Our Active Birth Skills Workshop is a practical and interactive antenatal class for pregnant mums, birthing parents and your birth support person. Whether you are planning to birth in a hospital or at home, are a first time, second, or fifth-time mum, this antenatal class is designed by midwives, just for you. Read below for what the workshop covers, Frequently Asked Questions and booking into our next workshop - Sunday February 16th, 2025.

Partner applying pressure and use of water to manage pain in labour. Photo credit: Exist Images

The Better Births Illawarra Active Birth Skills workshop is hands-on and interactive where you will learn different labour and birth positions.

Active birth has proven links to labours which are shorter, less painful and decrease the need for medical interventions such as inductions, epidurals and Caesarean Sections. Rather than lying down during labour, active birth encourages movement and how you can use gravity to assist with the birth of your baby.

This workshop is facilitated by two midwives who have supported hundreds of women through labour and birth.

The content is practical, interactive and easy to understand and helps the partner or birth support person to know how they can best support the birthing person.

In this workshop we explore:

• Benefits of active birth including the physiology of birth;

Simulation: Partner using a towel to assist with a contraction. Photo Credit: BBi at ActiveBirth Workshop 2023.

• Active birth positions during labour and birth;

• How your birth support people can assist you. For eg positions, massage, emotional support and advocacy;

• Using props in labour such as birth balls, mats, birthing stool, slings and everyday items in your home;

• How to manage pain with water (shower and bath), breathing techniques, positions and more;

• Making the most of your birth environment (at hospital or home) during active birth;

• The Golden Hour - breastfeeding and skin to skin after birthing your baby

• Informed Consent - How to make informed choices and communicate them to your care provider;

Frequently Asked Questions

  • It is entirely up to you, however, we recommend from around 30 weeks onwards. The information will be more relevant and useful for you and you and your partner (if you have one) will have greeater levels of retention of the ideas, tools and examples shared.

  • Yes! The skills and tools are relevant to wherever you choose to birth. You will be introduced to a range of birth props that are found in most hospitals and some you can source for home.

  • If you have any of the following, please bring:

    • A mat (like a fitness mat),

    • a fit ball (we have a pump at the venue and spares if you do not own one),

    • a notebook and pen

    • a water bottle.

  • We recommend comfortable clothing as we will have you up and down and moving around in active birth positions! Sometimes we struggle to get the room temperature to everyone's preference so layers are always good!!

  • Tea, coffee, water, juice and a simple assortment of biscuits and fruit for afternoon tea will be provided. There is a 45 minute lunchbreak at 12.30pm where you can bring your own lunch or have lunch at one of the cafes right near the venue.

  • Absolutely! If you do not have a support person/partner or they are unable to attend you are most welcome to come solo.

    If you have more than one birth support person please let us know so we can accomodate you, we will not charge a full price for the extra person but will need to register them and cover costs for catering. We will ensure when we are working through different techniques for active birth that you are supported in positions to get the most out of the course.

  • We provide refunds however as a not-for profit organisation we must cover our workshop costs. Refunds will incur:

    • 50% deduction of the original ticket price if cancelled within 2 day of the workshop

    • 30% deduction of the original ticket price if cancelled 3-14 days of the workshop

    • Full refund for cancellations 15 days or more.

  • We are committed to economic justice and understand that financial resources shouldn't determine whether you attend the workshop. Please email us with the subject line: Discount Ticket OR Free Ticket and we can discuss a reduced ticket.

  • Item descriptiYes, you can. We have had doulas attend in the past as a support person for their pregnant client and to learn and upskill.

    We do ask that you take no photos or videos on the day and credit the facilitators and Better Births Illawarra if you share information in your own classes or mentoring. This is a respectful exchange that honours the lineage of knowledge, returning power to the source.


Our work is conducted on what always was and always will be Aboriginal land — the Countries of the Wodi Wodi, Wandi Wandandian, Dharawal, Yuin of the Yuin Nation. Our work is committed to justice for all people including the sovereignty of First Nations people, knowledge systems and practices. In our work, we commit to reverence, healing, respect, responsibility and reciprocity with all beings, the land, sky, seas and waterways and pay our deepest respect to Elders past, present and emerging.