New Parent Groups

Ohana New Dads Group

Ohana New Parent Group

The first months of parenting usually involve a steep learning curve. No matter how much you prepare beforehand, every infant is different and every mother and father has to figure out his or her way of managing the many facets of caring for a new baby. It’s true that babies don’t come with instruction manuals, but we think we’ve got the next best thing.

Ohana Mom&Baby Classes

Ohana New Parent Group

Ohana New Parent Classes address the essential questions parents ask in the first months of parenting. Topics include strategies related to feeding, sleeping, soothing, and fostering your baby’s optimal development. As with all Ohana services, we don’t advocate one approach to parenting; rather we provide you with in-depth, research-based information so that you can make the decisions that are best for you and your family. In addition to providing concrete information, the classes offer an opportunity to discuss with other new parents the emotional and logistical changes that come with being a new parent. And they give you a community of other mothers and fathers with whom to navigate the new parent period.

You are welcome to sign up for the classes individually as a mother or father, or together as a couple in two-parent families. In either case, we encourage you to bring your baby with you to the classes. Some sessions are conducted with all parents learning together, and some allow for separate small groups comprised of mothers and fathers learning separately.

The classes are appropriate for parents with babies 0-12 months of age, and are facilitated by experienced Ohana staff to provide expertise on the range of topics covered in the classes:

  • Troubleshooting Feeding and Sleeping Issues
  • Developmental Milestones
  • Strategies for Soothing Your Baby
  • How to Play and Bond With Your Baby
  • The Emotions and Myths of Parenthood
  • Self-Identity as a Mother or Father
  • Processing Birth Stories
  • Relationships With Partner and Others
  • Decisions about Work and Childcare
  • Time Management & Self-Care

“I would absolutely recommend this group to dads. It was clear that significant time was spent preparing for each session, and I appreciated the paraphrased research made available to us and different viewpoints shared. This group allowed me to step outside of my day-to-day responsibilities as a dad, husband, and employee and think more about what those titles mean to me. I spent a lot of time reflecting on myself as a father, and I don’t think I would have done that without this group. It was also reassuring to hear other dads share their stories and to hear that I’m not the only one having the same thoughts or concerns about being a dad.” – Father, Participant in Ohana New Parent Class

“The Ohana [new parent] class is excellent. I started when my son was only three weeks old and arrived at the first class covered in spitup and not entirely sure how to adjust the buckles on the carseat–this class helped me answer practical questions, troubleshoot problems with sleep and feeding, refine my ideas about my own parenting goals and style, and connect with a community of like-minded women who have become fast friends and my allies in new parenthood. It’s much better than a free meetup, because it’s run by people who actually can answer questions. Truly, this is the best thing I’ve joined since giving birth. I don’t know how to say it any louder. GO TO OHANA. You’ll be so, so, so glad that you did!” – Mother, Participant in Ohana New Parent Class

 

Please contact us for more information.
Client Reviews
Testimonials
"I have no doubt that Jocelyn Alt made my natural childbirth possible."
"I credit my successful VBAC [Vaginal Birth After Cesarean] at age 39 mostly to the support of Autumn and Jocelyn."
"Having Autumn there with me was an immeasurable gift. She was a deep well of quiet strength, experience, and knowledge."
"Having Jocelyn & Autumn on the team boosted our decision-making and confidence. Their knowledge & experience stands out."
"They were incredible at 'reading the room' and being able to tell how much or how little attention I was needing at the moment."
"Working with Jocelyn and Autumn was a pleasure. They were attentive, compassionate and engaged from the first time we reached out to them, to even now, weeks after the birth."
"Jocelyn has magic hands! My pain just seemed to melt away with her massages."
"It was so great to have been able to meet and work with two doulas."
"The thing I appreciated the most about having Jocelyn at my birth was her natural ability to put me at ease."
"I really can’t rave enough about how Jocelyn helped me help my wife."
Image Gallery
Check out pictures of us at work and with our wonderful clients (all posted with permission of course!) View photos