May 13, 2003

Early pregnancy programs

The group of midwives I have in today’s Adelaide workshop had never really thought about the potential of early pregnancy programs for expectant parents. Some had heard of such classes being offered in the past, but thought they had been discontinued. In fact, this is a common story, that “no-one comes” or “the doctors won’t refer people in time”. With the many cutbacks going on across the board with preparation for parenthood programs, they are also an easy target when administrations are looking for ways of trimming the budget.

These are very short sighted views. It is in early pregnancy that parents are actively seeking information about care alternatives for pregnancy anc birth; information about how to stay healthy and comfortable as the pregnancy progresses; details about reasons for the various screening tests and their options, and a chance to talk about the myriad of emotional issues they are facing. They want to meet others in similar circumstances and talk through their concerns and mutual problems.

These programs also offer an opportunity for parents to meet a midwife and hear of midwifery care. If a woman has only seen her GP at this point she would benefit from talking to a midwife for a different perspective on her pregnancy and birth options. In some cases, this program may offer the only chance for her to actually meet a midwife before the regular classes or even the labour. It is a wonderful chance to promote midwifery!

The program will be more successful if it is offered as a part of the whole program rather than an “optional extra” that parents can take if they wish. When parents enquire about the program on offer, explain that they will be booked for a series that has some classes early on and the rest at a later date. The main message to get across to the community is that it is essential to book early for this new program and this will take a little time to filter through. Appropriate advertising will help.

I have had enormous success with early pregnancy programs over the years and find that parents really like to meet and share ideas with other parents over several months rather than the traditional 5 or 6 week period at the end of pregnancy. They form stronger friendships and have a better chance of bonding as a group. Why not give it a try?

Posted by andrea at May 13, 2003 08:20 PM

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