Prepare the Nest

My husband and I chose this class to fit into our busy schedules, without checking the class content. We had a reasonably good experience, especially considering the two-​session time limit. The instructor was pleasant and friendly, the facility is beautiful, and the class atmosphere was relaxed and welcoming, with snacks and beverages provided, and hands-​on practice at skills like diapering and swaddling. There was also a commendable focus on modern baby-​friendly practices such as immediate skin-​to-​skin contact after birth and professional care from a lactation consultant.
That said, unfortunately, I can’t recommend this class to anyone planning an unmedicated childbirth, especially with a hospital midwifery practice or birth center. The instructor favors and recommends OB/​GYN-​supervised in-​hospital birth with epidural anesthesia, and although she made a genuine effort to make us welcome in her classroom (which we appreciated) despite our plans for a drug-​free in-​hospital birth with midwives, she simply had very little information or practical coping skills to offer us. Even the brief lesson on breathing exercises was presented simply as something to help women «get through» early labor until an epidural could be administered. In the end, we learned very little that proved helpful during our actual delivery.
Also, the childcare class covered only disposable diapering, and the instructor provided no materials for hands-​on cloth diapering practice. We were referred to her website for more information, but it was minimal and discouraging at best. (We chose to cloth diaper anyway, with instruction from Google and YouTube, and it’s been a very positive experience for us.)
Finally, although one of our biggest hopes was to meet other parents-​to-​be in the area, there was no encouragement to get to know our classmates beyond very basic introductions. Even in such a short class, I would have appreciated at least a few minutes’ focus on forming connections with each other.
With all that said, Prepare The Nest does seem like a solid option for parents-​to-​be with limited time and an approach to childbirth that aligns closely with the instructor’s. It just wasn’t a good match for us. If you’re planning to birth without an epidural, don’t make our mistake; do your homework, and choose either a class with a broader curriculum covering multiple birth options, or one that focuses specifically on unmedicated birth.

We attended the Childbirth, Newborn Care&Breastfeeding class, Nicole is very knowledgeable and very helpful. We are now more prepared for our upcoming baby and know what to expect.

Prepare the Nest’s Childbirth, Newborn Care & Breastfeeding class was such an excellent experience for my husband and I. We are first time parents, and felt overwhelmed with what to expect with the birth and care of our child.
Nicole Shanks is a wonderful teacher, and with her engaging, energetic approach and labor and delivery nursing background, she made us feel calm and much more educated and prepared for the upcoming birth of our baby.
The classes were small and taught in a relaxed setting, and Nicole was great at encouraging questions and participation from each couple.
We liked that instead of attending six weeks worth of classes like many other birth courses, Prepare the Nest offers a two-​night class (three hours each, spread a week apart) which was more conducive to our busy schedule.
Thank you, Prepare the Nest, for helping us to be ready to meet our baby!
I would highly recommend this class to others.

Prepare the Nest is a great alternative to the traditonal hospital-​sponsored new parent class experience. My husband and I took the Childbirth and Newborn Care class this past weekend (one five hour class on a Saturday) with Nicole (the owner) and it was GREAT. Nicole went through the entire labor process and explained all labor and delivery options in detail. After that, we went through basic infant care, including diapering, bathing, and swaddling. We asked all of our questions and Nicole was open and honest about her experiences as both a mother and a labor and delivery nurse. The class was fun, relaxed, and encouraging. We are also registered for the Infant CPR and Breastfeeding clases. Looking forward to getting solid, honest information to prepare us for the imminent arrival of our little one!
I strongly recommend Prepare the Nest for your new parent needs. We came home feeling that, hey, maybe we CAN handle parenthood :-)