Quicklinks
Childbirth and Parenting Education Sessions
What's changed recently
From 1am AEST Thursday 14 April 2022, the requirement to check-in and to be fully vaccinated in a range of venues and events will end. However, vaccination and check-in requirements for visiting residential aged care facilities and for hospital visitors will not change and will continue to be in effect. This does not apply to hospital patients.
For more information, please click below:
Townsville University Hospital is now running Preparing for Birth and Parenting Sessions online via Microsoft Teams. There are no group or face-to-face sessions at this time.
Our sessions are free of charge (a valid Medicare Card is needed) for women birthing through the Townsville Hospital and Health Service. We encourage dads/partners or a birthing support person to join online.
Empowering families enables them to make informed decisions during their pregnancy and parenting journey. Education, knowledge, confidence, feeling listened to and supported throughout is all key to a positive experience.
Various session options are available depending on individual needs. Click on the session for more information:
- Early Birds/physiotherapy
- Relaxation and massage
- Preparing for birth and parenting; includes a Dads Group online connection
- Breastfeeding and complex care breastfeeding
- Lactation support
- Birth after a caesarean
Dates and times for all sessions
Referrals
If you have not completed a referral form, please email the team and include the following information:
- Full name, date of birth (hospital ‘URN’ number if known) and bate baby is due
- Your model of care
- Session preferences (please provide a first and second preferred date option for each session requested)
- A mobile phone number to receive an invite and reminder SMS to each session. Please reply promptly to the SMS invite to hold your booking(s).
We host these sessions from Townsville University Hospital. You can join us from the comfort of your own home using Microsoft Teams.
How do you connect?
A Microsoft Teams link will be sent to you via email before the session.
Please install Microsoft Teams at least 30 minutes before the session to ensure you are ready. You can download the app here.
You do not need to create an account.
Microsoft Teams works best on a computer or tablet as opposed to a smart phone.
If you have not received the join link by 4pm the day before your booked session
Please email the team and include:
- Your Full Name
- Your date of birth (hospital URN number, if known)
- Your mobile number
- The name and date of the session you are requesting a Microsoft Teams join link for.
The join link will then be emailed to you.
Early Bird Sessions (1 x 3 hours)
Who can attend?
- All pregnant women
- Dad/partner/support person encouraged to join
- Women can join solo
When to attend:
Ideally between 14 – 24 weeks
What time:
Monthly on a Tuesday, 5pm – 8pm
What’s covered:
- Emotional and physical well-being
- Looking after you and your growing baby
- Pregnancy and exercise – the dos and don’ts
- Back and body awareness and care
- Pelvic floor care
- Relaxation techniques
Who runs the session:
A midwife and a physiotherapist
Relaxation and massage (1 x 2.5 hours)
Who can attend?
- All pregnant women
- Dad/partner/support person encouraged to join
- Women can join solo
When to attend:
Ideally between 26 – 36 weeks
What time:
Monthly on a weeknight from 6pm – 8.30pm
What’s covered:
- Pain perceptions and relaxation techniques
- How to reduce stress and emotional wellbeing
- How the uterus works
- Mind and body connections – hormonal interplay in labour
- Creating a calming birth environment
- Tips for support people
- You can practice some coping strategies in the comfort of your own home including useful positions, breath awareness, visualisation and massage
Who runs the sessions:
A midwife
Preparing for Birth and Parenting (2 x 3 hours)
Who can attend?
- Women having their first baby
- Women who have had a gap between babies and need a ‘refresher’
- Dad/partner/support person encouraged to join
- Women can join solo
Attend part one and/or part two as needed (the refresher course is not running at present).
When to attend:
Ideally between 26 – 36 weeks
What time:
Monthly
- Over two weeks on evenings
- Over one day on a weekend
You can mix sessions and attend part one of one series, and part two of the second series if you wish.
What’s covered:
- Part 1: Preparing for labour and birth
- Part 2: Hospital stay, emotional wellbeing, parenting and community support
- Includes a Dads Group Connection. This occurs in the evening series in part one at 8pm and in the weekend series in part two at 1pm.
Who runs the sessions:
A midwife
Breastfeeding Workshop (1 x 2.5hrs)
Who can attend?
- All pregnant women
- Dad/partner/support person encouraged to join
- Women can join solo
When to attend:
Ideally between 26 – 36 weeks
What time:
- Monthly, on a Wednesday
What’s covered:
- Making an informed choice about feeding baby - why breastfeed?
- Recommended labour and birth practices to support breastfeeding
- How breastfeeding works – maintaining a good supply
- Breastfeeding FAQs
- Expressing and storing breast milk
- Avoiding and overcoming common feeding challenges
- Getting out and about with a breastfed baby
- Where to go for help and support, including Australia Breastfeeding Association
Who runs the sessions:
A midwife and a midwife lactation consultant
Breastfeeding for women with complex care needs
Who can attend?
Women with:
- a multiple pregnancy (twins, triplets)
- diabetes or underlying medical issues
- special needs – known admission of baby to the special care nursery
- previous feeding challenges
- Dad/partner/support person encouraged to join
- Women can join solo
Women are encouraged to attend a general breastfeeding session prior to attending this session.
When to attend:
Ideally between 28 – 36 weeks
What time:
Monthly on weekends
What’s covered:
- Content adapted to meet the group needs
- Antenatal expressing and storing expressed breast milk
- Avoiding and overcoming common feeding challenges
- Where to go for help and support
Who runs the sessions:
A midwife and a midwife lactation consultant
Lactation Support/Clinic – 1 x 30 mins
The lactation consultants attend Dr Watson’s Antenatal Clinic every Tuesday morning to offer additional support to women and their support person or family members attending this clinic.
Lactation consultants also offer a 30-minute appointment that can be a stand-alone session or to complement a breastfeeding session.
Who should attend:
Women with special needs concerning feeding baby (for example: diabetes, multiple pregnancy, thyroid issues, previous breast surgery and previous breastfeeding challenges)
Women experiencing early breastfeeding challenges requiring additional support following the birth (attend with baby)
One support person welcome – dad/partner/support person
When to attend:
Ideally between 28-38 weeks
Number limits:
This ‘one-on-one’ appointment
Where is it held:
Maternity ward, lactation consultants’ room, second floor
Young Parents Pregnancy and Parenting Group
The group is aimed at supporting women 21 years and under both during the antenatal and postnatal period and extends to include partners and support persons of these women up until the child is four months old. Recommences at the end of May.
Drop-in sessions
No booking required. First and last Thursday of each month.
Last Thursday of the month
Birth Suite/Maternity Ward tour – labour and birth tips
First Thursday of the month
Held at Kirwan Health Campus, 135 Thuringowa Drive - early parenting and community support
For more information call 0457905534
Virtual Birth Suite and Maternity Ward Tour (10 minutes)
Watch now
Until further notice, Townsville University Hospital is providing a virtual tour of Birth Suite and the Maternity Ward. The virtual tour can be found here or by clicking above.
Birth after caesarean (1 x 1.5 hours)
Who can attend:
- Women who are pregnant and have had a previous baby by a caesarean birth
- Dad/partner/support person encouraged to join
- Women can join solo
When to attend:
Ideally between 22 – 34 weeks
What time:
Monthly, weekday evenings
What’s covered:
- Having a vaginal birth after a caesarean (VBAC) and having a repeat caesarean section (C/S), both elective and emergency – the pros and cons
- The hospital’s policy on caring for a woman having a VBAC and having a C/S
- Making choices - How to ask questions, feel listened to and be involved in informed decision making
- Practical tips on ways to enable women and the support team to feel more prepared and confident for their birthing experience
- Where to go to for support
This session complements individual one-on-one discussions with health care providers.
Who runs the sessions:
A midwife and an obstetrician
Bubba Yarns - TAIHS
Bubba Yarns is friendly, weekly event held at TAIHS Yemani Meta in Garbutt. It is for pregnant families and families with little bubbas. Come yarn together, be social and supportive with other mums and dads.
A Townsville Hospital and Health Service midwife often joins to offer advice and answer any questions. For more information call: (07) 4759 4039.
When: Every Thursday, 10.30am – 12pm
Venue: 16 Peel Street, Garbutt
Midwifery Group Practice (MGP)/Birth Centre
Preparing for labour and birth
Women in the MGP and Birth Centre models of care will have a "birth chat" with their own midwife to help make informed choices around labour, birth and early parenting.
Some of the sessions may be appropriate for women to attend to compliment discussions with their midwife.
How to Book (unless otherwise stated)
- Complete a ‘Referral Form for Childbirth and Parenting Sessions’. These forms are available at the Primary Reception Area, Health and Wellbeing Service Group (formally known as the Women's and Children's Clinic). Leave completed form in white mail box located in main reception area.
- Ask your healthcare provider (midwife/doctor/GP) to make a referral on your behalf
- Email Townsville Childbirth Education with your full name, date of birth, date baby is due, a mobile number and session preference(s).
Bookings essential as limited spaces are available.
To ensure our participants and staff well-being we are adhering to the Queensland Health COVID-19 guidelines of personal hygiene and physical distancing. Strict number limits apply to face to face sessions. We ask that you do not attend sessions if feeling unwell.
Referrals
To obtain a referral form:
E: Childbirth and Education team
Useful resources
Pregnancy, birth and baby
www.pregnancybirthbaby.org.au
Raising Children Network
www.raisingchildren.net.au
Australian Breastfeeding Association
www.breastfeeding.asn.au
Perinatal Anxiety & Depression Australia
www.panda.org.au
BeyondBlue - Pregnancy and new parents
www.healthyfamilies.beyondblue.org.au
Declining recommended care
www.health.qld.gov.au/consent/html/pwdrmc
The Gidget Foundation Australia
www.gidgetfoundation.org.au/
COPE (Centre of Perinatal Excellence)
www.cope.org.au
Mum Space
www.mumspace.com.au/for-all-new-parents/
SMS4DADS
www.sms4dads.com.au/
Dads Group and Digital Dads https://www.dadsgroup.org/
Dads of Townsville (DG) Facebook https://www.facebook.com/groups/2265381303486159/
Pregnancy, birth and baby | Australian Government Department of Health
https://www.health.gov.au/health-topics/pregnancy-birth-and-baby
Red Nose Safe Sleeping Guidelines
https://rednose.org.au/section/safe-sleeping
We Are Family – information on pets and babies http://www.wearefamily.nsw.gov.au/
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The Townsville Hospital and Health Service acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the land on which our health facilities have been built. We pay respects to Elders past, present and emerging; and we value Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander history, culture and knowledge.