Antenatal workshops
with a difference

Equipping you with confidence to parent how you choose. Informed by the latest research to give your baby the best start to life, with ongoing support throughout your parenting journey.

Preparing for parenthood,
not just birth.

  • NZ's only antenatal class with 6 experts, including a psychologist.

What makes our classes unique?

  • Preparation for Parenthood

    Uniquely covering the transition to parenthood, parental wellbeing and the postpartum period delivered by a psychologist, to support you to be the parent you want to be.

  • Best Start for Baby

    Attachment theory, co-regulation, infant brain development and parenting philosophies to provide you the latest evidence-based knowledge to give your baby the best start to life.

  • Mumtown

    Weekly online postpartum support for 12 months, with a wide range of experts and community of other mothers. This village is $50 off for those who attend any of our antenatal classes.

Details

Time:

  • Two face-to-face sessions: Consecutive Saturdays, 9.00am - 3.00pm.

  • One webinar: Wednesdays, 6.00-7.30pm

Face-to-face days location: MHERC, Level 1, 12 Hazeldean Road, Addington, Christchurch

Investment: $339 (or join solely online from anywhere for $290)

Choose your date and register now

*If your preferred date is full, please email us.

Comprehensive antenatal class content

  • Preparing you to make decisions, navigate information overload and unsolicited advice in the months after birth.

    Facilitated by registered psychologist, Christina Bond.

  • Preparing for the psychological transition to and through parenthood with help from Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) and Acceptance and Committment Theory (ACT) skills.

    Facilitated by registered psychologist, Christina Bond.

  • As new parents, our brains, identity, relationships and more change. Inform and prepare yourself to smooth this transition.

    Facilitated by registered psychologist, Christina Bond.

  • How to grow happy, healthy, resilient, nurtured, secure and emotionally intelligent children based on current research into infant brain development. Including attachment theory, emotional regulation and co-regulation.

    Facilitated by registered psychologist, Christina Bond.

  • Understand perinatal mental health and what to look out for, including postpartum blues, depression, anxiety and intrusive thoughts. Research shows parental wellbeing impacts infant health outcomes. When we support parents, we are supporting babies to have the best start to life.

    Facilitated by registered psychologist, Christina Bond.

  • Covering both breast and bottle feeding, including latching, milk supply, bonding, common worries and solutions.

    Facilitated by GP and Infant Feeding Specialist, Dr Beth Shore.

  • Stages of labour, pain relief options, and how to support your body and mind during birth.

    Facilitated by midwife, Debbie Stevens.

  • As Mums experience matrescence, Dads experience patrescence. A special section focusing on the transition of partners and support people.

    Facilitated by father, Don Benn.

    Please note this session takes place at the same time as the Breastfeeding session.

  • Preparation, exercises and common pelvic health concerns.

    Facilitated by physiotherapists, Amy and Kelly from Liberty Pelvic Health Physiotherapy.

    Please note this session isn’t able to be recorded.

  • Busting myths about infant sleep and settling, based on infant brain development and temperament.

    Facilitated by hoslistic sleep expert, Ainslee Roughan.

Participants will receive:

Frequently asked questions:

  • Ideal timing is between 28-36 weeks pregnant. You can attend any time, however the third trimester is a great time to connect with other parents of similar due dates.

  • Yes! We strongly encourage you to bring one other person, whether this is a support person or your partner.

  • Yes! We want this learning to be accessible to all parents-to-be. Please email info@matrescence.nz if you would like to discuss a payment plan.

  • All payments are non-refundable.

    If you are unable to attend, with notice given 24 hours prior, you can send someone else in your place, or change your date.

    A full refund, minus an administrative fee of $30, is provided under special circumstances, such as pregnancy related medical reasons. Please contact us.

Facilitators

Christina Bond
Registered Psychologist

Ainslee Roughan
Holistic Sleep Specialist

Samantha Bond
Teacher

Dr Beth Shore
GP & Infant Feeding Specialist

Amy & Kelly
Physiotherapists

Don Benn
Father

  • The best investment in your baby's future is you. Equip yourself with this essential parenting knowledge.

Testimonials

Fantastic course - highly recommend to all mums-to-be! Learned so much more about how to manage my own emotions/look after myself during the transition to motherhood that other antenatal classes don’t focus on. Feeling much more confident about what will happen and the plans we have in place.
— Bradi & Dave Martin - July 2023
My husband and I really loved the Matresence antenatal course! We found it really holistic and it was really helpful that it focused on the journey into motherhood and the difficulties and challenges that come with that, as well as the challenges that the relationship can face. It was a great mix of teaching around practical skills (for example for labour, breastfeeding, preparing for staying on top of household chores etc, organising support, and navigating sleep) as well as some great emotional regulation skills to help with the emotional challenges. I would definitely recommend it and am glad we did it!
— Jenna & Andrea Moscatelli - July 2024
Highly recommend attending one of your courses. The ‘Preparing for parenthood antenatal workshop’ was really valuable, great information and was presented in an easy to understand, relatable and non-judgemental way. Thank you for the support you are providing couples as they become parents, it makes such a difference and was great to have the focus be on us, and providing us ways to support each other through the journey.
— Erin Prattley - 2023

Looking for something different?

  • Antenatal for second time mums

    A much requested two-hour webinar to support the transition from being a first-time mum to a mother of two.

  • Preparing for Parenthood

    Already completed a traditional antenatal class that covers birth, labour and feeding? This three-part recorded antenatal series dives into the essential topics of matrescence and parental wellbeing often left out of traditional antenatal classes.

  • Mumtown

    Mumtown: Your Virtual Village

    12 months of weekly online support from a matrescence practitioner, a community of supportive mothers and guest speakers (psychologists, sleep support, infant feeding, pelvic health and more).

  • “Life long mental health begins with infant mental health."

    - Greer Kirshenbaum