What WE DO Childbirth + parenting classes
2025 bookings opening soon! Please email opcantenatal@gmail.com to go on our wait list for first priority booking.
We know you’re looking to be the best parent you can be right from the start, so at Onewa Parents Centre we offer classes and support to help you at each stage of your parenting journey.
- Childbirth Education (antenatal classes)
- Baby & You Course (for newborns)
- Moving & Munching (for infants 3-6 months)
CHILDBIRTH EDUCATION (ANTENATAL CLASSES)
Onewa Parents Centre offers childbirth education (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 nurturing setting. Classes are held over seven evening sessions.
Topics include: pregnancy information; signs and stages of labour; birthing process including coping strategies and what to expect at a hospital; and practical parenting including feeding, sleep, bathing, and newborn care.
Cost:
We offer a new parents package which costs $350 (incl. GST) for two attendees (i.e. one couple, or pregnant person + support person) and includes the 7-week Childbirth Education course and the Baby & You course. As part of the package you will also receive a one year membership to Parents Centre which includes membership benefits such as partner discounts, .
Venue:
All classes are held in the Onewa Parents Centre rooms in the Rawene Centre, Birkenhead, North Shore, Auckland.
Register:
Bookings are essential for this course. Our courses are very popular and fill up quickly (maximum 13 couples per course) so please register early – the class you are booked into will depend on your due date. Register on our courses & events page.
Please note if there are no spaces available, please email opcantenatal@gmail.com and we can put your name on the waitlist.
For more information, check out our Childbirth Education FAQ page.
BABY AND YOU COURSE
Once your baby arrives you’re likely to have lots more questions! Our Baby and You course is the ideal time to ask questions and deal with issues as they arrive whilst helping you to understand and cope with your role as a new parent. Baby and You is for parents of 0 – 8 week old babies and is held over six weekday sessions which you attend with your baby.
This is a very popular course and is presented by qualified professionals who run each session as a relaxed discussion group. Because all babies are unique with varying needs and personalities, this format gives you the opportunity to discuss your particular situation and challenges and receive tips, advice and potential strategies.
Topics covered include:
- Caring for a newborn including feeding, soothing, and baby massage
- Infant First Aid and CPR for babies and toddlers
- Life changes and looking after yourself including post-pregnancy/childbirth health & wellbeing for the primary caregiver.
- Physical Changes & Safe Return to Exercise
- Baby Massage
- Development and play including stimulation for baby, age appropriate toys and key milestones of baby’s growth and development
Cost:
The Baby & You course is included as part of the Antenatal Package. However, subject to availability, parents who didn’t do a childbirth education course at Onewa Parents Centre are more than welcome to do this course for $165 including One Year Onewa Parents Centre Membership). Please email opcantenatal@gmail.com for availability, and to register.
Venue:
All classes are held in the Onewa Parents Centre rooms in the Rawene Centre, Birkenhead, North Shore, Auckland.
Register:
Bookings are essential for this course. Email opcantenatal@gmail.com to book.
MOVING & MUNCHING
Our Moving and Munching course includes two interactive and informative sessions, tailored to parents of 3 month – 6 month old babies, and covers a range of topics including your baby’s physical and mental milestones, bonding and learning through play, starting solids, nutritional requirements, and stages of development.
Parents of younger babies are most welcome to attend, as are your little ones!
The Moving session is hosted by Alida Aitken. She is a Transition to Parenting Educator, who also teaches Antenatal and Postnatal classes for Onewa Parents Centre.
Jade is passionate about the whole transition to parenthood period and wants parents and whānau to feel supported and informed throughout pregnancy, birth, and beyond. This session discusses different strategies to support parents in fostering their baby’s development without adding to the pressure and mental load of parenting.
Key topics include:
- 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
Cost:
$40 for both sessions for Parents Centre members, $50 for both sessions for non-Parents Centre members. Places are limited so book early.
Venue and Time:
All classes are held in the Onewa Parents Centre rooms in the Rawene Centre, Birkenhead, North Shore, Auckland over two Fridays from 10am – 11:30am.
Register:
Register on our Courses & Events page.