These classes provide information about being pregnant, strategies to navigate your labour and birth, breastfeeding and life with a newborn. They are also a fabulous way to meet other local new parents. Ideally your classes will end before you have your baby/pēpi so check with each provider to see which class they recommend for you to join. The options in Kāpiti are all great and include:

The Real Motherhood
These classes support new parents in their journey to parenthood. Over seven weeks Jaydie will cover information on pregnancy, labour & birth, the fourth trimester and life with a newborn. They include an online Baby and Toddler first Aid course. Classes are best started around 30 weeks and cost $195 per couple. You can enrol on the Real Motherhood website.

Kāpiti Parent Centre
Classes are called “ Antenatal and Baby & You” and cost $270. You can enrol on the Kāpiti Parent Centre website.

Bumps to Babies (for Ōtaki women)
Bumps to Babies is Barnardos’ dedicated pregnancy and antenatal education and support programme in the mid central region. It provides expectant māmas and partners (and support people) all the information they need to prepare for the arrival of their first child. These classes are fully funded by Te Whatu Ora. For more information check out their website on Bumps to Babies. To register for classes, email bumpstobabies@barnardos.org.nz or phone 0508 247 8433.

Hapū Wānanga Te Raukura Ō te Aroha
Offer Māori antenatal classes in the Wellington Region. The Wānanga is run over two full days at the Whitireia campus in Porirua. Kai provided and whānau welcome. You will get to make your own whenua vessel and muka pito. More info is available on their Facebook page.

Kāpiti Youth Support
Have young parents pregnancy and parenting groups for up to 24 year olds. Visit their website at www.kys.org.nz or text 027 248 2744.

Quitline
If you are pregnant, quitting smoking is one of the best decisions you will ever make, for you and your pēpi/baby. Visit quit.org.nz.

www.familyplanning.org.nz
Family Planning are here to help with your sexual and reproductive health. They offer you health information, clinical services, contraception advice and options.

www.maternity.org.nz
The Maternity Services Consumer Council promotes the rights of birthing women/wāhine. They believe that birth is a normal life cycle event and oppose the unnecessary medicalisation of childbirth. The MSCC provides a wide range of information on topics and current issues relating to maternity services in New Zealand.

www.womens-health.org.nz
Women’s Health are working to improve the health and wellbeing of women. Their website provides lots of informative resources including digital brochures and breastfeeding videos.

www.homebirth.org.nz
Homebirth Aotearoa which provides information and resources around choosing to birth at home.

www.waterbirth.org
For information on waterbirth, articles and lots of birth stories.

www.wondermum.co.nz
For information and New Zealand water birth stories. A good selection of questions and answers on this page.

www.vbac.com
Evidence based information and resources to support wāhine to have a vaginal birth after a previous cesarean section.

www.spinningbabies.com
Spinning babies is an approach to optimize the physical relationship between a mother and pēpi/baby’s position in utero for the easing of childbirth. Use this website to improve fetal positioning for labour and birth.

www.nsu.govt.nz
New Zealand National Screening Unit – information on Antenatal Screening for Down Syndrome, Newborn Metabolic Screening and Newborn Hearing screening.

www.health.govt.nz
Click on ‘your health’ and select Pregnancy and Kid’s section.

www.smartstart.services.govt.nz
For information on finding a midwife, becoming a dad/pāpā, parental leave, working for families, how to register your baby/pēpi and lots more.

kapitiwomenscentre.org.nz
The Kāpiti Women’s Centre is a feminist organization which promotes the physical, mental and spiritual well being of wāhine on the Kāpiti Coast. The Centre is open 5 days a week from 9am-3pm and provides a safe meeting place for women and children, educational opportunities, easily accessible information on women’s health and wellbeing.

thatsbetter.co.nz
That’s Better offer Holistic Health Care and Education including a Hypnobirthing course which is childbirth education for a natural and more comfortable birth experience. It is as much a philosophy as it is a set of tools and techniques. Benefits include potential to shorten the first stage of labour, lessen fatigue during labour, help towards a more rapid postnatal recovery.

www.wellington.pepeora.nz
Pēpe Ora supports the wellbeing of whānau from pregnancy through to the first 1000 days. Find information about practical support, antenatal education, breastfeeding education, keeping pēpi safe, support with kai, counselling support, support for grief and loss, parenting support.

www.hakui.nz
This online resource is for whānau who wish to learn about customary birthing practices and offers support tools for whānau who have lost pēpi through miscarriage or stillbirth.

pregnancyhelp.org.nz
Providing free and client focused practical assistance, information and advice during pregnancy and early childhood. You can email them at greatwgtn@pregnancyhelp.org.nz and they cover Wellington, Hutt Valley, Porirua and Kāpiti.

www.tenshire.co.nz
Drug free pain relief for childbirth.

www.littleshadow.org.nz
Creates headspace for parents, support and counselling for both antenatal and postnatal women/wāhine and families/whānau.

www.therealmotherhood.co.nz
Postnatal support classes from 0-12 months.

www.breastfednz.co.nz
Fantastic App to download to support you in the early days of breastfeeding and throughout your breastfeeding journey.

lalecheleague.org.nz
Experts at breastfeeding support.

www.plunket.org.nz
Well child services.

www.healthinfo.org.nz
Pelvic-floor-muscle-exercises.htm Pelvic floor strengthening is so important for ongoing urinary and bowel continence.

whanau.skip.org.nz
Parenting support.

www.skip.org.nz
Parenting support.

www.kidzneeddadz.org.nz
Support for new dads/pāpā.

fatherandchild.org.nz
Information and support for new fathers.

www.immune.org.nz
Detailed information about each vaccine provided on the New Zealand National Immunisation Schedule and other vaccines licensed but not publicly funded.

www.babywearingaotearoa.co.nz
All about baby/pēpi carriers and babywearing in New Zealand. Find your local babywearing group and get hands on help.

www.mamaaroha.co.nz
Mama Aroha means ‘Mother Love’ in Māori. They have created a beautiful set of breastfeeding talk cards and now have a fantastic App that you can download free to support you through your breastfeeding journey.

www.playcentre.org.nz