Antenatal and Parent Education Package

You are best to start your Antenatal Classes when you are approx 26-28 weeks' pregnant. Please choose the class starting closest to this.

Our local Parents Centre offers Antenatal courses for expectant parents and their support people to prepare for the arrival of a new baby and becoming parents. Our highly regarded classes are run by qualified, trained childbirth educators in a relaxed and safe environment.

Topics covered in the course include:

• Brief overview of pregnancy topics
• Choices in childbirth
• Your labour journey
• Managing strategies
• Dad's and Partners role
• Breastfeeding
• Transition to parenthood
• Responsive parenting
• Practical parenting

These programme's generally run one night per week for 6-8 weeks, or some are offered over 2 consecutive weekend days. The dates below are for your Antenatal course.

Baby & You

Our Baby and You programme follows on from antenatal classes and offer sound tips and strategies as you begin your journey into parenthood.

To see your baby smile, play and grow can be an extraordinary experience.  You will have feelings of tenderness and closeness and a sense of awe at the miracles of the ‘first milestones.

But with a new baby come uncertainties.  Your tiny bundle may rule the entire household through their routines, sleep patterns and behaviours.  This can be very challenging for a new parent.

Topics covered include:

• Caring for a new-born including feeding, sleeping and settling and baby massage
• The realities of the postnatal period
• Identifying physical, emotional and relationship changes
• Development and play including stimulation for baby, age appropriate toys and key milestones of baby’s growth and development

Part of this Antenatal package entitles you to a one year membership to Parents Centre.  This includes discounts to other parenting programmes, partner discounts (e.g. The Sleep Store, Baby Factory, Resene and Baby on the move discounts), and an annual subscription to Parents Centre’s must read Kiwiparent magazine 6 times a year.  Local benefits include: Free entry to "Baby Wigglers/Wigglers Music" on a Tuesday & Wednesday mornings and access to members only fitness classes through Body Fix Gym and Infant Swimming/Water confidence lessons through Coastlands Aquatic Centre.