Birth classes shift to online for expecting parents because of pandemic

Being a parent is all about adapting to change.

Many first time parents are learning that before their baby is even here.

Whether you’re a parent or not, we’ve all heard about the classes that teach you to breathe, relax and prepare for parenthood.

But the pandemic has forced some changes on this group.

Cathy DelSenno, Methodist Women’s Hospital Childbirth Education Coordinator: “Got 100 families through the Zoom classes and that’s a big concern of theirs is what is this going to look like for me.”

Instead of sitting in a big room together, moms and dads-to-be are sitting down in front of a webcam -- and it’s taking some getting used to.

But parenthood is all about adapting. So a handful of first-time parents -- and me -- a dog parent, all sat down to learn the basics.

From baby bump to bassinet, first-time parents like Marley and Caleb Ward are gearing up for their due date.

Caleb: “I wanted to make sure we knew everything. We’re first-time parents so we wanted to make sure that we were as ready as we could be.”

Bringing a new life into the world is a big deal. Doing it during a viral outbreak is even scarier.

Marley: “I think it does cause them anxiety especially with it being our first. Already don’t know what to expect on top of not knowing what to expect.”

So these Zoom classes have helped them ease pregnancy anxiety and safety anxiety.

COVID-19 has forced them to rethink a lot about their birth plan, from not having grandparents standing by to putting off relatives meeting their baby girl.

Health and safety of our baby is obviously the most important thing

While these changes are big, Delsenno and the professionals at Methodist Women’s Hospital are hoping these classes keep some of the normalcy in an otherwise rapidly changing experience.