Hanover Park Library is inviting new and expectant mothers to attend ten free classes that aim to empower and equip women in taking care of both themselves and their babies.
The programme is in partnership with Noeleen Sylvester, the facilitator of the Flourish Network – an organisation that creates spaces of support for new mothers.
Flourish Network classes focus on the skills and information required to provide for a child, specifically in their first 1,000 days of life.
Senior librarian Lucien Ruiters explains: “This is 10 free classes addressing various stages of the antenatal and postnatal process. After the 10 classes, the group has a graduation/baby shower and receives a goodie bag.”
The idea is to encourage mothers to attend all ten classes to get both the goodie bag and a blanket. If they only attend some of the classes, they’ll receive just the goodie bag (for antenatal moms) or just the baby blanket (for postnatal moms).
“Flourish had the roadshow called ‘Flourish with Friends’ at Hanover Park library on 1 July (this year) to relaunch in the province,” Ruiters says.
The organisation has previously worked with Manenberg Library, Valhalla Park Library, Belhar Library and Heideveld Library.
The classes are designed to ensure that mothers are able to participate in a safe, non-judgmental environment. The space also gives participants a chance to meet other expectant mothers and learn from each other.
Also read: Retreat Library gears local women from community into the driving seat
Both antenatal and postnatal classes are held for expectant moms and moms of babies under the age of six months.
The classes prioritise information about both the baby’s and the mother’s health and use fun activities to cover self-care, baby development, breastfeeding and feeding, nutrition and mental health.
Face-to-face classes are held in the Hanover Park library, with virtual classes offered over a data-free platform called Veedo.
This initiative is aligned with the City’s Library and Information Services’ “1,000 Stories Before School” campaign.
The campaign consist of four booklets: “Read to the bum” (26 weeks to birth), “Buzzing Ba-Bee” (birth to 12 months), “Movers and shakers” (12 months to 36 months), and “Budding bees” (3 to 5 years old).
For information on the classes at Hanover Park Library, you can contact Lucien on 021 400 3418/21/17.
Also read:
Picture: News24
