Best Birthing Classes for Natural Birth

When considering birthing classes for natural birth, you have a lot of good options to choose from.  And thank goodness for that!  Because if you are preparing for a natural, low-intervention birth, the class you choose matters more than almost anything else you do during pregnancy.

As a licensed midwife who has supported hundreds of families through home births, birth-center births, and natural hospital births, I’ve seen firsthand:

• which classes actually prepare families,
• which ones create confidence,
• which ones reduce fear,
• and which ones feel good but don’t teach the practical skills needed during labor.

After reviewing the top birthing classes for natural birth and working with many families who have used them, this is my midwife-authored guide to the best online birthing classes available today.

Best Birthing Classes for Natural Birth: Mama Natural 

Based on direct comparison with Bradley, Lamaze, Birth Boot Camp and Evidence-Based Birth

I'll share a detailed comparison of the top online birth courses below.  All of them can help you capitalize on the advantages of natural birth to some degree.

But to cut to the chase:  If you want a single, comprehensive, natural-birth-centered class this is the one I most often recommend. It teaches birth physiology, comfort measures, mindset, partner coaching, and hospital navigation in a way that prepares families better than almost any traditional class.

Best Birthing Classes for Natural Birth

This guide compares today’s best online natural birthing classes, explains the strengths and weaknesses of each, and offers my professional recommendation based on decades of real-world experience as a licensed midwife.  First, a brief comparison:

Mama Natural Birth Course

Best For: Natural birth at home, birth center, or hospital
Teaching Style: Video modules + worksheets + partner training
Natural Birth Focus: ★★★★★ (10/10)
Cost: $$
Midwife Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Bradley Method Online

Best For: Deep, partner-driven preparation
Teaching Style: Comprehensive lessons + practice exercises
Natural Birth Focus: ★★★★☆ (9/10)
Cost: $$$
Midwife Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Lamaze Online

Best For: First-time families wanting a classic curriculum
Teaching Style: Traditional Lamaze structure + breathing
Natural Birth Focus: ★★★☆☆ (6/10)
Cost: $$
Midwife Rating: ⭐⭐⭐

Birth Boot Camp (Online)

Best For: Modern, budget-friendly natural birth prep
Teaching Style: Mixed video + worksheets
Natural Birth Focus: ★★★★☆ (8/10)
Cost: $
Midwife Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Evidence-Based Birth Childbirth Class

Best For: Families who want heavy research and clinical data
Teaching Style: Lecture-style modules
Natural Birth Focus: ★★★☆☆ (6/10)
Cost: $
Midwife Rating: ⭐⭐⭐

Full Review:  Pros and Cons of Each Option

The Mama Natural Birth Course delivers the strongest all-around preparation for families planning a natural birth. It’s built specifically for birth-center, homebirth and low-intervention hospital births—and it shows.

What you’ll learn

• Birth physiology explained simply
• Pain-coping and comfort measures
• Natural induction avoidance
• Labor progression (with real birth videos)
• Partner coaching and hands-on support
• Hospital navigation for natural birth
• Postpartum care and breastfeeding basics

Pros

• Designed specifically for natural birth
• Excellent video content
• Covers emotional + physical preparation
• Strong partner involvement
• Lifetime access
• Affordable compared to most systems
• Highest satisfaction rates among my clients

Cons

• Requires self-paced discipline
• Not ideal for parents wanting a more medicalized approach

Midwife's Verdict

If you want a confident, empowered natural birth, this course is the strongest option available today.

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The Bradley Method is a classic — decades of data, strong partner involvement make it one of the better birthing classes for natural birth.  Excellent for families who want a serious, structured program.  Note:  Bradley operates through a network of instructors, each of whom has their own individualized approach to online training.  

What You'll Learn

• How a healthy pregnancy (nutrition, exercise, stress reduction) supports a safer, lower-risk birth
• The stages of labor and what’s happening in your body at each point
• Deep relaxation, breathing, and positioning techniques to cope with contractions without medication
• The partner’s role as “coach” — how they can support, protect, and advocate for you during labor
• How to navigate common hospital interventions (induction, epidural, continuous monitoring, cesarean) and when they’re truly needed
• Building a birth plan that aligns with your values and your chosen birth setting
• Basics of postpartum recovery and early breastfeeding

Again, these bullets are a fair reflection of what Bradley instructors advertise, but each teacher structures the 12-week course slightly differently, so think “typical emphasis,” not an iron-clad syllabus.

Pros

• Extremely thorough
• Partner-coached model works well
• Deep preparation for natural birth
• Long-established reputation

Cons

• Time-intensive
• Some materials feel dated
• Some instructors vary in quality
• Higher price point

Midwife's Verdict

Excellent for families wanting a deep, structured, partner-led program—just be ready for the time commitment.

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Lamaze is the single most widely recognized childbirth program. It’s solid for basic childbirth education, but not necessarily optimized for natural birth. The following assessment is based on their Labor, Birth & Breastfeeding bundle:

What You'll Learn

• The Lamaze Six Healthy Birth Practices and how they can lower your risk of unnecessary interventions
• How to choose safe, evidence-based care and ask better questions of your provider and hospital
• Comfort measures and coping tools for labor (positions, movement, breathing, and partner support
• Practical techniques for managing labor pain, with or without medication
• How to prepare for VBAC (if relevant) and understand risks/benefits
• Breastfeeding basics: getting a good latch, early troubleshooting, and what to expect in the first weeks
• How to bring baby home and start parenting together with realistic expectations

Pros

• Familiar and widely recognized
• Good introduction for first-time parents
• Clear breathing and relaxation techniques
• Polished video curriculum

Cons

• Less natural-birth-specific
• Less depth than Bradley or Mama Natural
• Limited partner training

Midwife's Verdict

A solid general class, but not the strongest choice if you're looking for the best birthing classes for natural birth.

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Birth Boot Camp is a very good modern alternative if you want a full course at a lower cost.

What You'll Learn

• How to prepare physically, mentally, and emotionally for birth (nutrition, exercise, mindset, relaxation)
• The stages of labor, what contractions are doing, and how to cope with them at home, in the hospital, or at a birth center
• A full toolbox of comfort measures: positions, massage, water, breathing, visualization, affirmations
• How to understand the “cascade of interventions,” — and make informed choices
• How to choose your provider and birth location, and when to consider other support people
• How partners can be effective advocates and hands-on helpers during labor
• Postpartum recovery, early breastfeeding, and adjusting to life with a newborn

Pros

• Budget-friendly
• Modern presentation
• Natural-birth leaning
• Helpful worksheets and tools

Cons

• Instructor quality varies
• Not as comprehensive as top-tier programs
• Some modules feel superficial

Midwife's Verdict

Good value for the price; a practical option for motivated families on a budget.

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Evidence Based Birth® Childbirth Class is best for families who want research, rights, and advocacy front and center.  This class pairs self-paced online videos with live virtual meetings led by an EBB-trained instructor, focusing on evidence-based care, comfort measures, and how to advocate for yourself in real-world hospital systems.

What you'll learn 

• The latest research on common maternity care practices (inductions, epidurals, continuous monitoring, cesareans, VBAC and more)
• How to tell whether a recommendation is based on evidence, habit, or hospital policy 
• Comfort measures for labor: positions, water, acupressure, relaxation, breathing, partner support
• How to communicate with your providers, use informed consent/refusal, and advocate respectfully in high-pressure situations
• How your support person can function as a true advocate and teammate, not just a bystander
• Postpartum and newborn care basics, with a focus on realistic expectations and mental health
• How to build a birth plan that reflects evidence, your values, and your local hospital’s realities

Pros

• Very research-focused
• Great for analytical parents
• Affordable
• Strong emphasis on informed consent

Cons

• Lecture-heavy
• Minimal partner coaching
• Not built specifically for natural birth

Midwife's Verdict

A strong supplement for parents looking for research-based birthing classes for natural birth. Good secondary course or add-on.

Which Option Is Best For You?

Here is the punchline when it comes to birthing classes for natural birth:

Choose Mama Natural if you want the most complete curriculum, tailored to natural birth

Choose Bradley if you want a structured and intensive partner-coached method.

Choose Lamaze if you want a traditional, familiar childbirth class.

Choose Birth Boot Camp for a modern, budget-friendly approach.

Choose Evidence-Based Birth if you want research-first content.

Frequently Asked Questions

Question:  Do online birthing classes work for natural birth?
Answer:  Yes - if they include comfort measures, labor practice and partner coaching

Question:  When should I start the class?
Answer:  Ideally as early as possible.  Definitely before 24-28 weeks to allow time for practice.

Question:  Can I take more than one class?
Answer:  Of course. Many families pair a main course (Mama Natural or Bradley) with a supplemental class.

Question: Is Mama Natural good for first-time moms?
Answer:  Exceptional. It provides emotional grounding and tangible tools.

Question:  What if my partner can’t attend every module?
Answer:  Courses like Mama Natural have dedicated partner tracks that can be done separately.

Question:  Is Bradley too intense?
Answer:  It’s demanding, but highly effective for motivated couples.

Question:  What class is best for hospital births?
Answer:  Mama Natural + Evidence-Based Birth together create a strong hospital strategy.

Question:  Do these classes replace a midwife or doula?
Answer:  No. They prepare you - they don’t replace professional support.

Question:  Can I get the same benefit from YouTube videos?
Answer:  Not really. Real preparation requires structure and practice.

Question:  Which class helps most with reducing fear of birth?
Answer:  Mama Natural and Bradley provide the most emotional + practical grounding.

Final Recommendation

If you’re planning a natural low-intervention birth, the Mama Natural Birth Course delivers the strongest online preparation available today at a very reasonable cost.  The founder of Mama Natural is Genevieve Howland.  Let me share a bit more about the program in Gen’s own words:

If you would like to learn more about Genevieve's course, click the button above.  Or, click here to receive week by week pregnancy tips from Gen herself, from now until your baby's birth.

About the Author:  Paula M Grady LM, CPM

Paula M Grady LM, CPM | Local Midwife #198 in Northern California

"I’m a California-licensed midwife serving families in Napa, Sonoma, Solano, Contra Costa, and Marin counties. In the last three decades I’ve supported hundreds of families through natural birth at home, in birth centers, and in hospitals. 

Over that time I have come to believe birth education is the single most important step a woman can take in preparing for her natural birth experience.  And Mama Natural is the best of the best when it comes to online learning of the topic.  I give it my highest recommendation."

- Paula Grady LM, CPM

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