Quicklinks
Childbirth and parenting education sessions
Our preparing for birth and parenting sessions help with the transition from pregnancy to parenthood.
This service is free for women (with a valid Medicare card) who birth through the Townsville Hospital and Health Service.
We encourage women to bring a support person to the sessions. Dads, partners, or another support person are welcome.
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How to book
To attend our free sessions complete a referral form. Forms are available at the Women and Children's Clinic reception at Townsville University Hospital or from your midwife or doctor during an appointment.
Return your completed form to reception or email it to {"ct":"Hph4K55JyAjQ2+qz8FuoXeHVoEW3nE4OrXiwL9lF9wiWQ1OKZ7QzWimmC5nn\/e26","iv":"2b027764609faede96564bb638487309","s":"94471559fd52743c"}.
Call (07) 4433 1450 and the team can complete the referral form for you.
You will need the following information when you call:
- Your full name, date of birth, hospital UR patient identification number if known
- Your due date
- Mobile phone number and email address
- Your model of care
- Session preferences - please provide two face-to-face options for each session and an online option
To secure a place you should book most sessions at 20 weeks and attend between 28 and 36 weeks.
For essentials for pregnancy or birth after caesarean sessions, you should book from 12 weeks and attend between 14 and 28 weeks.
Confirmation of booking
You will get a SMS confirmation four weeks before your session and a reminder SMS about three days before.
The SMS will let you know which session type you are booked into.
Click on the second link to take you to this childbirth and parenting education webpage.
Here you will find information on the session type, where it will be held and what to bring to a session. Click 'read more' for full details.
To reschedule or cancel a booking call (07) 4433 1450 or reply using the link in the SMS.
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Where are sessions held?
Unless otherwise stated, face-to-face sessions are held at the Townsville University Hospital, Staff Health Hub.
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This is a separate building diagonally opposite our Emergency Department near the roundabout. The Childbirth and Parenting Room entrance is at the back of the building.
Participants should bring food and drinks if desired, limited cafe facilities are available after hours.
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How to connect to online sessions?
Join our online sessions through Microsoft Teams. Download the app here.
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A Teams link will be emailed to you before the session. Download the app or install Microsoft Teams at least 30 minutes before the session to make sure you are ready.
You do not need to create an account.
Microsoft Teams works best on a computer or tablet. There is reduced functionality if a smart phone is used.
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Our sessions
We suggest you attend sessions in the following order:
- Essentials for pregnancy followed by birth after caesarean or young parents' session if applicable
- Relaxation and massage
- Preparing for birth and parenting series or if applicable refresher course - preparing 'again' for birth and parenthood
- Breastfeeding session most suited to your individual needs
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Essentials for pregnancy (2-hour session)
Available face-to-face or online
Learn the key information you need for a happy and healthy pregnancy. This includes health information for mum and baby, tips help you to make the most of your medical and midwifery appointments, and more.
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What is covered?
- Looking after you and your growing baby
- Asking questions and Informed decision making about your care
- Pregnancy and exercise – the dos and don’ts
- Back and body awareness and care
- Pelvic floor care
- Emotional and physical wellbeing
- Relaxation techniques
Who runs the session?
This session is run by a midwife and a physiotherapist.
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Relaxation and massage (3-hour session)
Available face-to-face or online
Learn tips, tricks, and techniques to help you during pregnancy, labour, and birth. This session will build on your skills and explore how to create a calming birth environment with a focus on the mind and body connection. Practice positions and coping strategies to increase confidence during labour and birth.
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What is covered?
- Pain perceptions and relaxation techniques
- Mind and body connections – understanding hormonal interplay in labour
- Creating a calming birth environment
- Tips for support people
- Coping strategies including useful positions, movement, breath awareness, visualisation and massage
Who runs the session?
This session is run by midwives.
What to bring?
- Two pillows
- Sarong, large towel, and yoga mat
- Wear comfy pants or similar
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Preparing for birth and parenting series
Available face-to-face or online
Get ready for the journey ahead. Feel more prepared for labour, birth, and early parenting including when to come to hospital, tips for dads, partners, and support people. This series also includes important coping techniques for labour and kills for being a parent.
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There are three different options for this series:
- Face-to-face on weeknights
- Face-to-face on weekends
- Online
Face-to-face sessions are prioritised for women who do not receive midwifery care through our Birth Centre or Midwifery Group Practice. Online sessions are available to all women who birth through the Townsville University Hospital. Birth Centre or Midwifery Group Practice patients can request to be added to a waitlist for available spaces at face-to-face sessions.
This series is run over three, three-hour sessions per week for three weeks.
What is covered?
Session one
- When to come to hospital
- Normal physiological labour and birth
- Coping techniques and comfort measures
- Tips for dads, partners, and support people
- Includes a Dads connection
Session two
- Pharmacological pain relief options
- Variances in birth including induction, caesarean birth, and dealing with the unexpected
- Informed decision making
- Skin to skin, early breastfeeding
- Hospital stay, immediate after birth care
Session three
- Hospital stay, care of mum and baby
- Parenting skills including nappy changing, wrapping, and settling baby
- Emotional wellness
- Adapting to being a parent
- Community support
Who runs the sessions?
These sessions are run by a midwife.
What to bring?
For three sessions only
- Two nappies
- Two large wraps for swaddling
- Doll or teddy if available
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Introduction to breastfeeding (2.5-hour session)
Available face-to-face or online
Learn the basics of breastfeeding in this session that covers informed decision making about feeding, avoiding and overcoming common challenges, and must-know tips and tricks for feeding bub.
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What is covered?
- Baby Friendly Health Initiative’s infant feeding policy and the Ten Steps to WHO Successful Breastfeeding
- Making an informed choice about feeding baby - why breastfeed?
- Labour, birth and postnatal practices to support breastfeeding
- Newborn output and changes
- Expressing and storing breast milk– donor milk
- Breastfeeding FAQs
- Avoiding and overcoming common breastfeeding issues and challenges
- Resources, community support and where to receive help, including the Australia Breastfeeding Association
Who runs the session?
This session is run by a midwife lactation consultant.
What to bring?
- Doll or teddy if available
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Young parents' tour of birth suite and maternity ward session (2-hour sessions)
This is a drop-in session which is only offered face-to-face, bookings can be made
These sessions are designed for expecting parents who are 21 years old and under. Our young parents' session can complement other preparing for birth, breastfeeding and parenting sessions.
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Who should attend?
- Pregnant women 21 years and under
- Dads, partners or a support person
- Expectant mothers are welcome to attend solo
When and where are sessions held?
Townsville University Hospital sessions:
- Held on the second Saturday of most months, usually from 1pm to 3pm. Attendees should meet inside the main hospital entrance.
- This session covers tips for labour and birth during a tour of our birth suite and maternity ward.
Who runs the sessions?
This session is run by a midwife.
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Refresher course - preparing 'again' for birth and parenthood (2-hour session)
Only available face-to-face for women who have previously had a baby
Take a tour of our Townsville University Hospital Birth Suite and maternity ward while you learn about adapting again to parenthood, support for siblings, and when to come to hospital. Compliment this session with the online Preparing for Birth and Parenting Series.
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What is covered?
The following topics will be briefly discussed during a tour of our birth suite and maternity ward:
- When to come to hospital
- Physiological labour and birth
- Informed decision making and dealing with the unexpected
- Comfort measures, pain relief options; tips for dad / the support person
- Skin-to-skin, early breastfeeding
- Emotional wellness
- Adapting to parenthood again - early parenting and siblings
- Community support
Where is it held?
Meet inside the main entrance of Townsville University Hospital.
Who runs the session?
This session is run by a midwife.
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Birth after caesarean (2.5-hour session)
Available face-to-face or online
This session is for women who are pregnant and have previously had a baby by caesarean birth and their support person or partner
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What is covered:
- The pros and cons of having a vaginal birth after a caesarean (VBAC) and having a repeat caesarean section, both elective and emergency
- The hospital’s policy on caring for a woman having a VBAC and having a caesarean section
- Options and informed decision making
- Practical tips to be more prepared and confident for the birthing experience
- Where to go to for support
This session complements individual one-on-one discussions with healthcare providers and is run by a midwife and obstetrician.
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Lactation support and clinic (30-minute session)
Our lactation consultants offer one-on-one 30-minute appointments which can be a stand-alone session or to complement a group breastfeeding session.
They also attend the Women and Children's Antenatal Clinic on Tuesday mornings at Townsville University Hospital to offer additional support to women at their 34-week appointment. No booking is required.
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Who should attend a one-on-one session?
- Women with special needs when feeding baby. This could include women with diabetes, multiple pregnancy, thyroid issues, previous breast surgery or previous breastfeeding challenges.
- Women experiencing early breastfeeding challenges requiring additional support following birth. If this is you, we suggest you attend the session with your baby.
- Dad, partners or a support person are welcome to attend.
Where is it held?
This session is held at the lactation consultants' room in our maternity ward on level two of the Townsville University Hospital.
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Virtual birth suite and maternity ward tour
Explore the maternity facilities at Townsville University Hospital from the comfort of your own home with this short video tour.
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Bubba Yarns - TAIHS
Bubba Yarns is friendly, weekly event held at Yemani Meta in Garbutt. It is for pregnant families and families with little bubbas. Come yarn together, be social and supportive with other mums, dads and families.
A midwife often joins to provide support and answer questions. For more information call: (07) 4759 4039.
Bubba Yarns is held every Thursday between 10.30am – 12.00pm at 16 Peel Street, Garbutt, 4814.
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Midwifery Group Practice (MGP) and Birth Centre patients
Women birthing through the Midwifery Group Practice and Birth Centre models of care are supported during labour by their known midwife.
They will have a birth chat with their midwife at about 36 weeks. Dads, partners and support people are encouraged to participate.
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The Townsville Hospital and Health Service acknowledges the traditional custodians of the land on which our health facilities have been built and on which we meet today.
We pay our respect to their Elders past, present and emerging; and we value Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander history, culture and knowledge.