Rotherham mums offered online ante-natal classes

The Government-backed four-week courses consist of weekly emails which begin when mums hit the six-month mark in their pregnancy.

Each lesson covers vital areas including making a birth plan, coping with labour, bonding with your baby and managing how your other children react to the new addition.

There are also versions for first-time mums and mums with other kids who need a refresher course.

Figures from the Royal College of Midwives show that more than half of expectant mums are no longer offered free ante-natal classes on the National Health.

Netmums says private ante-natal classes can cost from £90, putting them out of the reach of many parents and meaing that three quarters of low-income mums do not attend any ante-natal classes.

Netmums Rotherham editor Donna Heaton said: "Pregnancy and birth can be an expensive time, as mums have to pay out for cots and clothes to nappies and prams.

Not only will our exciting new Netmums Online Pregnancy and Birth course save local mums money - it will also save time as parents to be can study it at a time to suit them instead of being tied to attending a class."

Parents can sign up at www.netmums.com/pregnancy/pregnancy-course-sign-up

Netmums has more than a million members around the UK and £8,510 in Rotherham.