Baby & You Antenatal and Postnatal Package
Package 1: The Core Elements, $295. Includes your Antenatal classes (childbirth education and practical parenting); Baby & You course; coffee group (new parent support); and 1 year Parents Centre membership.
Package 2: The Full Package, $325. As the name says, this is the package to get you off to the best start, Childbirth Education, Baby & You, coffee group, membership AND Moving & Munching classes.
Antenatal classes are held at St Johns Ambulance Training Rooms, 115 Apollo Drive, Albany
Our Antenatal classes prepare new parents physically and emotionally for the changes during pregnancy and labour.
New parents who attend our antenatal classes form strong friendships as they go through this exciting new stage in life together. We help to create coffee groups for the new mums to catch up and have a cuppa - and share what's happening with their new baby and them!
Bays North Harbour Parents Centre covers Campbells Bay to Long Bay, Albany, Greenhithe & Unsworth Heights so your group will be filled with local parents. If you are outside this area, check out our other locations for details of other local Centres.
We alternate between weeknight and weekend courses during the year. Our weeknight courses are held over 6 weeks (run once a week on a Wednesday evening and an additional Saturday class for the First Aid & Child Safety Session) and our weekend classes are held over 2 full days on a Sunday.
We recommend that you finish the course approximately one month before your due date. Check out the dates below.
Our courses are very popular and fill up quickly, so please book early on in your pregnancy to ensure you secure a place.
*EDD refers to 'Expected Due Date'
- EDD Late April - Early May, Sunday, 12 March & Sunday, 26 March
- EDD Late May - Early June, Wednesday, 8 March - Wednesday, 12 April, First Aid & Child Safety Session: Saturday, 1 April
- EDD Late June - Early July, Sunday, 7 May & Sunday, 21 May
- EDD Late July - Early August, Wednesday, 10 May - Wednesday, 14 June, First Aid & Child Safety Session: Saturday, 17 June
- EDD Late August - Early September, Sunday, 2 July & Sunday, 16 July
- EDD Late September - Early October, Wednesday, 19 July - Wednesday, 23 August, First Aid & Child Safety Session: Saturday, 19 August
- EDD Late October - Early November, Sunday, 10 September & Sunday, 24 September
- EDD Late November - Early December, Wednesday, 13 September - Wednesday, 18 October, First Aid & Child Safety Session: Saturday, 14 October
- EDD Late December Early January, Sunday, 5 November & Sunday, 19 November
- EDD Late December - Late January, Wednesday, 1 November - Wednesday, 6 December, First Aid & Child Safety Session: Saturday, 2 December
Class Availability: If the course you are looking at is full, still feel free to add yourself to the waitlist. Sometimes there are cancellations, and we sometimes run extra courses that we can inform you of.
Baby & You Postnatal Course
All courses are held for 4 weeks on a Wednesday from 10am to 11:30am at Sunnynook Community Centre on the corner of Sunnynook Road and Sycamore Drive.A course for new parents and babies. Learn key tips to develop and care for your baby and yourself during the first 3 months.
In this courseAll About You
- How to make the postnatal period less stressful and more enjoyable
- The opportunity to speak and be heard and be supported
- The changes since the birth of your baby
- Tips on dealing with visitors, families and other issues during the postnatal period
- Looking briefly at traditional cultures and how they care for new mothers
Mum Movement
- Mum’s overall well-being in the 4th trimester
- Knowing how to move safely in everyday life from a functional point of view is crucial and the tips Christie provides in this class are important not just for everyday movement but for resetting expectations, understanding your post pregnancy body
- The importance of taking time out for yourself
- The change in your thinking and body post baby
- Stretches and mobilisers to lengthen and loosen tight ‘mum’ muscles
- Checking for abdominal separation
- Activating pelvic floor and TA
- Suggestions for starting your exercise journey safely
Feeding + Sleep + Settling
- Increase confidence about breast feeding
- Provide the knowledge that will allow mothers to cope in certain situations
- Parents will be able to identify problems they are currently having or may have, and how to deal with those issues also
- Provide information on the services offered by Plunket
Child Development
- Describe the physical, language, social & emotional stages of your child from 0-6 months
- Sensory development
- Play
- Age appropriate toys
- Baby safety needs
Moving & Munching Course
The Moving & Munching course is made up of two fun and informative sessions for parents of children aged (or soon to be aged) between 4 and 6 months. Babies are also most welcome to attend!
All courses are held on Fridays from 10.00am - 11.30am at the Sunnynook Community Centre on the corner of Sunnynook Road and Sycamore Drive.
Moving
What will be covered:
- On the move - how to support and encourage active movement
- Rolling
- Advice on sitting
- Reflexes
- Vestibular Development
- Music and Movement
- How you can help your baby learn through play and exploration
Munching
What will be covered:
- Why introduce solids around 6 months but not before 4 months
- Which signs indicate baby may be ready for solids
- Which foods can be introduced first
- What are the developmental stages of feeding
- How to ‘balance’ baby’s milk with solids
- Which textures are appropriate and when to introduce new textures
- How, and what stage to offer new foods
- What are the best times to feed and how much food does baby need
- Food hygiene: cooking, storing and reheating food
- Which equipment to use e.g. highchair, bibs, spoons, bowls etc
- Ideas for snacks and meals at different stages