There is a point somewhere in pregnancy when reading about birth stops feeling quite enough.
You may know what an epidural is. You may have watched several videos about contractions. You may even own a swaddle despite having never successfully wrapped anything more complicated than a burrito.
Then somebody mentions that you will eventually have to take an actual newborn home.
That is where antenatal classes become useful.
A good antenatal course should prepare you for more than labour. It should explain what happens when labour begins, what pain-relief and delivery options may come up, how your partner can help, what the first hours after birth look like, how breastfeeding gets started and how to handle a very small person who does not come with instructions.
Singapore parents have plenty of choices. Hospitals such as NUH, KKH and SGH run programmes taught by healthcare professionals. Thomson and Mount Alvernia have long-established ParentCraft programmes. Independent providers go deeper into birth preparation, partner involvement and techniques such as HypnoBirthing.
The best course therefore depends less on which one has the longest syllabus and more on how you want to learn and what you feel least prepared for.
About This Guide
This guide covers some of the best antenatal classes in Singapore in 2026, including public hospitals, private maternity hospitals and independent childbirth educators.
We compared:
- childbirth and labour preparation
- practical newborn care
- breastfeeding education
- partner involvement
- class size
- in-person versus online learning
- course duration
- current published fees
- whether the course goes beyond birth into postpartum life
- how useful the programme is if you are delivering at the same hospital
Prices and course dates were checked in October 2026 and can change.
Antenatal classes provide education rather than individual medical care. Questions about your own pregnancy, delivery risks or medical circumstances should still go to your obstetrician, midwife or other healthcare professional.
Who Is This Guide For?
This guide is primarily for first-time parents in Singapore deciding whether to take an antenatal or childbirth preparation course.
It is particularly useful if you want help with:
- understanding labour and delivery
- pain-relief options
- breathing and positioning during labour
- breastfeeding basics
- bathing and handling a newborn
- swaddling and diaper changing
- preparing your partner for labour
- postpartum recovery
- understanding what happens in a Singapore maternity hospital
- building confidence before bringing your baby home
Parents expecting a second or later child may still find a shorter refresher, HypnoBirthing course or targeted class worthwhile without necessarily repeating a long introductory programme.
Key Takeaways
Best antenatal class overall: NUH Antenatal Classes
Best if you are delivering at KKH: KKH Antenatal Programme
Best one-day public-hospital course: SGH Antenatal Class
Best hybrid private-hospital programme: Thomson ParentCraft Childbirth Education Course
Best private-hospital crash course: Mount Alvernia Childbirth Education Course
Best premium one-day hospital class: Raffles Hospital Antenatal Class
Best small-group independent antenatal class: Four Trimesters
Best HypnoBirthing course: Baby With Bee
If you are already delivering at a particular hospital, we would generally look at that hospital’s own class first. You get locally relevant information from people familiar with the maternity environment you are likely to encounter.
If you want much deeper discussion around birth choices, movement, partner support and postpartum preparation, an independent programme such as Four Trimesters or Baby With Bee may suit you better.
Best Antenatal Classes in Singapore at a Glance
| Antenatal Class | Best For | Format | Current Published Fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| NUH Antenatal Classes | Best overall | 5-Saturday, express or online | S$50–S$288 |
| KKH Antenatal Programme | KKH parents | 4-week or 1-day intensive | S$240–S$326 |
| SGH Antenatal Class | One-day public-hospital class | 1-day intensive | From S$217.60 |
| Thomson ParentCraft | Hybrid learning | Zoom + practical + e-learning | About S$408–S$438 |
| Mount Alvernia Parentcraft | Private-hospital crash course | 1-day practical course | Check current rate |
| Raffles Hospital | Premium one-day hospital class | Full-day course | S$575.52 |
| Four Trimesters | Small-group birth preparation | Full-day classes, max 8 couples | S$498 per class |
| Baby With Bee | HypnoBirthing | 5 weekly sessions | About S$800 per couple |
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1. NUH Antenatal Classes
Best for: The best all-round combination of healthcare expertise, practical skills and flexible learning
In-person location: NUHS Tower Block, with selected express courses at community locations
Formats: Normal, Express and Online
Current fees: S$288 Normal, S$238 Express, S$50 Online
Recommended timing: Second trimester
NUH has built one of the most comprehensive antenatal programmes in Singapore.
Instead of offering one class format and expecting every parent to make it work, the National University Centre for Women and Children currently offers three options.
The full in-person programme runs over five Saturdays, with two-hour sessions plus a separate baby-massage class. The Express course condenses the practical component, while the S$50 online version gives parents more than five hours of pre-recorded content and two years of access.
The syllabus is unusually broad.
Labour and birth are obviously covered, but the programme also goes into posture and exercise, breastfeeding, infant feeding, newborn care, baby massage, fatherhood, parental emotional wellbeing and the baby’s development through the first year.
The teaching team includes obstetricians, midwives, lactation specialists, physiotherapists, paediatric clinicians and mental-health professionals.
Each in-person participant may also bring one partner or family member.
Editor’s Verdict
NUH is our overall choice because its course does not stop at getting the baby out.
The sections on fatherhood, emotional wellbeing and baby’s first year make it feel more like preparation for becoming parents rather than simply preparation for labour.
We particularly like the S$50 online option.
It is not a substitute for hands-on practice, but two years of access means you can return to the newborn-care material after the baby arrives, when instructions about infant sleep, feeding and development suddenly become much more relevant.
If you want one comprehensive course and are not particularly attached to a specific birth philosophy, NUH is where we would start.
2. KKH Antenatal Programme
Best for: Parents already planning to deliver at KKH
Formats: Four-week course or one-day intensive
Current 4-week fee: S$240 for KKH patients; S$296 for non-KKH patients
Current 1-day fee: S$306 for KKH patients; S$326 for non-KKH patients
Recommended timing: Register after 16 weeks
KKH’s antenatal programme is the obvious starting point if you are already receiving your maternity care there.
The course is taught by KKH’s own team of midwives, lactation consultants, physiotherapists and parentcraft nurses. Current topics include labour and delivery, antenatal and postnatal physiotherapy, breastfeeding and newborn care.
Parents can choose between a four-week evening programme and a one-day Saturday intensive course.
The multi-week option gives you more time between sessions to absorb what you learned and think of questions. The intensive option makes much more sense when coordinating four separate dates with work and pregnancy appointments sounds worse than spending one Saturday in class.
Participants in either format also receive access to a complimentary two-hour “Nurturing Your Child” talk.
KKH recommends registering after 16 weeks, and popular sessions can fill before the published registration deadline.
Editor’s Verdict
If you already know you are delivering at KKH, we would choose its own course over shopping around purely to save S$50.
Part of the value of hospital antenatal education is becoming familiar with how that institution talks about labour, breastfeeding and postnatal care.
The healthcare-professional teaching team is another strength.
The downside is scheduling rigidity. KKH states that missed classes do not receive replacement sessions, so the four-week option only makes sense if you are reasonably confident you can attend all four dates.
For busy parents, the one-day intensive may be the better purchase.
3. SGH Antenatal Class
Best for: A comprehensive public-hospital antenatal course in one day
Format: 1-day intensive
Schedule: Generally first Saturday of the month, 8am–5.30pm
Current fees: S$217.60 subsidised, S$237.18 private, S$308.34 non-resident
Recommended timing: After 16 weeks
SGH has taken the opposite approach to the multi-week antenatal course.
Its main in-person programme compresses everything into one long Saturday.
The current syllabus includes nutrition, breastfeeding, skin-to-skin contact, parentcraft, postnatal care, pain-relief options, preparation for delivery and a labour-ward tour.
The course is taught by staff trained in midwifery and parentcraft.
One useful distinction is that SGH also offers a separate antenatal package combining online training videos, virtual sessions and a one-to-one physiotherapy assessment covering areas such as pelvic-floor activation and pushing technique. That package is currently listed at S$338.
The physiotherapy assessment is not included in the standard one-day intensive course.
Editor’s Verdict
SGH is our favourite option if you want hospital-led antenatal education but absolutely do not want to surrender five consecutive Saturdays.
The 8am-to-5.30pm schedule is intense, but you get the main subjects dealt with in one go.
The published entry price is also one of the lowest among the full in-person hospital programmes in this guide.
If pelvic-floor preparation is especially important to you, compare the separate S$338 package because the one-to-one physiotherapy component makes it a materially different offering.
4. Thomson ParentCraft Childbirth Education Course
Best for: Parents who want online theory plus proper hands-on practice
Location: Thomson ParentCraft Centre, opposite Thomson Medical Centre
Format: 4-hour Zoom theory + 3-hour practical class + e-learning
Current indicative fee: Around S$408 weekday / S$438 weekend or public holiday
Recommended timing: Select a class after 20 weeks
Thomson’s ParentCraft programme has one of the smartest formats for working parents.
Instead of making you attend every topic physically, the course is split into three components.
There is a four-hour theory class delivered via Zoom, a three-hour in-person practical session and an e-learning portal that you can use for additional material.
The syllabus covers newborn care, breastfeeding, alternative feeding methods, labour preparation, pain management, pregnancy-safe exercise and the partner’s role.
The practical component includes demonstrations and hands-on techniques rather than expecting you to learn everything by watching somebody on a screen.
Thomson currently recommends registering after pregnancy is confirmed and choosing a course date after your 20th week.
Current 2026 published comparisons put the course at around S$408 for weekdays and S$438 for weekends and public holidays, inclusive of GST.
Editor’s Verdict
Thomson has probably the best format in this guide for people who dislike both extremes: entirely online courses and endless weekends in a classroom.
Theory works perfectly well over Zoom.
Bathing, handling and practical newborn skills are much easier to understand when you actually practise them.
Keeping those two parts separate makes sense.
It is more expensive than the public-hospital courses, but the fee covers a couple and the structure is unusually convenient.
5. Mount Alvernia Childbirth Education Course
Best for: A private-hospital one-day crash course
Location: Mount Alvernia Hospital
Format: 1-day course
Duration: 11am–4.30pm, including lunch break
Fee: Confirm current rate with Parentcraft
Mount Alvernia’s current Childbirth Education Course is built as a one-day introduction to the things new parents are most likely to worry about.
Labour coverage includes signs of labour, pain relief, delivery methods and post-delivery care.
Breastfeeding education covers positioning, latch, feeding and common early challenges.
Baby care then moves into practical areas such as bathing, sterilising feeding equipment, calming a crying baby and recognising common newborn issues.
The course uses lectures, videos, demonstrations and practical sessions rather than relying entirely on presentation-style teaching.
Mount Alvernia also explicitly encourages both parents to attend together.
The hospital does not currently publish the course price prominently on the pages we checked, so we would confirm the latest amount with its Parentcraft Department rather than quoting an old rate.
Editor’s Verdict
Mount Alvernia makes particular sense if you are delivering there and want the private-hospital equivalent of SGH’s one-day approach.
The syllabus is practical rather than overly elaborate.
You cover how labour works, what breastfeeding looks like and what to do with the baby afterwards.
That is probably enough for many first-time parents.
If you want a much deeper discussion about birth preferences and decision-making, Four Trimesters goes considerably further.
6. Raffles Hospital Antenatal Class
Best for: Parents who want a premium hospital-based course completed in one day
Location: Raffles Specialists Centre, 585 North Bridge Road
Format: Full-day in-person class
Duration: 9am–6pm
Current fee: S$575.52
Raffles Hospital also takes the one-day route.
Its current full-day antenatal class covers physical and emotional changes during pregnancy, labour and delivery, post-delivery care, breastfeeding and newborn care.
Upcoming 2026 sessions continue to be held at Raffles Specialists Centre, with classes running from 9am until 6pm.
At S$575.52, it is one of the more expensive hospital-based options in this guide.
That makes it particularly relevant to parents already using Raffles for maternity care or those who strongly prefer completing preparation in a single structured day.
Editor’s Verdict
Raffles is convenient, polished and relatively expensive.
We would not choose it purely on price when SGH provides a full-day hospital programme for considerably less.
Its value is much clearer if you are already a Raffles maternity patient and want your childbirth education inside the same healthcare system.
For everyone else, compare the curriculum carefully before paying the premium.
7. Four Trimesters
Best for: Small-group, evidence-based birth preparation with significant partner involvement
Location: Four Trimesters Birth Sanctuary at Kai Singapore, 26 Dunearn Road
Class size: Maximum 8 couples
Current fee: S$498 per couple per class
Format: Full-day in-person
Four Trimesters feels quite different from a hospital ParentCraft class.
Its Pregnancy & Birth Preparation class is taught by Ginny Phang-Davey and focuses heavily on how parents make decisions and work through labour, rather than simply explaining what medical events may occur.
Topics include labour patterns, recognising progression, movement and positioning, breathing, working with contractions, birth planning and making decisions when circumstances change.
Classes are deliberately small, with a maximum of eight couples.
A separate full-day Fourth Trimester Class covers breastfeeding, newborn behaviour, postpartum recovery and adjustment to early parenthood. Each course costs S$498 per couple, or S$996 for both.
The fee currently also includes food, printed materials, six months of online-course access and ongoing WhatsApp support through pregnancy, birth and the early postpartum period.
Editor’s Verdict
Four Trimesters is our independent-class pick because the small class size allows much more discussion than a conventional hospital seminar.
This is particularly valuable if you have strong preferences about labour or want your partner to understand how to be actively useful rather than simply knowing when to drive to hospital.
It is not cheap.
Doing both full-day classes costs close to S$1,000.
But it is also a much deeper product than a short hospital crash course, so comparing them only by price is not especially meaningful.
8. Baby With Bee HypnoBirthing
Best for: Parents specifically interested in HypnoBirthing and labour relaxation techniques
Singapore venues: Core Collective locations including Katong and central Singapore
Format: 5 weekly classes
Duration: Approximately 12.5 hours in total
Current group fee: Around S$800 per couple
Private classes: Around S$1,400 per couple
Baby With Bee is the specialist option on this list.
Rather than covering every aspect of newborn care, its core programme is built around the HypnoBirthing Mongan Method and preparing for labour through relaxation, breathing and mindset techniques.
The group course consists of five sessions, with current Singapore classes running over five weeks.
Topics include breathing, relaxation, the birth companion’s role, preparing birth preferences, prenatal bonding, fear-release techniques, light-touch massage, birth positions and communication with healthcare providers.
Current group fees are around S$800 per couple, while private programmes are around S$1,400. Course materials include the HypnoBirthing textbook, relaxation audio and planning materials.
Editor’s Verdict
Baby With Bee is not the class we would choose if what you mainly want to learn is how to change a diaper.
That is not what it is for.
It makes sense for parents who specifically want more tools for managing fear, tension and the mental side of labour.
We would pair it with newborn-care and breastfeeding education if your hospital or another provider does not already cover those areas.
HypnoBirthing also should not be confused with promising a particular type of delivery. Labour can change quickly, and useful preparation should still leave room for pain relief, intervention or caesarean delivery if circumstances call for them.
What Are Antenatal Classes?
Antenatal classes are educational programmes designed to prepare expectant parents for labour, childbirth and the first stages of caring for a baby.
They may also be called prenatal classes, childbirth education classes or birth-preparation classes.
A comprehensive course commonly covers:
- signs and stages of labour
- when to go to hospital
- pain-relief options
- breathing and movement
- vaginal and caesarean delivery
- breastfeeding
- newborn feeding
- bathing and handling a baby
- diapering and swaddling
- postpartum recovery
- the partner’s role
Some programmes go much further into infant development, mental health, relationships or the first year of parenting.
Are Antenatal Classes Worth It?
For many first-time parents, yes.
There is no shortage of free pregnancy information online.
The benefit of a structured class is that somebody has organised the material into a logical sequence and gives you an opportunity to ask questions.
Hands-on classes are particularly useful for baby care.
Watching a three-minute video of somebody bathing a newborn feels extremely simple until you are holding a slippery 3kg baby yourself.
That said, we would not automatically spend S$1,000 on antenatal education.
If you mainly want to understand the basics, NUH’s S$50 online programme or a hospital one-day course may be entirely adequate.
When Should You Attend Antenatal Classes?
The second trimester or early third trimester is a useful general window.
KKH and SGH recommend registration after around 16 weeks, NUH recommends starting during the second trimester, and Thomson suggests selecting a class after week 20.
Four Trimesters recommends its pregnancy and birth preparation class from approximately 16 to 28 weeks, with the separate Fourth Trimester class later in pregnancy.
We would book earlier than you think you need to.
Popular weekend classes fill, and attending at 38 weeks is considerably less useful if the baby arrives before the second session.
Hospital Antenatal Class vs Private Antenatal Class
A hospital class is usually strongest on clinical context and practical newborn care.
It may also help you understand how that particular hospital approaches labour, pain relief, breastfeeding and postnatal care.
An independent class can generally spend more time on birth preparation, partner involvement, coping strategies and individual questions.
Neither is inherently better.
If this is your first baby and you feel completely unfamiliar with newborn care, a hospital course may provide the broadest foundation.
If you already understand the basics but feel anxious about labour and decision-making, an independent childbirth educator may be more useful.
Some parents do both.
Which Antenatal Class Is Best if You’re Delivering at KKH?
Start with the KKH Antenatal Programme.
It is taught by KKH healthcare professionals and KKH patients receive preferential pricing.
The current four-week programme costs S$240 for KKH patients compared with S$296 for non-patients.
If you want additional preparation around birth choices or relaxation techniques, you can still supplement it with an independent course later.
Which Antenatal Class Is Best if You’re Delivering at NUH?
NUH’s own antenatal programme is our first choice.
It is unusually comprehensive and covers not just delivery and baby care but also fatherhood, emotional wellbeing and early development.
The option of combining in-person sessions with online material also makes it easier to revisit topics after class.
What Is the Cheapest Antenatal Class in Singapore?
Among the programmes in this guide, NUH’s online antenatal course at S$50 is by far the cheapest.
It includes more than five hours of prerecorded content and remains accessible for two years.
For full in-person hospital programmes, SGH currently starts at S$217.60 for eligible subsidised participants.
Are Online Antenatal Classes Good Enough?
They can be good enough for the educational side.
Learning how labour progresses, understanding breastfeeding basics or listening to a paediatrician discuss newborn development does not necessarily require sitting in a classroom.
The limitation is practical skill.
Actually practising positioning, baby handling or bathing with somebody watching you can expose mistakes that a video cannot.
For that reason, we particularly like hybrid programmes such as Thomson’s and NUH’s, where digital learning is paired with hands-on sessions.
What Is HypnoBirthing?
HypnoBirthing is a childbirth preparation approach that places strong emphasis on relaxation, breathing, reducing fear and preparing mentally for labour.
Baby With Bee’s current programme uses the Mongan Method and runs over five weekly sessions.
It is not hypnosis in the theatrical sense.
The practical focus is on techniques intended to help parents stay calm and work through labour.
We would view HypnoBirthing as one type of birth preparation, not a replacement for understanding medical pain relief, assisted delivery or caesarean birth.
Should Your Partner Attend Antenatal Classes?
We think so, especially for a first baby.
The partner is usually the person beside you during labour and one of the people caring for the baby afterwards.
Understanding what contractions look like, when to go to hospital, how to support different positions and how to change or settle the baby makes them considerably more useful than somebody whose entire birth plan is “call the nurse”.
Many programmes actively encourage partner participation.
NUH permits each in-person participant to bring one partner or family member, while Thomson, Four Trimesters and Baby With Bee structure their programmes around couples.
What Should a Good Antenatal Course Cover?
At minimum, we would want:
Labour and delivery
What labour can look like, when to seek care and what interventions may occur.
Pain management
Both non-medical coping techniques and the pain-relief options available in hospital.
Breastfeeding and feeding
Latch, positioning, common early issues and alternatives where needed.
Newborn care
Handling, bathing, diapers, swaddling, settling and basic newborn behaviour.
Postpartum recovery
What happens to the mother’s body after delivery and when to seek help.
Partner preparation
How the other parent can participate during labour and the early weeks.
We would consider infant development, emotional wellbeing, relationships and baby massage valuable additions rather than mandatory components.
Do You Need an Antenatal Class for a Second Baby?
Not necessarily.
If your previous birth was recent and you already feel comfortable with baby care, repeating an introductory five-week programme may add little.
A shorter refresher could make more sense.
You might also choose something more specific this time, such as HypnoBirthing, breastfeeding preparation or an independent birth class if your main goal is approaching labour differently.
Antenatal education is useful when it fills an information gap. There is no prize for collecting certificates.
Can Antenatal Classes Prepare You for a Caesarean Birth?
A comprehensive course should at least explain caesarean delivery as one possible birth route.
Birth preparation should not be based on the assumption that everyone will have an uncomplicated vaginal delivery.
If you already know that you are likely to have a planned caesarean, ask the provider how much of the class will still be relevant to you before enrolling.
Newborn care, breastfeeding and postpartum preparation obviously remain relevant regardless of delivery method.
What Questions Should You Ask Before Booking?
Before paying, ask:
- Does the fee include my partner?
- How many couples are in each class?
- Is any part of the programme hands-on?
- Who teaches the class?
- Are materials available afterwards?
- What happens if I miss a session?
- Can I reschedule if my pregnancy circumstances change?
- Is breastfeeding included?
- Is newborn care included?
- Does the course cover caesarean delivery as well as vaginal birth?
The partner question is especially worth checking because different providers structure their fees differently.
Frequently Asked Questions About Antenatal Classes in Singapore
What is the best antenatal class in Singapore?
Our overall choice is NUH’s Antenatal Classes because parents can choose between a full five-Saturday programme, Express class and inexpensive online course, while the curriculum goes beyond childbirth into fatherhood, maternal wellbeing and baby’s first year.
If you are already delivering at KKH, however, we would choose the KKH programme first.
How much do antenatal classes cost in Singapore?
The programmes in this guide currently range from S$50 for NUH’s online course to around S$800 per couple for Baby With Bee’s group HypnoBirthing programme.
Most mainstream in-person hospital programmes fall somewhere between roughly S$200 and S$600.
What is the best hospital antenatal class?
NUH is our overall hospital pick.
KKH is our first choice for KKH maternity patients, while SGH offers particularly good value if you want a one-day intensive course.
What is the best private antenatal class?
Our pick is Four Trimesters if you want a small-group course focused deeply on birth preparation and partner involvement.
Classes are capped at eight couples.
What is the best antenatal class for HypnoBirthing?
Baby With Bee specialises in the HypnoBirthing Mongan Method and currently runs a five-session course covering breathing, relaxation, fear release, partner support and birth preferences.
What is the best online antenatal class in Singapore?
NUH’s S$50 online programme is our value choice.
It includes more than five hours of material and two years of access.
Does KKH have antenatal classes?
Yes.
KKH currently offers both a four-week course and a one-day intensive programme. KKH patients receive a lower published rate for both formats.
Does NUH have antenatal classes?
Yes.
NUH currently offers a five-Saturday in-person course, an Express version and online videos. Both NUH and non-NUH patients can enrol.
Does Thomson Medical offer antenatal classes?
Yes.
Thomson ParentCraft’s childbirth education programme combines a four-hour Zoom theory session, three-hour practical class and e-learning portal.
When should I book antenatal classes?
We would start looking during the second trimester.
You do not necessarily need to attend immediately, but booking early gives you a better chance of getting the weekend or course format you want.
Are antenatal classes only for first-time parents?
No.
First-time parents are likely to get the greatest benefit from a comprehensive introductory programme, but returning parents can use classes as refreshers or focus on areas they want to approach differently this time.
Final Verdict
For most first-time parents who simply want the best all-round antenatal education in Singapore, we would start with NUH.
Its current programme covers more of what happens after birth than most traditional childbirth classes, and the choice between a full course, Express format and S$50 online version makes it unusually flexible.
If you are already planning to deliver at KKH, choose KKH’s own programme first. The curriculum is broad, the instructors come from the hospital’s maternity team and patients receive preferential pricing.
SGH is our favourite public-hospital option for parents who want to get the entire in-person course done in one Saturday.
Among the private hospitals, Thomson ParentCraft has the best hybrid format, while Mount Alvernia provides a practical one-day crash course. Raffles offers another comprehensive full-day option but at a noticeably higher price.
The independent courses serve a different need.
Choose Four Trimesters if you want a small class, active partner preparation and considerably more discussion around labour and decision-making.
Choose Baby With Bee if HypnoBirthing, breathing and relaxation techniques are specifically what you want to learn.
The most expensive class is not automatically the most useful.
The best antenatal class is the one that leaves both parents knowing a little more about what to do when labour begins, what choices may come up and what happens when the hospital eventually hands you the baby and says you can go home.
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