Free State Brewing to host dad-focused newborn prep class in Lawrence

Free State Brewing turned its downtown Lawrence taproom into a newborn prep room for dads, offering a two-hour Babies and Beer class for $1 at 636 Massachusetts St. The session, set for 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, gave expectant fathers a low-cost way to learn baby basics in a place that may feel less intimidating than a clinic or classroom.

The class was created by Nate Mattson, a University of Kansas pediatric nurse, clinical assistant professor and father whose work in pediatric intensive care, neonatal intensive care, the newborn nursery and general pediatrics shaped the idea. Mattson has said those settings showed him how often fathers were present for newborn discussions but still left without fully absorbing the information, a gap he wanted to close with something more practical and more welcoming.

Babies and Beer is built around hands-on instruction, not a lecture. The class covered what to expect at the hospital, newborn nutrition, car seats, diapering, safe sleep and bathing, while also focusing on how fathers can support their partners as they recover physically and emotionally after birth. The program’s materials describe it as evidence-based and taught by a registered nurse, with participants practicing with a doll until the steps feel natural.

The setting was part of the point. Babies and Beer’s FAQ says classes are held in breweries or bars so attendees can order their own drinks if they want, and the Lawrence event listing noted that no beer was included in the ticket price. It also asked new dads, if possible, to leave their child at home, a small detail that underscored the class’s focus on giving fathers uninterrupted time to ask questions and build confidence before the baby arrives.

Mattson’s goal goes beyond one evening at a brewery. Prenatal fitness and breastfeeding classes are common for mothers, but father-specific preparation is harder to find, and that leaves many men without a clear place to work through anxiety, isolation and the practical demands of early parenthood. Free State Brewing, which has operated in Lawrence since 1989 and is described in local historical references as the first legal brewery in Kansas in more than 100 years, gave that effort a prominent downtown home. The class pointed to a broader need in Douglas County: family support that treats fathers as active caregivers from the start, not as spectators waiting on the sidelines.