HERSHEY, Pa. — While some parents-to-be may pass on taking a birthing class, they do want to know what to expect during labor and delivery. To help them prepare, Penn State Health Women’s Health is offering a free, virtual class, “What to Expect When You’re Expecting,” from 6 to 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 16.
The one-and-a-half-hour class will feature presentations by Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center providers, including an obstetrician, family medicine doctors, an anesthesiologist, midwives and a pediatrician. They will discuss what new parents can expect in the hospital, during birth and at home with their baby. The program ends with a question-and-answer session, followed by a virtual tour of the Labor and Delivery Unit.
The program debuted in person in September 2019. The COVID pandemic caused the March 2020 class to be canceled and the June 17 session to be offered virtually to protect families and staff from the virus.
“We’ll show video of the new units at Penn State Children’s Hospital,” said Dr. Christina DeAngelis, an obstetrician/gynecologist at Penn State Health Obstetrics and Gynecology, noting that they will also show photos of the current facilities as some women who tune in to the webinar might deliver before the three-story expansion opens in November.
In addition to providing logistical information like what expecting moms should bring with them to the hospital, the team also gives updates on special safety measures they’ve put into place since the COVID-19 pandemic, explained DeAngelis. “We reassure them that we allow support persons to be with them the entire time. And we explain that we test all patients for COVID and discuss those test results with them.”
“We’re thrilled to be able to offer this class virtually,” said DeAngelis. “We get excited every time we have the opportunity to talk to our patients and let them know more about what we hope will be one of the most special and wonderful experiences in their life.”
The class also will be offered on the following dates:
- Dec. 16, 2020
- March 17, 2021
- June 16, 2021