Pregnancy course
Pregnancy and birth course in Utrecht and Bilthoven
Antenatal classes for couples who want to prepare together, with exercises you will really use at home and in the birth room. Small groups, practical and personal.
View the dates and sign up →
Who it is for
For anyone expecting a baby who wants to prepare with your partner. Whether this is your first baby or your third, and whether you plan to give birth at home or in hospital, you learn what your body is doing, what you can steer, and what your partner can actually do.
Most couples join their childbirth classes between week 20 and week 30, so there is time to practise. Further along? Send us a message and we will see what still fits.
Would you rather come on your own, or with your mother, sister or a friend instead of your partner? That works too.
One course, four forms
PUUR Zwanger teaches one pregnancy course, and you follow it in the form that fits your weeks. The content is the same every time.
Group course, four Tuesday evenings
Utrecht city centre, with a maximum of seven couples. Time to practise between the evenings.
€ 375
Course in one day
Bilthoven. Everything in one go, useful if you cannot free up several evenings.
€ 310
Two Saturday afternoons
Bilthoven, with time in between to let things land and practise yourself.
€ 375
Private course
At your home or in Bilthoven, fully at your own pace and your own questions. Includes the birth affirmation cards.
€ 549
More about the private course →
Taken a course before?
For a next pregnancy there is the single refresher session: one session of € 250, tailored to your questions, in which we go through the exercises together again. It is not one of the course forms, but a session in its own right.
If you have taken a course with PUUR Zwanger before, you get a discount on a new one. Just ask and I will work it out for you.
More about the single session →The Birth Course, in English
Our regular courses are taught in Dutch. Once a quarter we teach the PUUR Zwanger Birth Course, the same course in English, in Bilthoven.
It is a good fit for international parents in and around Utrecht who are looking for birth classes or hypnobirthing classes in English. A private course in English is available on request.
What the course covers
- Relaxation and breathing techniques
- Visualisation techniques
- Physical exercises and positions
- Positive thinking and mental preparation
- Connecting with your baby
- Watching birth films
- Writing a birth plan
- Understanding how birth unfolds and how to move with it
What we work with
We use techniques from hypnobirthing: relaxation, breathing and visualisation. That sounds vague to many people, but it is practical, and it is based on how your nervous system behaves when you are tense.
Hypnobirthing is not a method you have to follow here. The core is body awareness and staying in charge: feeling what is happening, knowing what you can choose, and being able to say it out loud to your partner and your midwife. Breathing, relaxation and visualisation are the tools.
How this compares to classic antenatal classes
Classic antenatal classes are mostly about information: what happens and what to expect. You get that here too, and on top of it you practise, so that you have something to fall back on when it counts.
Whether you are searching for childbirth classes, birth classes or a pregnancy course, you end up in the same place. You learn more than breathing alone: making choices, working together with your partner and with your midwife, and what to do when things go differently than you expected.
Upcoming dates
Upcoming courses
Dates occasionally change, always check the current schedule on this page before registering. Availability updated on 10 September 2026.
Where the course takes place
Utrecht city centre
Heppienest
On Maliebaan, in the middle of the city centre, in a characterful listed building, with paid parking nearby.
Bilthoven
MIKA Yoga & Coffee
Emmaplein 20, a minute's walk from the station, with free parking using a blue disc right outside.
The private course can also take place at your home. Bilthoven is about fifteen minutes from Utrecht Central. You receive the address of your course by email.
What couples say
★★★★★
“My partner and I had two lovely private hypnobirthing sessions with Gaby. We not only learned new skills to relax, we also talked about the subjects that matter most to us. It brought us closer together as a couple.”
— Laurens · Private sessions · via Google, translated from Dutch
★★★★★
“The course is a good combination of theory and exercises. For us, two rather down-to-earth people, it was a lovely way to pause and think about the baby, the birth and how we work together, and this preparation gave us confidence for both births.”
— Meike · Two-day course and a refresher · via Google, translated from Dutch
★★★★★
“It helped me through the trauma of my first birth and contributed enormously to the smooth birth I have just had. Our preparation felt safe and kind, with plenty of room for our story and our wishes.”
— Daphne · Private course · via Google, translated from Dutch
Frequently asked questions
What does a pregnancy course in Utrecht cost?
The group course of four evenings is € 375, the two-day course € 375, the one-day course € 310 and the private course € 549. That is for the two of you together, not per person.
Does my health insurance cover it?
More and more supplementary Dutch policies cover part of a pregnancy course. The conditions differ per policy, so check with your own insurer beforehand.
From which week can I start?
Most couples start between week 20 and week 30. That leaves enough time to practise before your due date.
Does my partner have to come?
We would love it, but it is not required. The course is built to prepare you together, including what your partner does during the birth. If you prefer to come alone or with someone else who supports you, that is fine too.
What is the difference between antenatal classes and hypnobirthing classes?
Antenatal classes are mostly about information. In hypnobirthing classes you get that information as well, and you practise relaxation and breathing, and how to use them when things get intense.
Is the course available in English?
Yes, the PUUR Zwanger Birth Course runs once a quarter in Bilthoven. A private course in English is available on request.
How do I sign up?
Through the sign-up form on this site. You choose the date and the form that suits you there.
Ready to sign up?
If a date moves, we find another one that suits you, or you get everything back.