pregnancy workshops
Most parents prepare for birth — but far fewer are helped to understand the emotional, neurological and lifestyle changes that come with becoming a parent.
During pregnancy and early parenthood, it’s common to experience anxiety, emotional intensity, identity shifts or self-doubt as your mind, body and nervous system adapt to this new role.
These workshops take a whole-health approach to the transition into parenthood, helping you understand what’s happening internally and how to navigate this period with greater clarity, confidence and self-compassion.
understanding the transition to parenthood
Many parents are surprised by how much their thoughts, emotions and sense of identity can shift during pregnancy and the early months of parenting. Feelings such as anxiety, overwhelm or self-doubt can appear even when a baby is deeply wanted.
Often, these experiences are not signs that something is wrong. They are connected to the profound neurological and emotional changes that occur as the brain adapts to parenthood. These changes are part of how the brain prepares you to care for and protect your baby.
Drawing on psychology, neuroscience, trauma-informed practice and a whole-health perspective on wellbeing, these pregnancy workshops help you understand what’s happening in your brain, body and nervous system — so you can approach the transition into parenthood with greater calm, confidence and self-compassion.
These live online workshops support mums and partners to better understand the emotional, physical and neurological transition into parenthood.
upcoming workshops
finding your ground in early parenthood
a kinder approach to navigating change
Pregnancy prepares your body for birth - but many mums and their partners are surprised by how much their thoughts, emotions and sense of identity can shift as they prepare to care for a baby.
You might notice yourself worrying more, feeling more emotionally sensitive, questioning whether you’ll cope, or wondering why things suddenly feel harder than expected.
In this free live workshop, we explore why these experiences are so common during pregnancy and early parenthood, and how the brain naturally adapts to help parents care for and protect their baby.
We’ll also gently unpack some of the cultural stories that can increase pressure on parents, such as the idea of “baby brain” as a loss of ability, or the expectation that good parents should instinctively know what to do.
You’ll leave with a clearer understanding of why these experiences arise, reassurance that they make sense, and a few simple ways to reduce pressure and approach this transition with more confidence and self-compassion.
who should attend?
This free workshop is for anyone who is pregnant, preparing to welcome a baby, or supporting a partner through pregnancy - whether it’s your first or your fifth, and however your family is growing, including through adoption or surrogacy.
Parents often attend because they:
Notice themselves worrying more than usual and wonder if this is normal
Feel emotionally more sensitive or overwhelmed than they expected
Start to question whether they’ll cope when the baby arrives
Want to understand what’s happening psychologically and neurologically during the transition into parenthood
Feel pressure to “get everything right” and would like a calmer, more compassionate perspective
Want to prepare not just for birth, but for the emotional and identity changes that come with becoming a parent
Learn to recognise what's really happening beneath the surface, and see how caring for yourself helps your baby thrive even before they arrive. Many parents say that simply understanding these changes replaces self-doubt with a sense of relief.
“Iona’s session opened my eyes to the science around baby brain development and really made me see how important my own wellbeing is. Invaluable information for every parent.” – workshop attendee
when is the best time to book?
You’re welcome to attend this workshop at any stage of pregnancy.
Some parents join early in pregnancy to better understand the transition ahead, while others attend later when the reality of becoming a parent begins to feel more immediate.
Partners are also very welcome, as it is helpful to explore these ideas together.
Workshops are live and online, lasting around 60 minutes.
"I created these workshops to give expectant parents the kind of insight and calm I wish every family had access to - science you can trust, delivered with compassion. However you’re growing your family, you deserve to feel confident, informed, and supported from the very beginning."
Iona Reading, founder New Life Classes
based in the UK, supporting parents worldwide
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