Excela Health virtual childbirth classes help expectant parents

When Megan Fritz was preparing to become a mother for the first time, she found herself scouring the internet to learn how to breastfeed her newborn.

It was difficult for the Unity woman to find reliable sources at a time when in-person classes on the topic have been halted because of the coronavirus pandemic. She contacted Excela Health for help and learned about a free 90-minute on-demand virtual class created by the health system’s lactation consultants.

“That was exactly what I needed,” Fritz said. “It came from a reputable source” plus had an added benefit of being able to discuss questions with someone at the Family Additions Maternity Center.

And when Fritz more recently decided to start using a breastfeeding pump to store milk, she was able to refer back to the video for a refresher. Emma was born to Fritz and her husband, Brian, on March 10 at Excela Health Westmoreland Hospital.

In-person resources for childbirth are being converted by Excela Health into an online format to help mothers, fathers and their families prepare for childbirth at the Greensburg hospital. Lactation consultant Taylor Stiffler lent her voice to the video.

“There’s so much of a learning curve, not just breastfeeding, but motherhood as well,” she said.

Other videos are on the way for childbirth education and newborn care. The breastfeeding video discusses the benefits, proper positioning and signs that a baby is getting enough to eat, among other techniques. During an in-person class, Stiffler said she typically uses a baby doll to demonstrate those techniques, but it became difficult to describe positioning over the phone with expectant mothers. Helping new mothers breastfeed is an important goal of everyone at the maternity unit that sees the birth of 1,250 babies annually.

“The class really helps,” Stiffler said.

Lactation consultants and childbirth educators are available by phone for any additional support.

“First-time parents have many questions and anxieties about what to expect with their newborn,” said Wendy Reynolds, clinical director of the unit. “Given the volume of information that’s available on the web, our educators wanted to provide a source for verified and trustworthy information that moms can return to time and again, if need be, to increase their confidence and commitment to breastfeeding.”

For Fritz, the breastfeeding video coupled with the knowledge that she could call someone at the maternity unit has been a valuable resource.

“I’m very fortunate to have a daughter who’s a natural at this,” she said. “I really do believe that (the video) helped with the successful outcome of my breastfeeding experience.”

Families and mothers planning to give birth at the Family Additions Maternity Center can call 877-771-1234 to register for the online class. The video link will be sent to those who are enrolled.