MIRAMAR, Fla. — If the thought of bringing home a newborn feels overwhelming, you’re not alone.

There is no instruction manual for a baby, but there are classes that can help.

The classes are free.

There are a variety of options, including ones focused on C-sections and breastfeeding. They’re offered both in person and online, so parents can find a schedule that works for them.

Baby is crying. Baby is hungry. Baby won’t sleep. Now what?

For first-time parents, or even second-time parents, being prepared before a baby arrives can make a big difference.

Tammy Narup, a registered nurse and certified childbirth educator at Memorial Hospital Miramar, teaches classes that cover what parents need to know before the baby arrives.

“We offer everything from preparing for your labor,” Narup said. “And then in the labor classes, we also offer a sister and birth class for someone who’s going to just be already planning for cesarean. And then we go into postpartum, going after delivery classes, baby care, breastfeeding, and the safety and CPR.”

During one session, parents participated in a baby care skills workshop.

They learned how to properly burp a newborn, how to change a diaper, and how to swaddle a baby, among other skills.

First-time dad Rainier Leon and second-time mom Ali O’Walk are preparing to welcome their baby boy and wanted to feel confident before his arrival.

“I have a 14-year-old, almost 14-year-old daughter, so it’s been 14 years since I’ve taken these classes, and a lot has changed,” O’Walk said. “So, I really want to just be updated on what the best practices are for my new baby.”

Leon said, “Everything is a concern. This is new to me.”

But he says he’s going home with new knowledge.

“How to swaddle the baby, I had no experience at all. And putting and taking off the diaper, only what you see in movies and what you try at home, but nothing from a professional that tells you the right way to do it,” he said.

O’Walk also said she picked up helpful tips, especially when it comes to diaper changes.

“I was asking a lot of questions about diaper changes and how that’s different when you have a daughter versus a son, and I liked covering, so there’s nothing hitting your face. So, that’s something that I learned,” she said.

Each class lasts about two hours. Narup also recommends that, just as parents create a birth plan, they should also consider a postpartum plan.

“Just to let them know what to expect and think about what you want to do with visitors and people helping to share in baby care, so they realize they’re not completely alone on this,” Narup said.

She adds that parents shouldn’t feel like they have to rely only on their partner.

“I would tell them to have a resource list — people they can call, even maybe a friend they can call in the middle of the night when they’re exhausted,” she said. “You need to feed the baby frequently.”

As for advice to other parents considering classes, Narup says they can help build confidence.

“No, you’re not going to know everything by taking classes, but you are going to have a little more relaxed feel because you did the best you could to prepare for the situation,” she said.

For O’Walk, she says taking the classes was a no-brainer.

“Well, you’re going to be taking care of a human. I mean, you should know how to take care of a human properly, right, a newborn little baby,” she said. “So I think it’s super important to know how to feed them, how to keep them safe, alive.”

Click here for more information on how to sign up for local maternity classes and support groups.

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