After an exceptionally warm summer, we are ready to welcome September!  Cooler mornings, crisp sunny days and lovely evenings with some lingering sunlight. This time of year, we may be busy enjoying the last few weeks of our garden, taking beautiful walks, and tidying up our homes, as we slowly feel the gentle pull of more time being spent indoors. September is always a lovely time of year to plan some indoor activities that will help establish a pleasant rhythm to support us as the days shorten and the weather gets cooler. 

 

 

 

With that in mind, we are offering a full complement of workshops for parents of newborns to toddlers! 

Are you a French speaking new parent? Avec beaucoup de fierté, Ottawa Childbirth Education Association annonce un groupe de soutien pour vous - GRATUIT! 

C'est grâce à une subvention de Health Nexus que nous pourrons offrir un groupe pour les nouveaux parents et bébés.  Le groupe "Premiers Pas d'Ottawa débutera au mois d'octobre (du 1er octobre au 12 novembre) les mercredis matins au centre communautaire Richelieu, à Vanier.

 

Michelle Morra, francophone et éducatrice de cours prénataux avec l'OCEA animera ce groupe.  Chaque semaine, nous aurons un thème différent avec discussion.  Des sujets variés, comme le sommeil chez les bébés, les routines des nouveaux parents, le portage, voyager avec son bébé et plusieurs d'autres sujets seront présentés chaque semaine.  

 

Ce groupe de soutien offrira un appui aux nouveaux parents et une opportunité de rencontrer d'autres familles francophones d'Ottawa.

 

Même si le groupe est gratuit, l'inscription est obligatoire ici

 

Michelle, éducatrice de cours prénataux, doula et maman de 5, a bien hâte d'accueillir des familles francophones à ce groupe. Elle baigne dans la douceur et elle trouve que c'est très important que les parents se sentent bien soutenus.

---

 

OCEA's Baby Steps

Baby Steps will run Tuesday mornings from 9:30 am to 11 am, starting September 16th. You can join Michelle Morra at the Vanier Richelieu Community Centre for 7 weeks of sharing and community! We will cover building rhythms for new families, using baby carriers, and navigating naps and developmental milestones.

 

Michelle has been a leader in parent and child programming for 10 years, is a postpartum doula and is a parent to five children! Michelle's calm approach to gentle parenting and supportive care towards new parents will make this a wonderful, non-judgmental, safe group.

REGISTER HERE

BABY AT THE TABLE - a baby foodie class

Thinking about introducing solids? Feeling overwhelmed navigating the information overload? The first year is the time to establish healthy eating habits, nurture positive relationships with food, and start family traditions. 

We talk about it all. Join Brandie Lekovic starting September 3rd or November 3rd for a four-week session to recognize the signs of readiness, gather ideas of what to feed baby, understand the advantages of baby-led weaning, and how to introduce allergenic foods safely to prevent food-related allergies.

REGISTER HERE

INFANT MASSAGE

Learn the art & science of Infant Massage with Brandie Lekovic starting September 3rd OR November 3rd for a four-week morning class.

Massage your baby for a multitude of health benefits, plus extra bonding!
Connect with a small group of new parents from the comfort of your home. This class will allow your baby to get acquainted with gravity after birth, reduce the impact of gas, and supporting weight gain.

REGISTER HERE

Family Traditions, It's More than Taco Tuesday!

Did you know that repeating small daily, weekly, monthly and seasonal rituals provides a sense of predictability that makes parenting easier?! This allows babies to teens the opportunity to strengthen memories, relationships and reduce anxiety related to the transition from one activity to the next. Leave with practical strategies to add to your family repertoire to smooth bumpy moments of getting out of the house in the morning, re-entering at the end of the day, and creating positive memories of bedtime. The FREE, one-hour workshop is offered by Erin Shaheen.

REGISTER HERE

It Takes A Village (Grandparent and More class) Our parenting values of unconditional love and understanding are shared from generation to generation. Yet, the tools available to us have changed, and the work-life balance for families is different. Gift a Grandparent-to-be, your bestie or an extended family member with a class to meet their needs and get excited about their role in your baby's life!   We will cover updated newborn sleep recommendations, car seat use & safety, preparing to support baby over the winter, infant feeding, and maximizing technology to stay connected from afar. REGISTER HERE

xoxo

from all of us at OCEA

Thank you for including us in your journey into parenting.

We are honoured.

For a full list of our prenatal and postnatal classes, visit our website:
https://ottawacea.com/