Confident, Empowered, Ready for Birth and Beyond - Learn, laugh, and feel prepared for what’s next.
Welcome to Bellies to Babies - your trusted expert; from pregnancy through to parenthood.
Our fun, friendly, and supportive Antenatal & Postnatal Classes are designed to help you and your partner prepare mentally, emotionally, and physically for your incredible journey ahead. We focus on giving you the confidence, care, and practical tools needed for labour, birth, and those precious (and sometimes exhausting) early weeks with your little one.
You’ll gain valuable knowledge and build connections with other parents expecting their babies around the same time—because community matters! While no class can fully prepare you for the entire rollercoaster of parenthood, we’re here to guide you through every step from pregnancy to precious baby cuddles.
At Bellies to Babies, we provide a warm, supportive space where parents-to-be can feel confident and informed throughout their journey. Whether you're in Hawke’s Bay or anywhere in New Zealand, we’ve got antenatal and postnatal class options to suit every need. From In-person Antenatal Classes in Hawke’s Bay to Live Online Antenatal Classes across NZ, Self-Paced Online Antenatal Class, and Private Consultations, we make sure you’re covered no matter where you are.
We also offer a selection of beautifully handcrafted products designed to nurture you throughout pregnancy, labour, and beyond. From comforting pregnancy wheat bags to calming felt ball oil diffusers, birth combs, and soothing peri sprays—each item is thoughtfully crafted with your comfort in mind.
Our classes tend to fill up quickly, so we recommend booking early (after 14 weeks) to secure your spot.
I can’t wait to support you on this amazing journey!
Choose your EDD window and we’ll show you dates that land in the sweet spot — far enough ahead to prepare, close enough to keep everything fresh.
For In Person Hawkes Bay classes and Boutique weekend classes check below.
Which class is right for you?
Due Dec 2025 –Jan 2026?
Due Feb–Mar?
Due Apr–May?
Bump to Birth - Live, Interactive, Online Antenatal Classes - New Zealand Wide
Class 6: 13th Nov - 11th Dec
Class 1: 5th March - 2nd April 2026
Why Bellies to Babies Classes Are the Best Choice
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With over two decades in antenatal education and more than 5,500 parents taught, you’ll benefit from proven expertise in pregnancy, labour, birth, and early parenting support.
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Choose from a variety of class formats and schedules designed to suit your lifestyle and needs — from in-person to online, weekend to private sessions. You can explore these here.
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Gain insights from my 100+ published articles featured in the NZ Herald, leading pregnancy magazines, and other trusted media — all grounded in evidence and real-world experience.
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You’ll receive accurate, practical information to help you make informed choices that align with your values, preferences, and family.
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Take advantage of exclusive package discounts designed to make quality antenatal education both accessible and affordable. Find out more about these packages here.
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I’m committed to ongoing professional development — continually updating my skills, knowledge, and teaching to ensure you receive the best, most up-to-date support possible.
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Parenthood is better together. Meet other parents due around the same time, share experiences, and build your own supportive coffee group that continues well beyond the classes.
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You’ll receive a beautifully designed 40-page e-book packed with information, resources, and practical tips to help you feel confident through pregnancy, labour, and birth. (Valued at $19.99)
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Stay connected through a private class Facebook group with extra resources, helpful links, and ongoing support to keep your learning (and confidence) growing.
Hi, I’m Janine Gard — Labour and Birth Specialist
For the past 20 years, I’ve had the absolute privilege of supporting more than 5,500 expectant parents through one of life’s biggest adventures — becoming a family.
As a Diploma Qualified Labour and Birth Specialist, I’m passionate about helping parents feel confident, informed, and ready — mentally, emotionally, and physically. I believe in the incredible power of the female body and the beauty of every unique birth story, whether it unfolds naturally, with interventions, or with a little extra help along the way.
My goal is simple: to give you the tools, knowledge, and reassurance to make choices that feel right for you and your baby.
Each class is a mix of evidence-based education, open conversation, and a good dose of laughter — because preparing for birth and parenthood should feel exciting, empowering, and real.
Supporting You as You Find Your New Rhythm
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Cuddle & Connect - Baby Sensory & Massage Course
These classes are a beautiful blend of baby massage and sensory play– created to give you and your little one calm, joyful moments together. Each week, you’ll learn simple, soothing massage techniques that can help your baby relax, sleep better, and even ease colic or tummy troubles.
Alongside this, you’ll dive into playful sensory activities – bubbles, colours, textures, music, and movement – that spark curiosity and gently support your baby’s brain and body development.
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Confident & Calm: Baby & Infant Emergency Know-How Class
Because googling in an emergency isn’t a plan!
This hands-on, parent-friendly workshop is designed to give you the calm confidence to act quickly and clearly in a baby or infant emergency. Whether you're expecting your first baby, already deep in the newborn days, or refreshing your skills for baby number three, this session is for you.
We’ll cover real-life scenarios—like choking, fevers, breathing issues, burns, bumps, and more—in a relaxed, welcoming environment where asking questions is encouraged and no one expects you to have it all figured out.
Pregnancy Freebies!!!
Download our carefully curated freebies, designed to support you every step of the way throughout your pregnancy and birth journey. From helpful tips to practical tools, we’ve got you covered!
Don't just take our word for it, here's what others have to say:
My husband and I did both the antenatal classes and the hospital tour and can't rate them high enough. We had heard mixed things about other antenatal classes, but Janine's are great, informative and balanced on topics such as breast/bottle feeding, natural/medicated birth etc. She never made you feel like your questions and choices were being judged. We will recommend her services to everyone - even if they aren't based in Hawkes Bay.
Jessica Jones
“100% recommend Janine and Bellies to Babies for your antenatal classes. She has a wealth of knowledge and a super easy and chill way of delivering in a safe and engaging environment. We met an awesome group of people that we have already created strong friendships as we venture into parenthood together. Thanks so much for everything Janine”.
Isabelle Crawshaw
“The 6 weeks antenatal class with Janine was truely amazing! She adapted it so well to do it online for us with everything going on in the world and made sure everyone still participated. I took a lot away from the sessions (about 8 pages of notes worth) and she has definitely helped me to be more prepared in welcoming my baby into the world! I would definitely recommend ‘from bellies to babies’ to anyone looking for an antenatal class if they want one with a teacher who is truely passionate about what she does and shows her love for it!”.
Rachel Seed
Would highly recommend attending Janine’s Antenatal classes. As first time parents we appreciated attending classes delivered by such a passionate, knowledgeable and down to earth lady. Everything we learnt was relevant and helped us to prepare for parenthood with more confidence! We will continue to recommend these classes to as many people as we can. Thanks for sharing your knowledge with us Janine- you’re amazing!
Andrea Young
“My husband and I have just completed our six-week introduction in how to survive parenting with Janine from Bellies to Babies. We had the BEST group of soon-to-be parents, and I daresay it won't be too long before we're meeting up for cocktails once the babies are earthside. Janine provided a fun and informative program which covers every aspect of newborn parenting, and although we walked away from some classes thinking what have we got ourselves in for; if we hadn't attended we would have an unrealistic outlook on what newborn babies entail!
I can only imagine that our husbands can feel a bit isolated from the physical aspects of pregnancy but Janine did a fantastic job of making them feel included, and in fact, some of the best questions came from the boys. So, if you are looking for a safe space to learn how to raise a baby, where there is no judgment or any question that is too hard to answer, then we highly, highly, highly recommend Janine to help you on your journey”.
Amanda Price
My Values.
Fun – I bring warmth, humour, and joy to learning, making every session feel relaxed, real, and full of connection.
Courage – I help parents face the unknown with confidence, strength, and an open heart.
Empathy – I listen, support, and create space where every parent feels seen, heard, and valued.
Resourcefulness – I share practical tools and fresh ideas to help parents adapt, grow, and thrive through every stage.
In the media.
