MURRELLS INLET, SC (WBTW) – Virtual prenatal classes are becoming popular at Tidelands Health for parents welcoming a newborn baby amid the coronavirus pandemic.
This is the first time Tidelands is offering prenatal classes online. For the safety of parents and newborns, the facility transitioned from teaching in a classroom to virtual learning in March.
Kelly Kaminski, community resources director for Tidelands, says she grateful to provide learning tools for parents during this time.
“There’s a lot of anxiety and additional stressors that moms weren’t having to deal with a couple of months before this,” Kaminski explains.
“Being able to have some sense of normalcy, being able to get the education – the resources that we would’ve been providing pre-COVID is really important for both parents and baby’s outcome.”
Currently, 26 parents are enrolled in the 90-minutes courses. Each course has modules that can be completed at any time.
If enrolled, parents have around-the-clock access to nurses via email, phone call, or the provided chatbox.
Kaminski says parents enjoy the flexibility of the classes and has seen an increase in participation. “It’s actually provided a lot of opportunity,” she says.
“We’ve found a lot more interaction with the parents than when you are in person. People are a lot more likely to ask a question in chatbox or email or call them individually…than they are to raise their hand in a classroom.”
All classes are being offered for free right now due to the outbreak. Parents can expect to learn newborn childcare in the first course. Breastfeeding and expectations for before and after childbirth are the other two courses.
Tidelands Health offers a variety of online classes that caters to different health needs on it’s website.
