Parent education

This free information session is offered to all women planning to conceive or who are under 13 weeks gestation. Hosted by our parent education midwives and dietetic team, the session aims to give you and your partner a roadmap to assist with preparing for pregnancy, health and nutrition, care options and insights into our Family Birthing Unit.

You don't have to be booked to birth at our hospital to attend this session, as the information is intended as a general guide to support wellness in early pregnancy.

• Suitable for: those planning a pregnancy or up to 12 weeks gestation
• When: once per month
• Cost: free
• Meeting location: St John of God Mt Lawley Hospital Conference Centre
• Register: book your place by registering online. If you have any issues booking into antenatal classes, please email [email protected] for support.

This is the most popular class for new parents and those who would like a refresher on labour and birth. The three-hour workshop is available on Saturday mornings or Tuesday evenings and covers many aspects of pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding and early parenting, including the final weeks of pregnancy, when to come to hospital, knowledge of the body and birthing process, natural and medical pain relief options, types of birth (vaginal and caesarean) and how partners can provide support.

We recommend you and your partner attend this workshop when you are 28 to 35 weeks pregnant.

We recommend attending the ‘Labour and Birth’ and ‘Postnatal and Parenthood’ classes or the Fast Track class.

• Suitable for: expecting parents from 28 weeks gestation
• When: fortnightly rotation
  
  • Saturday 9.00am to 12.00pm. From 2023, Saturday classes will be from 2.00pm to 5.00pm.
  • Tuesday 5.00pm to 8.00pm
• Meeting location: St John of God Mt Lawley Hospital Conference Centre
• Register: book your place by registering online. If you have any issues booking into antenatal classes, please email [email protected] for support.

This three-hour workshop is perfect for first time parents and focuses on the postnatal period and parenting skills. It is available on Saturday mornings or Tuesday evenings. Topics covered include what to expect in hospital after a vaginal and caesarean birth and when you go home, settling your baby, nappy changes, swaddling and safe sleeping. We recommend you and your partner attend this workshop when you are 28 to 35 weeks pregnant.

• Suitable for: expecting parents from 28 weeks gestation
• When: fortnightly rotation
  • Saturday 9.00am to 12.00pm. From 2023, Saturday classes will be from 2.00pm to 5.00pm.
  • Tuesday 5.00pm to 8.00pm
• Meeting location: St John of God Mt Lawley Hospital Conference Centre
• Register: book your place by registering online. If you have any issues booking into antenatal classes, please email [email protected] for support.

Our Fast Track class provides a condensed version of the labour and birth, and postnatal and parenthood classes. Fast Track was designed to provide a brief overview of labour, birth and the postnatal period for parents who only have time for one class or have had children before and want a refresher. We recommend you attend this workshop when you are between 28 - 35 weeks pregnant. This class is only as a live webinar on Saturdays.

If you attend the Fast Track class, you do not need to attend the ‘Labour and Birth’ and ‘Postnatal and Parenthood’ classes.

• Suitable for: expecting parents from 28 weeks gestation
• When: Saturdays. From 2023, Saturday classes will be from 2.00pm to 5.00pm.
• Meeting location: Live webinar only
• Register: book your place by registering online. If you have any issues booking into antenatal classes, please email [email protected] for support.

To further support our mums, we provide a dedicated 1.5 hour breastfeeding workshop.

This workshop is hosted by an experienced lactation consultant who provides advice and education on feeding cues, correct attachment, positioning and other important information a breastfeeding mother needs to know.

We encourage both you and your partner to attend.

• Suitable for: expecting parents from 28 weeks gestation
• When: Fortnightly on a Wednesday, 10.00am to 11.30am
• Meeting location: St John of God Mt Lawley Hospital Conference Centre
• Register: book your place by registering online. If you have any issues booking into antenatal classes, please email [email protected] for support.

Tiny Hearts First Aid

St John of God Mt Lawley Hospital has partnered with Tiny Hearts to offer maternity patients a discounted rate on paediatric first aid. The four-hour course is held in the onsite conference centre once a month and is available at $115 per person (usually $210). 

The course is run by Tiny Hearts and covers many topics including infant and child CPR, choking, recovery position, respiratory distress, burns, rashes, ear infections, fever and seizures, fractures and safe sleeping, and more.

Bookings essential