did I know that I would be fumbling around as a first-time parent.
In both the Mama Natural and Built to Birth courses, they touch on newborn care but I would HIGHLY recommend investing in the Mama Natural newborn course. Don’t get me wrong, being a new parent isn’t going to be easy no matter how much studying you do, but this class will give you a little more confidence.
Check Out the Mama Natural Baby Care Course here.
4. CPR
Both of my daughters were in the NICU and they required us to take a CPR class prior to taking them home. I’m truly so grateful for this. But, I think it should be mandatory for all parents.
You can take these classes at your local hospital or online as well.
5. Breastfeeding Class
If you plan on breastfeeding, you will want to sign up for a breastfeeding class BEFORE you have your baby. Most childbirth classes will go over the basics, but you will want to invest in something that gives you a deep dive.
After I had my first, we ran into latch issues, distraction, and reflux.. which made breastfeeding really hard and frustrating. There are in-person and online options. If you do want something online ask your midwife, chiropractor, or pediatrician for a lactation consultant they recommend.
For my first pregnancy, I did all my troubleshooting on Karrie Locher’s Instagram. Before she had a course, she used to have all her content for free on her IG. Although she doesn’t share as much free content anymore, I wouldn’t hesitate to purchase her course!
Since then, I’ve had the pleasure of taking the Balanced Breastfeeding Course by Katelyn Lauren. This is hands down one of the best classes I’ve taken (I really didn’t think I could learn more as a second-time mom… and boy was I wrong)! Check out my full review here.
6. Postpartum Class
It’s easy to forget about yourself when you are so excited to meet your little baby. But, you can not be the best mother for your child… if you don’t take care of yourself first.
With my first, I did not prepare (at all) for postpartum. So, when my mom came to help…. she had to do a bunch of shopping for me!
From natural remedies to nourishing meals, it’s important to prepare for this season too. There is so much you NEED to be doing for yourself and these classes will help you navigate this time a little easier.
Bridget Tyler has an AMAZING postpartum course that really helped me to heal faster with my second baby. Check out her Online Postpartum Course Here.
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7. Infant Development Course
This was the first course I ever bought for my daughter (obviously after the Mama Natural birth course). After bringing her home, I realized I knew nothing about how a baby develops. The doctor told me to do tummy time daily, but besides that I had no idea how to help her along the process.
To my surprise, it was much simpler than I thought. I learned all about swaddling, baby “containers,” and simply observing my daughter.
I think every parent needs to take this course, it helps you to tap into your intuition and trust your child’s development.
Check out the NOEL Method by On Track Baby Here!
8. Childhood Wellness Classes
If you decide to take a newborn class you will learn a lot about keeping your baby healthy, but as they grow how to care for them will change. There is this awkward transition from caring for a 0-5 month old and a 6 month+.
I like to take a holistic approach when it comes to my child’s wellness. Here are a couple of courses I would recommend for you:
- Heretical Health (All About V’s)
- Integrative Health Course for Pediatrics
9. Baby Sleep Course
Not every child will struggle with sleep, many of our friends had babies that slept like angels. We did not get so lucky… two times in a row!!
If you want to start things off on the right foot, get the Taking Cara Babies Newborn course. This is my biggest regret, not starting with this one. I waited until 7 months to start helping my daughter to sleep on her own. (Read my thoughts about the Taking Cara Babies Courses here)
Although I needed this for my first, I think I’m going to choose a different course for my second daughter. Their personalities are so different and I don’t think she would do well with TCB. But there are so many options out there, so make sure you choose a class that you feel comfortable with.
10. Baby-Wearing Classes
Did you know there are local baby-wearing classes? If you plan on wearing your baby quite a bit, this would be a really good one to take.
You can check here or on Facebook to see if you can find any local groups. Most of the time these are free too!
Of course there are Youtube videos and such, but I think it’s a good idea to get a fit check by someone who knows what they are looking for. Safely babywearing will keep your back from hurting and will ensure your child doesn’t get hip displaysia or suffocate from improper positioning.
[Here is my FAVORITE Stretchy Wrap for Baby Carrying Infants!]
11. Sign Language Class
A lot of parents find that sign language helps them to communicate with their child at an early age. It saves both you and baby a lot of frustration!
You can find both local and online sign language classes to help you learn so you can teach your baby!
12. Starting Solid Foods Class
One of the scariest parts of being a parent was introducing food to my baby. I was so worried she was going to choke. At first, I started out with purees and quickly found myself looking into baby-led weaning.
Whether you choose to start off with baby food or want to try baby-led weaning, you will want to find classes to help you through it. This will help you navigate when, how, and what kinds of food you should give your baby.
I loved this course by Solid Starts! They also have a lot of free resources on their blog as well.
13. Infant Massage
If you get the opportunity to learn infant massage, you definitely should jump on it! With my second daughter, I was given the classes through the state’s Infant Toddler Program.
Infant massage has helped my daughter and I to connect, along with helping us work through a lot of the trauma we both experienced. There are certified therapists that you can find locally, who will teach you!
14. Potty Training
Potty training is this daunting milestone that can feel really hard and a little bit overwhelming. Anyone you talk to will probably have some horror story, but in my experience it wasn’t that bad!
Again, knowledge is power. The more you know, the more confident you are, the easier your child will adjust.
There are a couple of online courses that are AWESOME! I would definitely save these for when the time comes:
15. Discipline
I saved the best for last because EVERYONE needs to take some kind of course for discipline. Honestly, we were just flying by the seat of our pants for the first 18 months. We wish we invested in a course sooner.
The more consistent you are in your discipline, the less your child is going to “act out.” The earlier they learn what to expect, the easier toddlerhood will be.
There are so many parenting styles out there from gentle parenting, and respectful parenting, to positive parenting. They are all fairly similar although they have different approaches.
Here are some of the best Online Parenting Courses:
My Thoughts…
The amazing part about the world we live in is that you don’t need to know it all right now. Being a new parent means there are millions of other people who’ve already done it! With so many resources out there you can feel confident that you are going to care for, nurture, guide, and raise a good little human!
I hope these first time parenting classes help you to be the mom or dad that God has called you to be!
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