Dutch ex-pat mums (and mums-to-be) - pregnancy classes in English?

[n0ne]

Hi ladies

Sorry, this is a really specific question but I'm expecting in 13 weeks (eek!) and I really need to pull my finger out about taking pregnancy yoga or exercise classes. I've drawn a blank googling for classes in English - does anyone know of any? I'm based in Den Bosch and work in Nijmegen so Noord Brabant or Gelderland would be ideal.

Alternatively, have any of you done these classes in Dutch? My Dutch isn't fluent but isn't terrible either - would I be able to follow it?

Thank you!

Hi, I had both my babies here and chose not to do classes.

I doubt you'll get anything specifically in English unless you go to den Haag or Brussels. However my midwives were fluent in English and my spd physio gave pregnancy yoga classes and said she'd be happy to translate - I didn't go because I was on the couch at 8, not limbering up!

What do you feel you're missing by not getting a class?

Fwiw I do les mills classes and am not 100% fluent. You can follow and copy most stuff although its hard to understand the application of muscles for Pilates moves.

Hi DolomitesDonkey

I just figured (being the gym-shy person that I usually am) that it would help the labour if I did classes specifically designed to strengthen and train those bits of the body I'll be using. I'm not un-fit, but I'm no Marianne Vos either!

nOne don't worry - having supertight muscles from being a gym-bunny can actually hinder things as they contract semi-automatically and can work against the uterine contractions. There are people who do crunches in bed to firm up their muscles before being discharged, but not many thank goodness.

Just order yourself some raspberry leaf tea tablets from the UK and take them for a few weeks before, and remember that your body will do the work, and all you have to do, is to let it.

I got the mistaken idea from my ante-natal classes that I would be able to control things a little - you know 'the 3 good pushes with each contraction crap' at the final stage. I didn't do any of it - the little being I'd had inside me decided on her due date that today was her birthday.

The only time I've experience anything like it was being violently sick due to food-poisoning. I found my stomach muscles were able to contract so violently all on their own that the air was forced out of my lungs. In the event, I felt rather a failure as I didn't give '3 good pushes' when the midwife told me to - didn't have the breath to tell her it was dd giving the first 2, and not me.

Good luck, and relax as much as you can.

I didn't do any pregnancy yoga/exercise classes (wanted to do pregnancy swimming but the only classes clashed with working!). I just kept active through walking (normally a runner but stopped completely when I was pregnant).

I think that you could follow if you had basic Dutch (based on general exercise class experience) but as Baronness says, something like pilates was harder to follow.

Enjoy the rest of your pregnancy.

I wasn't on this one (yet) Engelsemama! It was Donkey.

If you're not on maternity leave yet, I could meet you in Nijmegen one day after work for a coffee as it's not too far from me. PM if you fancy it, and aren't too knackered.

If you get in touch with Den Bosch International Women's Club (will post a link later when I'm on the laptop) someone may well know where you could go.

here Just drop 'em an email.

The expat scene isn't really my thing but there are some lovely people involved

Oh yeah just remembered, got this reminder for the monthly night out a few days ago:

Pub Night

Just a quick reminder that the first pub night of 2013 will be taking place this Friday (Jan 25th)

Where : Verkadefabriek
When : from 8 till late

If you're new and would like us to look out for you then please get in contact with Roz ([email protected] )
Everyone is welcome. You, your partner, friends, colleagues etc. We look forward to seeing you there!

I've not been to one but I've heard tell they're fun evenings - might be worth dropping in.

oops baroness - Sorry donkey!