Antenatal Weekend Idea, opinions please :)

[Jellybe4n]

Hi all, I am after feedback, suggestions and opinions (good and bad) about an idea I have had for a business.

I have recently qualified as a Midwife and the job situation is pretty dire. However I do live in a beautiful part of the UK and thought I may be able to use this together with my qualification.

I would like to look into Antenatal Weekends or Pregnancy Retreats. The type of thing where expectant couples go away together for the weekend to meet others in their position and spend the weekend learning about the usual antenatal class stuff (labour, birth, early days, feeding etc) as well as extras such as pregnancy massage session, aromatherapy etc.

There are so many formats for this and so many different things that could be included. Super luxury, high end, middle market, low budget. Pregnancy massage, aromatherapy, baby massage, waterbirth, real nappies. The lists really go on.

So, I guess my questions are as follows:

Is it something that could work (if done in the right way)?
What would be good to include in the weekend?
Does there need to be something specifically for the Dads? If so, ideas...
What would be pointless including/best left out?
What would encourage people?
What would put people off?
Best suited to a particular price range, or a few weekends targeted at different price ranges?

Any other comments would also be gratefully received.

Thanks in advance

Hello

Congrats on qualifying.

I think it sounds like a nice idea....however I think the main reason for paying for anything like that is to meet other local parents. So, going away for the weekend doesn't tick that box, unless it is very near where you live.

I guess if money is no object one might do this and nct etc classes? Maybe target well off mummies-to-be?

Personally I didn't feel like any pampering during pregnancy, but I know of women's like it.

Not sure if that is much help.

Good luck.

Yes a weekend away seems an upheval to me when you are pregnant and a total impossibility if you have other children, plus a whole weekend of pregnancy stuff with strangers would put me right off and I not sure at all if my DH would have wanted to do a group thing. Such intimate and private needs and wants and to share with strangers, not sure if that would fly.

I also hated pamper stuff during pregnancy, hated being touched.

However, I would have loved to meet other pregnant ladies on a day course or something to talk and share stuff about being pregnant, especially for the first time. I think a weekend would be totally overkill and expensive when so mauch stuff to get for a baby, market may be quite small, sorry, being honest.

However, the chance to sit will a real life midwife in a comfoting lovley environment would be lovely, nice lunch, discussion and presentation on various things, sounds lovley.

Thanks for your replies, it is certainly very useful to have honest opinions on the idea, regardless of whether they are positive or negative :)

carocaro The idea of a day 'workshop' to sit in a relaxing environment with a midwife over lunch etc sounds a good idea - thanks :)

watersign Thank you. I had also thought of perhaps some private antenatal classes and/or early babycare/feeding. Again, relaxed and perhaps a course of several over a few weeks...

Any further comments more then welcome :o

Have you thought about becoming a HypnoBirthing practitioner? I did the course and my teacher was (still is) a midwife and I think that is a really reassuring thing if they have that experience and qualification.