In-person sessions for new parents moved to online

Presentations and videos with advice will instead be available online

Some face-to-face sessions for expectant parents on the Isle of Man will now be delivered online, Manx Care has confirmed.

The parent craft education programme, which included a tour of the maternity ward, was previously delivered by the maternity team in person.

The health care body said parent education was being "rebranded" with information delivered in line with NHS England.

But mum-to-be Lara Williams from Ramsey said "having another online source just doesn't have the same impact".

Manx Care said the same topics will be covered in the online resource and signposting would tell parents where to get touch with any questions.

The changes includes offering access to information to help with issues like struggling to feed a baby at home, which would be included in resources about infant feeding, the health care provider said.

Feedback

The new format with online presentations and videos sharing advice would be reviewed regularly and feedback was welcome, and face-to-face education sessions could be reinstated if "this is what service users would like", it said.

Education delivered in person was available from community midwives and options for practical sessions for practical sessions for birthing parents were also being explored, it added.

Ms Williams, who is 34 weeks pregnant said the change was "a shame as I have heard that the face-to-face parenting class has been really popular and successful over the years".

The first time mother said an interactive service "would have been be significantly better".

"The parenting class for both parents together is another way of bonding before the baby arrives and will help you both learn and prepare for the birth and beyond as a team,", she added.