COVID-19 has changed the way we live our lives. Our community is now wearing masks, socially distancing, and finding a new normal.
While COVID-19 is disrupting for everyone, it is most concerning for those with underlying health conditions, including expecting moms. Moms-to-be will experience an entirely new process in which prenatal appointments are attended alone or done virtually, hospital tours have been halted, and delivery now includes testing for the coronavirus.
One Lansing-area hospital knows how hard this can be for first time moms and is getting creative on how to still provide moms the full experience.
“We have created a virtual hospital tour that is based on the in-person tour that we used to provide,” said Tammy Ashley, RN, MSN, CFNP, international board-certified lactation consultant at McLaren Greater Lansing. “The new virtual tour is now available for McLaren Greater Lansing families to provide an opportunity to see the hospital facility and obtain the information needed before delivering their baby.”
The virtual tour is the first piece in what McLaren Greater Lansing hopes to be a large series of educational videos for expecting moms. Its goal is to safely educate and support families online. McLaren Greater Lansing is expected to release other online classes and resources later this month.
“Since our expectant mothers haven’t been able to physically tour the labor and delivery unit, this virtual tour has been able to provide some comfort in knowing what to expect when the big day comes,” said Sandra Russell, DO, OB-GYN at McLaren Greater Lansing.
For more information on McLaren Greater Lansing’s Birthing Center, click here.
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