To reduce face-to-face contact with pregnant women, antenatal education has gone online for parents-to-be in Dubbo and further afield.
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While trying to reduce contact with pregnant women, Western NSW Local Health District maternity services also wanted to ensure the women could continue to have access to antenatal education during the COVID-19 crisis.
The innovative online model is enabling women and their partners to access vital pregnancy, labour and parenting education from the comfort of their own home, while complying with social distancing rules.
The classes are rotating on a four-week cycle and each week covers a different topic.
The four topics include pregnancy, labour and birth, breastfeeding, and the early days of being a parent.
Western NSW Local Health District clinical midwifery consultant Tammy O'Connor said the online antenatal education would be delivered by qualified midwives.
"Women and their partners can either dial in for each class or choose any that interests them," she said.
"All women need is to have access to a phone or computer.
"Midwives will be delivering the education, ensuring opportunity for the woman and her support partner to ask questions."
The classes are running each Wednesday night from 6pm.
The classes started on April 8 and there were 40 people in the first antenatal class.
The online class included members of the Dubbo maternity unit.
The online antenatal classes will continue through to August 26.
Parents-to-be who would like to register for the Western NSW Local Health District's free interactive online antenatal classes should phone Lucy Sissian on 6809 8607.
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