The KOPA PREPARED Childbirth Course Review (2024)

I desperately wanted to give birth without the assistance of an epidural. I wanted to feel my birth and have the reassurance that my baby would be born without any side-effects of an epidural. Most of all, I wanted to reduce my chances of a cesarean any way I could. Unfortunately, despite the hours of practicing breathing techniques and instructor-led prenatal courses, I still opted for an epidural after a long, painful labor.

That’s why I’m so excited to share this honest review of the  KOPA PREPARED PLUS Childbirth Course, a prenatal class developed to help women and their partners achieve the natural birth they dream of. After taking this course, I feel confident that these techniques can genuinely help expectant mothers succeed with the natural birth they desire.  Having said that, the KOPA PREPARED class isn’t for everybody. Like my other prenatal course reviews, I’m going to share the positives and negatives of this class so you can decide if its the right prenatal class for you.

RELATED POSTS:

• Mama Natural Birth Course Review
• The Ultimate Guide to Pregnancy Classes: What to Take and When
• The Best Online Birthing Classes Every New Mom Can Trust

Pros & Cons: The KOPA Prepared Plus Childbirth Class Review At-A-Glance

What Is The KOPA PREPARED Childbirth Class?

In case you’re completely new to the blog, you should know that one of my passions is reviewing online birthing classes. In fact, as I’m typing this, I’ve reviewed 6 so far.

The Kopa Prepared Childbirth Course is one of my all-time favorites.

Many, many women are turning to online childbirth classes. Generally speaking, they are less expensive, more convenient, and (because of reviews like this) more reliable than hospital-led courses. The only downside? You don’t have an instructor.

The KOPA PREPARED Childbirth Class is the bridge between a traditional childbirth class and online natural birthing class.

I think that’s because the KOPA Birth team actually teaches prenatal classes in-person and online. Your instructor is a registered nurse and certified Lamaze instructor, Katie Griffin. She developed the course primarily for expectant couples hoping to successfully have a medical-free child birth.

All that to say, Katie knows her stuff and she’s completely devoted to teaching you how to give birth naturally.

What’s Included

Despite the focus on natural childbirth, the class also covers everything a regular prenatal class would (we’ll get to that in a minute). In addition, there are actually 2 versions of the class. So, whatever your budget and preferences, you can find a version that works for you.

KOPA PREPARED Essentials Class includes:

• 3 Month Class Access
• 8 Video Classes with 12+ Hours of Footage
• Mock Labor Practice
• Hospital Birth Footage
• Course Manual
• Relaxation Audio Files

The KOPA PREPARED Plus Class, which includes all of the features of the KOPA Essentials Class and the following extra features:

• 7 Month Access
• Prenatal Meal plans
• Relaxation Triggers Class
• Prenatal Fitness Program
• Newborn Babywearing Basics
• Partner Labor Guides
• Additional Audio Downloads

Structure of the Course

This course is not for the faint of heart. Katie recommends that you give yourself 4-8 weeks to complete it. That’s 1-2 video classes a week, plus all of the exercises, mock labor practice, and bonus material.

I would highly recommend giving yourself time to study, implement, and review the class again.

Even with the video format, Katie is a very interactive instructor. You truly feel like you’re in the same room with her, like you can trust her to lead you to a natural childbirth. I also loved that Katie herself is in her third trimester. She can definitely emphasize with her students!

Each video class contains lectures on essential prenatal topics, as well as breathing and coping exercises for you and your husband, and periods of discussion to “debrief” and analyze the material you’ve just learned.

Content Covered

There aren’t many online courses that I would recommend instead of a traditional, instructor-led setting, but I was so impressed by this course that I would in a heartbeat. It is, by far, the most in-depth prenatal class I’ve ever taken.

It covered all of the topics my own instructor-led prenatal class covered, and then some. And, with the ability to review the material over and over, I learned much more with this class than I ever did with my hospital-provided class.

Main Topics Include:

• Basic and advanced prenatal education- This includes the signs of labor, prenatal terms, possible complications, what to expect in the delivery room, medical interventions, and more.
• The Stages of Labor and how to cope with each one effectively- During my own birthing horror story, I was in early labor for 19 hours before I caved and got an epidural. After reviewing this class, I see how I could have efficiently coped with each stage and why I suffered and weakened so quickly. This section of the course is so valuable for new moms!
• Relaxation as a Coping Technique- Before I took this course, I knew that relaxation was important to a natural childbirth, but honestly, I didn’t have any clue why. The class explains what true relaxation looks like, how it can quicken your labor, and how to successfully achieve it.
• Labor Positions- The handouts, tutorials, and exercises in this course thoroughly explain how to achieve these positions, when to use them, and why they are the best in your current situation.
• Breathing techniques- Katie teaches you how to use breathing techniques efficiently (without hyperventilating or losing track of how many breaths you’ve taken) and  why they are so essential to labor.
• Interventions, Medications, and More–  While the main focus on the course is natural childbirth, Katie explains these situations (including how she’s used interventions in her own labor) and why you might need to prepare for it.

Short on Time? Pin This Post to Your Pregnancy Board!

The KOPA Prepared Childbirth Course Review: My Favorite Highlights

The Lessons: The Perfect Mix of Instruction and Application

The course covers everything you could ever learn in a hospital-led course, with one definite advantage:

You’ll probably forget 60% of what you learn in a hospital-led course.

That’s where the Kopa Birth Course really shines. It focuses on retention. This course integrates several activities, homework assignments, and follow-up discussions that you can complete right up until your labor, allowing you to retain more information and apply it.

All of this drives you toward a single goal: giving birth naturally.

Having said that, unlike many natural childbirth classes, the KOPA PREPARED teaches you how to cope with possible emergency situations when a natural birth simply isn’t medically possible. It also helps you through possible complications that might arise that you can overcome without an epidural.

The Mock Labor

Hands down, my FAVORITE feature of the course, and probably it’s single most defining feature…

You get to practice giving birth!

The mock labor segment simulates contractions (with audio cues) and the different stages of labor. Katie will throw different scenarios at you and your partner, allowing you to think through these situations and decide how to cope.  Going through the entire mock labor is quite the time commitment, but it’s the best way to prepare for real world situations.

Professional Quality and Interactive

Many online, video-led courses are noticeably less professional than their instructor-led counterparts. This wasn’t the case at all for the KOPA PREPARED Childbirth Course.

The courses, audio files, and even the course manual (which is basically an instruction manual for natural labor) is incredibly well-thought out and designed.

It Teaches Your Partner Too

Your partner is a valuable tool during childbirth. Unfortunately, many men feel completely helpless while they watch their loved one suffer. This type of scenario can make or break your labor.

The course offers several assignments, tutorials, and a guide specifically created for your partner to help him feel comfortable with his role as your support.

KOPA PREPARED Childbirth Course Review: Is It Right For You?

As someone that has tried to go natural and failed, let me advise you not to leave your labor to luck. You might be one of those moms that will be able to relax naturally, with little difficulty. Chances are, it’s going to hurt and you’re going to need some help getting through this.
Investing in a good prenatal class can help you overcome your fears give you the confidence (and skill) you need to give birth naturally.
The KOPA PREPARED class will PREPARE you for childbirth in every way. If you commit to viewing the lessons, completing the exercises, and practicing, I think you’ll find that this course was well worth your time and money.

Who this Course Isn’t For

Obviously, I highly recommend this course. However, that doesn’t mean it’s for everyone. If you meet the following, you may want to take a look at the other courses I recommend.

• You’re on a Time Crunch– This course is for women that want to take a methodical approach to childbirth and learn everything they possibly can about having a natural labor. Seriously. However, learning this information takes time. KOPA recommends taking 2 months to go over the material of the course, but a minimum of 2 weeks. This might not be a great fit if you are due within a week and trying to cram everything in in the final hour.
• You Can’t Learn Online -Some women just can’t do online courses. Before purchasing this course you really need to be honest with yourself. Will you actually look over all the material? Will you actually complete the exercises? If not, don’t buy it. Just don’t. You’re wasting precious money that is better used at an instructor-led course that you’ll actually go to.

If you’re finding that the size of the class isn’t going to work for you,  you might want to check out my review of the Mama Natural Birth Course.

RELATED POST: The Mama Natural Birth Course Review

Final Thoughts on the Price

I know what you’re thinking…you saw “premium price” listed at the top of this review and you’re wondering if it’s worth it.

Actually, I believe that the KOPA PREPARED class is priced well (a traditional hospital-based prenatal class is between $150-200). However, when compared to other online prenatal classes, it is a little more expensive.

Based on the sheer scope of the class, the materials included, and the actionability of the lessons, the price is worth it. It literally takes your hand and walks you through each stage of labor and–most importantly–prepares you to succeed.

If you need this kind of guidance, the KOPA PREPARED Childbirth Course is right for you.

Having said that, if you’re looking for a more budget-friendly course and are willing to give up some of those “bells and whistles”, check out my Best Online Birthing Classes post. I’ll send you in the direction of a better fit for your needs!

RELATED POST: Best Online Birthing Classes Every Mom Can Trust

I want the class but which version should I choose?

For my KOPA PREPARED Childbirth Course Review, I completed the KOPA PREPARED Plus. I loved the meal plans, additional audio files, and bonus classes. But more than anything, I love that the course is available for 7 months instead of 3. For new moms that love to over-prepare, this feature alone makes the additional price worth it.
Having said that, if you’re on a budget and those featuresdon’t entice you, the KOPA PREPARED Essentials Course is still a great choice. You’ll still have access to the meat of the course, and even Katie’s hospital, unmedicated birth footage.

Take Control of Your Labor

Labor can be scary, unpredictable, and long, but the thing is, you’ve already taken a huge step to taking control of yours just by researching these classes. I hope that by now, you see that my enthusiasm for the KOPA PREPARED class is real. I LOVED this class and I sincerely believe that it can help you have the natural birth of your dreams.
If you’re still on the fence, here’s a link to a free sample of the course (free course is located at the bottom of the page). I think you’re going to be wow’d just by the amount of information in that video alone.
If you’ve heard enough and you’re ready to take control of your labor, just click the links below to go straight to Kopa.
Learn More About the KOPA PREPARED Essentials Course
Learn More About the KOPA PREPARED Plus Course
If you have any questions at all about my KOPA PREPARED Childbirth Course review, just comment below. I love helping 🙂

Good luck with your labor, mama!

RELATED POSTS:

• Mama Natural Birth Course Review
• The Ultimate Guide to Pregnancy Classes: What to Take and When