KidsFirst North staff Rebecca Galloway and Brooke Graham, along with Dr. Johanna Kaiser, are involved in the program. (Derek Cornet/larongeNOW Staff)

By Derek Cornet

Prenatal care

Prenatal program seeks participants

Mar 5, 2019 | 2:00 PM

A new group prenatal program in La Ronge starting next week will allow pregnant women to do appointments, childbirth education and social networking all in one stop.

“It’s kind of a hybrid between a prenatal class, a supportive social gathering of pregnant women and the traditional medical prenatal visit where we do blood pressure, heart rates and that kind of thing,” said Dr. Johanna Kaiser who will be at the first session March 12.

The group prenatal sessions will be held once per month at the KidsFirst North offices at the Harbour Inn and will allow women to consult a doctor about their pregnancy regularly without having to visit the La Ronge Medical Clinic. With a couple of hours to talk about prenatal care and share lunch together, Kaiser noted participants will find a comfortable and inviting setting during the program. At the clinic, she added, sometimes women might feel intimidated or inconvenienced because it’s not the best place to wait for prenatal visits.

Kaiser also stated the new program gives women a place where they can share knowledge about their pregnancies to other women. Some women could have experienced the same issues as others, Kaiser said, and they can provide advice between each other.

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“We have a private space in the afternoon where every woman would get a chance to see the physician privately to discuss anything they don’t feel comfortable discussing in front of the group,” Kaiser said.

Prenatal Outreach Co-ordinator Brooke Graham with KidsFirst North is spearheading the program and she stated women in other communities have already taken part in it. She mentioned for those who join such groups, it decreases the chances of postpartum depression and changes the outcomes for labour and deliveries. For participants, Graham noted they sometimes also form friendship that last beyond the program.

“It’s more of a conversation around prenatal education,” she said. “It’s a bit more casual and tailored to their specific questions and needs.”

The program was made possible through a partnership between KidsFirst North, La Ronge Medical Clinic, Lac La Ronge Indian Band Health Services and the Saskatchewan Health Authority. Anyone interested in the prenatal group can call the La Ronge Medical Clinic to join.

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derek.cornet@jpbg.ca

Twitter: @saskjourno