NZNO nurses’ strikes planned for 2 and 4 September 2025
Nurses at Health NZ public hospitals and health services plan to strike from 7am to 11pm on both Tuesday 2 September and Thursday 4 September. Emergency departments will be open for emergencies only.
GPs, after-hours and urgent care clinics, and other community health providers are not affected by the strikes and will continue to operate as normal.
The Pregnancy to Parenting education series at Nelson Hospital is a free 2-day course.
You will gain skills to take you through pregnancy, labour and birth, the early days of parenting, and more.
Classes provide information on:
forming a birth plan
coping skills
the process of labour and birth
what to expect after the birth
feeding your pēpi
planning your new roles as parents.
You will meet other expectant parents, offering a chance to form social networks in your community that relate to your current life stage.
The course ends with a tour of the Nelson Hospital Maternity Ward.
Young parents
Nelson Hospital offers 4-hour condensed courses for young parents on a Friday afternoon every 2 months. This is an opportunity to get information in smaller groups and meet other young parents.
Refresher groups
These less formal, short sessions provide up to date information and the opportunity to socialise with other parents expecting another child.
These sessions would be good to attend from around 36–37 weeks pregnant, but you can come at any stage of your gestation.
Pregnancy to Parenting online course dates for 2025
A 6-week course delivered via Zoom runs Tuesdays at 7pm, from March 25 to April 29.
Register for a course
Complete the registration form to get access to the Pregnancy to Parenting education series class materials.
Registration for classes will be accepted at any point in your pregnancy. Attending antenatal classes from 28 weeks onwards, and ideally before 37 weeks, offers the best experience of learning for you and your birth partner.
After registration you will receive an automated reply with general information. Your requested date will not be on here, so make a note of which date you book for.
You will also receive an email with the link to access the Pregnancy to Parenting education series class materials.
Our antenatal class coordinator will be in touch the week before your session with more information.
Our free antenatal classes support you every step of the way as you prepare for the arrival of your pēpi.
Designed to be informative, fun and interactive, these classes help you get ready for the journey ahead with confidence and support, and other expectant parents.
It can be your first baby or your third. Antenatal classes are for every expectant parent wanting more information on pregnancy, childbirth and early parenting.
Classes are held at Wairau Hospital in the Tatau Pounamu rooms.
Attending antenatal classes from 28 weeks onwards, and ideally before 37 weeks, offers the best experience of learning for you and your birth partner.
Information about our antenatal classes
Classes have two formats.
Option 1: weeknight class
These classes take place over 6 weeks on Wednesdays, 6pm to 8:30pm (with a break).
Option 2: 3-week class
This series of classes takes place over 3 weeks, on a weekend day and is run from 1pm to 5pm (with breaks).
Topics covered include:
pregnancy lifestyle
birthing environment
childbirth
breastfeeding
early decisions for newborns
newborn behaviours
parental wellbeing
practical parenting
Register for a course
Complete the registration form to get access to the class materials.