All childbirth, parenting and new baby classes at Northwest Hospital are offered on the Northwest Hospital campus by the Great Starts program of Parent Trust for Washington Children. Pre-registration is required. Full payment is due at registration. All fees cover two people, for example, a pregnant mother and her support person. Medicaid Provider One cards can be used for the Seven Week Series, Four Week Series and Labor & Birth Only classes. To register online, click on the link below each class, or call Great Starts at 206-789-0883.
Seven Week Series
This series of classes meets on seven weeknights, and includes:
- Preparing for labor and birth, including stages of labor, emotional and physical challenges during labor, how a support person can comfort the laboring mother, hospital routines, possible interventions and postpartum recovery
- Newborn care class
- Breastfeeding
- Reunion after all the babies are born
Cost: $190 per pair, or ProviderOne card
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Four Week Series
This series of classes meets on four Saturdays and includes:
- Preparing for labor and birth, including stages of labor, emotional and physical challenges during labor, how a support person can comfort the laboring mother, hospital routines, possible interventions and postpartum recovery
- Newborn care class
- Breastfeeding
- Reunion after all the babies are born
Cost: $190 per pair, or ProviderOne card
Register Now
Labor & Birth Mini-Series – Saturday Series
This mini-series if for parents who need a shorter class to fit into their busy schedule. It covers the same information about labor and birth as the longer series, but in a condensed form. It covers only very basic information about newborn care and breastfeeding.
Cost: $130 per pair or ProviderOne card
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Newborn Care Class
This course focuses on caring for the baby during the first few months of life. Learn about newborn capabilities, how infants communicate needs, crying and calming, sleep and sleep safety, health and illness, and daily care: diapering, bathing, and dressing.
Cost: $30 per family
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Breastfeeding Basics
This class is designed to educate parents on proper feeding techniques and positioning, how often to feed, preventing and coping with common challenges and how partners can support breastfeeding mothers.
Cost: $30 per family
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Life with Baby
This class helps prepare parents for adjusting to the first year after baby's birth. Includes information on developing routines, getting sleep, returning to work, strengthening the couple relationship, finding a supportive network, and other topics of relevance to new parents.
Cost: $30 per pair
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Babysafe
This three-hour course is taught by a certified CPR instructor. Topics include infant development, SIDS risk reduction, injury prevention and care of common injuries. Infant choking rescue and infant CPR is demonstrated and practiced. This class does not include a certification card.
Cost: $40 per pair
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CPR – Infant & Child CPR Basics
The CPR Basics class uses the Family & Friends CPR curriculum and is taught by professional instructors credentialed by the American Heart Association. This class is for parents and caregivers who want to learn basic CPR but who do not require a formal certification. Class includes: CPR and choking rescue for infants and children up to age eight, victim assessment, and calling 9-1-1. Please note: these classes are not held at Northwest Hospital. They are held at the office of Parent Trust for Washington Children in Mountlake Terrace. Also for this class ONLY, the course fee covers only one individual, rather than a pair.
Cost: $35 per pair
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Conscious Fathering
For expectant or new fathers, this class provides information to help fathers feel more involved and confident in birth and child-rearing. Topics include how to connect from day one, keeping the baby as comfortable as possible and how to cope when “everything goes wrong,” plus how to meet the baby’s basic needs, as well as developing your own definition of the kind of father you want to be and determining how you want to interact with your child.
Cost: $30 per pair
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Sibling Preparation for Kids
This class prepares children for the birth of a new family member.
It is appropriate for children, ages 2-1/2 to 6 years of age, accompanied by a parent. The class is taught to the children, with parents listening in. Information is presented at a young child's learning level.
Topics include information about pregnancy, birth, how newborns behave, and some of the ways that family life is affected by new babies.
Cost: $20 per pair
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Sibling Preparation for Parents
This class gives parents helpful tips for how to prepare their child(ren) for the birth of a new baby. It is most helpful for parents whose children are 1 to 8 years old.
Cost: $20 per pair
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Happiest Baby on the Block
This class is for expectant parents, and parents of young infants*, who would like to learn techniques for calming and soothing a baby.
This class is based on the highly effective, 5 step approach to calming crying, and encouraging sleep, pioneered by Dr. Harvey Karp in his best-selling book and DVD. You will learn step-by-step how to help your baby sleep better and how to soothe even the fussiest baby in minutes...even seconds!
*This class can be taken before baby's birth, or anytime in the first two months. (Techniques are most effective for babies in their "fourth trimester" - the first three months of life.)
It's OK to bring your baby to class! And it's OK if they cry during class - gives us a chance to see the techniques in action!
Cost: $50 per family
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Cloth Diapering
These are not your Grandma's diapers! This class is for expectant and new parents* who want to learn about healthier, eco-conscious and cost-saving ways to diaper your baby. In this class, you will learn all you need to begin using modern cloth or hybrid diapering systems. You will have the chance to see, feel and practice with dozens of kinds of cloth diapers, learn to differentiate between styles, and figure out which diaper is best for your lifestyle.
Cost: $40 per pair
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For any questions that are not answered here, or to register, please email greatstarts@parenttrust.org or call Great Starts at 206-789-0883.
