Postnatal Courses

Postnatal Courses

Baby & You

Our postnatal programme follows on from antenatal classes and offers sound tips and strategies as you begin your journey into parenthood.  It is ideal for those with babies up to around 3 months old.

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.

With a new baby, sometimes come uncertainties.  Your tiny bundle may rule the entire household through their sleep patterns and personalities.  This can be very challenging for a new parent, so come and join us and ask your questions.

Topics include

• Caring for baby, including feeding, sleeping, and settling

• Life changes and postpartum health & wellbeing

• Development and play - stimulation for baby, age-appropriate toys and key milestones of baby’s growth and development

These sessions will run on Thursdays 11.30am-1pm for 5 weeks.

The course includes afternoon tea. Your partner or another support person is most welcome to come too.

The structure of this course is relaxed and informal with time for your questions and a cuppa. A great opportunity for new parents to get out of the house, meet other parents experiencing the same joys and challenges and foster their coffee group.  

Infant Massage

Infant Massage classes are facilitated by a Certified Infant Massage Instructor and are run one day a week over 5 weeks from 9.30-11am or 1pm-2.30pm at Dunedin Parents Centre.  Members can attend for free so please make sure you tick the box if you're a member on the registration form.  For non-members the cost is $25 per family.

As well as helping parents to bond with their baby, massage has therapeutic effects for both the parent and infant, including relaxation for parent and baby, better sleep patterns, reducing colic and tummy pain, soothing stressed babies and reducing the impact of Post Natal Depression (PND) and disrupted bonding.

You will learn a combination of Indian and Swedish Massage strokes, Reflexology and gentle Yoga stretches.  ​The massage strokes encourage circulation and relaxation, the reflexology works on the feet to release tension elsewhere in the body, and the yoga stretches help to develop suppleness in the muscles and joints.

Classes are suitable for babies from 6 weeks to 1yr old but the ideal time is usually around 3-4 months – so book in your class for after you have completed you Postnatal Course!

Note: If you have twins/multiples, please clearly state this on the form, so we can ensure there is extra space(s) reserved for you.  You are welcome to bring along an extra support person.

Starting Solids

This 1.5hr long seminar is facilitated by Jenny Douglas from Jumpstart Nutrition and is a wonderful and informative session to help guide you on your journey exploring food with your little ones!

We run this course once per term on Thursdays at 1pm.  Starting Solids is free for members and $5 for non-members.

2025 dates:

20th February

15th May

14th August

6th November

First Aid

This 1.5hr long seminar is facilitated by an experienced first aid trainer from Practical Training Solutions - Otago & Southland. Great advice for new parents, caregivers and grandparents - focused on CPR, choking and first aid for babies.

We run this course once per term on Thursdays at 7pm. First Aid for New Parents is free for members and $5 for non-members.

2025 dates:

6th March

5th June

4th September

4th December