Beyond the Baby Blues. This program offersservices to families experiencing emotional difficulties while adjusting to parenthood. Includes evaluation, consultation, individual and couple psychotherapy, mother-infant psychotherapy, medication referral and free drop-in support groups. Sponsored by Family Services in Bellevue. 425-453-7890, ext. 268, or visit www.family-services.org/get_help/parenting/beyond_baby_blues.php.
Bringing Baby Home. This workshop for expecting parents and parents of infants is based on the research of Drs. John and Julie Gottman. Discover how to stay connected with your partner, interact with your baby and keep both parents involved. Call 425-450-0332 or visit www.family-services.org/get_help/parenting/bringing_baby_home.php.
Conscious Fathering Program. Designed to educate and prepare dads for fatherhood, classes are available monthly at area hospitals. For more information or a schedule, visit http://www.consciousfathering.org/ or call 206-233-0156, ext. 227.
The Holistic Moms Network. This national organization has local chapters in Seattle and South King County. The nonprofit welcomes moms, dads, parents-to-be, grandparents and partners as members. For more information, visit http://www.holisticmoms.org/ or call 877-465-6667.
Listening Mothers. Mothers of babies up to 1 year old meet in small groups with a trained leader to identify and explore the emotional needs, concerns, frustrations and joys of motherhood. The goal of Listening Mothers is to enhance a healthy and secure relationship between mother and baby by focusing on emotional interaction. For information or registration, call 206-275-0104 or visit http://www.listeningmothers.org/.
Northwest Association for Postpartum Support (NAPS). Based in Seattle, NAPS offers referrals for postpartum-support doulas. For more information, call 206-956-1955 or visit http://www.naps-doulas.org/.
Parent Trust for Washington Children. This organization offers free weekly, two-hour support groups for parents throughout Washington and a free Family Help Line, which parents can call and talk directly to a trained volunteer about any crisis they might be facing. For more information, go to http://www.parenttrust.org/ or call 800-932-HOPE (4673).
Postpartum Support International. Between 10 percent and 20 percent of mothers are affected by postpartum mood disorder during their postpartum year. Postpartum Support International offers a toll-free phone number, 1-888-404-PPMD (7763), for mothers or family members with questions about symptoms of postpartum depression. All calls will be returned by a trained volunteer within 24 hours. http://www.postpartum.net/
Postpartum Depression. Speak up when you're down. Information and help is available from the Children's Trust Fund of Washington. Call 1-888-404-7763 or visit www.speakup.wa.gov.
Program for Early Parent Support (PEPS). PEPS brings parents of young children together for discussion and support. A PEPS-trained leader facilitates weekly meetings. There are programs for parents of babies from birth to 4 months of age. For information, call 206-547-8570 or go to http://www.pepsgroup.org/.
Foster parent support groups. Visit www.parentmap.com/foster to find a support group in your area.
Postpartum support group. Free drop-in group held the second and fourth Monday of every month, 6:30-8 p.m. At Providence Hospital, Pavilion for Women and Children, 900 Pacific Ave., fifth floor, Everett.
or 206-604-0996.
Teen parent support group. Every Thursday 5-6:30 p.m. at the U District Youth Center, 4516 15th Ave. N.E., Seattle. Call Lauren at FamilyWorks, 206-694-6729.
Education
Bates Technical College. Bates Home and Family Life Department offers its Parent Infant/Toddler Program at many Pierce County locations, including Puyallup and Bonney Lake, Tacoma, University Place, Dash Point/Brown's Point and Gig Harbor. One or both parents or caregivers are welcome, and scholarships are available. To register, call 253-680-7500 or go to http://www.bates.ctc.edu/. Bates also offers a Mommy & Me Tea for moms with babies 0-6 months on the first Thursday of each month, 1-2 p.m. For information, call 253-680-7511.
Community Birth and Family Center. This birthing center offers a free First Weeks class. New parents can discuss breastfeeding, sleeping patterns and other issues with a lactation consultant and registered nurse. Meetings are from noon to 2 p.m. Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays at the center, 2200 24th Ave. E., Seattle. For information on other programs and classes, call 206-720-0511 or go to http://www.communitybirth.org/.
Great Starts Birth and Family Education. This nonprofit educational agency offers a variety of classes on topics such as childbirth and parenting preparation, sibling preparation, newborn care, infant CPR and baby safety. Call 206-789-0883 for information or go to http://www.greatstarts.org/. Great Starts is located at 2517 Eastlake Ave. E., Seattle.
Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies Coalition of Washington State(HMHB). The coalition helps families in Washington access information they need, from pre-pregnancy planning through childhood. For information, call 206-284-2465, or visit http://www.hmhb.org/.
LaLeche League. This nonprofit international organization provides education, information, support and encouragement to women who want to breastfeed. Monthly meetings are held throughout the Puget Sound area; all women interested in breastfeeding are welcome to attend. To find a meeting location, go to www.lalecheleague.org/Web/Washington.html. LaLeche also offers a helpline for women with breastfeeding questions: 206-522-1336.
Puget Sound Midwives and Birth Center. This Eastside birth center offers classes on topics ranging from breastfeeding to vaccine awareness. Call 425-823-1919 for dates and times, or visit http://www.birthcenter.com/. The birth center is located at 13128 Totem Lake Blvd. N.E., Suite 101, Kirkland.
Parenting a new baby. Parent/infant classes at Seattle Central Community College Parent Child Center. Contact Missy Chow,
or 206-587-6906. www.seattlecentral.edu/parentchildcenter
Other
Baby Boot Camp offers indoor and outdoor stroller-based classes to help moms and dads get fit. Visit http://www.babybootcamp.com/.
Child Care Resources of King County. Parents who need help finding child care for their new baby can turn to this nonprofit agency for help. Along with providing valuable information on topics such as choosing a child-care provider, the agency offers a searchable database of more than 2,000 child-care providers in King County. Visit http://www.childcare.org/ for information.
Family support centers. Located throughout Seattle, each of these centers is unique, but all have a goal of promoting healthy development of families by providing resources, information, parent/child playgroups, and a wide variety of free or low-cost workshops on topics such as parenting, budgeting, CPR/first aid, etc. For information or to be included on a mailing list, call 206-694-6727. Contact information for individual centers is as follows:
Ballard Family Center, 206-706-9645, www.phinneycenter.org
North Seattle Family Center, 206-364-7930
Cascade People's Center, 206-587-0320
New Holly Family Center, 206-723-4073
Rainier Beach Family Center, 206-723-1301
Southwest Family Center, 206-937-7680, www.swyfs.org
Chinese Information and Service Center, 206-624-5633, www.cisc-seattle.org
Gracewinds. This Seattle organization offers a wide variety of pregnancy and childbirth programs for women and families, including classes on childbirth, infant CPR, nutrition and baby signing; support groups for new mothers; fitness programs; massage and health services; workshops and more. For information, visit http://www.gracewindsperinatal.com/ or call 206-781-9871 or toll-free at 866-781-9871.
The Seattle Holistic Center. Located in the North End, the Seattle Holistic Center offers prenatal and postnatal yoga, various workshops for expectant couples as well as parent-child workshops and massage therapy. For more information, call 206-525-9035 or go to http://www.seattleholisticcenter.com/.
Talaris Research Institute. A nonprofit institute based in Seattle, Talaris is dedicated to discovering how children think, feel and learn, focusing on the first five years of childhood. The goal of the institute is to connect research findings to practical applications. The institute's Web site contains information on current research projects and findings, and offers a variety of resources for parents. Go to http://www.talaris.org/ or call 206-859-5600.
Hospitals
Most area hospitals offer classes on birth preparation, breastfeeding, new baby care and a number of other topics for new and expectant parents. What follows is a list of hospitals with contact information for their education departments.
BabyMap 
