Weekly drop-in programs for parents with young children, to talk with public health nurses about things such as growth milestones and breastfeeding, are resuming at Lambton public health’s office almost three years exactly since they were put on pause because of COVID-19.
“It’s kind of a big deal we’re back,” said clinical and family services supervisor Jennifer Beaubien.
“It’s been hard for our nurses,” she said. “We see a lot of parents out in the community who have had another child … they’re missing the program.
“So we’re really excited to open it up again.”
The ask-a-public-health-nurse parent drop-in sessions, which ran for at least a decade out of the health unit’s Point Edward office before break in March 2020run 9:30 am to 11:30 am every Wednesday, Beaubien said.
Generally, they’re for parents with children up to age four, she said.
There’s a play area for socializing, typically three nurses on hand to answer any questions, space for babies to be weighed, a separate area for breastfeeding support with a lactation consultant, and monthly visits from a dietitian who can answer questions about things such as transitions to solids, Beaubien said, estimating about 30 people have attended each session in the past.
The program’s return is March 22.
“There will be a whole group of people over the pandemic who had children and may not know” things such as the importance of growth and development milestones, she said.
“We’re just excited to be back and to provide the service to the community.”
Pandemic substitutes included phone calls and virtual meetings, while public health staff were redeployed with pandemic-related responsibilities, she said.
“We are still running COVID clinics in this building as well,” so resuming the drop-ins was also a matter of making available space and staff, who’ve been gradually returning to child health services, she said.
“Now, we’re back to a full complement, so we’re able to offer the program.”
Nurses also have been attending similar programs run by EarlyON at eight centers throughout Lambton County in Alvinston, Brigden, Sarnia, Corunna, Forest, Petrolia and Sombra, she said.
Attendance at those also has been strong, she said, noting some summarized several months ago.
Scheduling details are available at lambtonpublichealth.ca/events/clinics/parent-drop-in.