The members of TDG have been training over the last month. We have invested time into workshops on Collaboration and Communication and we have all certified in Psychological First Aid. We have spent the last few weeks taking in all of the responses from various levels of government and health agencies to the COVID-19 pandemic. We have also been listening to parents expecting babies in the coming weeks and feel that we have a solid plan to assist pregnant and birthing families.
The following initiatives are now available:
Dial-A-Doula
All of The Doula Group are now fully certified in Psychological First Aid. We are dedicated to serving the Canadian pregnant population. If you are expecting a baby in April 2020 and want to talk about your concerns, form plans and review what's on your mind, we invite you to fill out our form to have one of our awesome Doulas call you for a ten minute check in. There is no charge for this service. We will begin taking calls for babies due in May after the 15th of April. Please fill out this form to have one of our Doulas call you.
Prenatal/Childbirth Education
(for Babies Due in May/June)
Our regular Monday night classes have moved to a virtual platform. These classes have been ongoing for more than twenty years. Our schedule has changed so please check in to make sure you can start these classes an appropriate time. This is a fee-based service which includes four classes in each series. Pre-registration is required.
Doula Services
Our number one priority is the safety of the families we work with and the safety our our Doulas and their own families. All Doula services will move to a virtual platform. Each of our available Doulas has a plan for how this will look and each care plan is as unique as the clients we serve.
Birth Doula Workshop (aka Doula Training)
Our upcoming doula training workshop in April has moved to the Zoom platform. We are going full steam ahead with these classes. We anticipate the need for more Doulas as a result of COVID-19. To be clear, the need for more Doulas is not that we expect more babies over the next year, it is very simply that we expect more people to have more birth related issues that will need that much more support in the coming years. Our Doulas are highly trained and motivated to be the best in their field and we invite you to join us.
Pregnancy and Infant Loss Through a Pandemic
Need to chat about miscarriage abortion, stillbirth or the loss of an infant. We are here for you. We have three Perinatal Bereavement Doulas on our team and every Doula is certified in Psychological First Aid. We have a comprehensive resource network and we are a phone call away.
Ontario Birth Centres Now
It is imperative to keep birthing families safe. From our youngest citizens to our health care providers, it is vital to have a long-term plan during this pandemic to reduce the spread of COVID-19. Hospital beds are now, more than ever, needed for those with pandemic-related symptoms as well as those with new, chronic or recurring health problems. Birth is a normal, healthy function that can be moved out of hospitals for the time being. For births that require surgical or anesthesia services, adaptations can be made during these difficult times. In rural settings, there are viable options to consider (hotels, mobile military hospitals) and the move can be done fairly quickly. In more urban centres, one hospital can be converted to outpatient and birthing services leaving the others ready for the influx of virus related care. The Doula Group will be pushing all levels of government to change how these services are delivered.
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