Breastfeeding & Postpartum Support with Dr. Sarah During COVID-19 Pandemic

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** UPDATED January 18, 2021.

As Coronavirus (COVID-19) continues to impact our communities locally & around the world, I’m taking an opportunity here to provide you with information & updates regarding the services that I provide for families in Southeastern New Brunswick & beyond.

I continue to monitor updates & recommendations from the Public Health Agency of Canada & New Brunswick Public Health & I’m doing the best I can to protect my family & yours.

Here’s how:

Virtual Consultations & Workshops

All virtual consultations are conducted through a secure telehealth system on Practice Better (my client management platform). While virtual consultations limit my ability to do a full physical exam & prevent me from weighing your baby, they do allow me to provide a wide range of support, recommendations & resources, specific to the needs you have on your breastfeeding journey.

Virtual consultations can be booked here.

All workshops & classes offered at this time are being conducted online, so families can participate from the comfort of their own homes. Follow me on Facebook & Instagram for program announcements & registration.

Drop-In Sessions

In-person group drop-in sessions are cancelled until further notice.

I understand the value these sessions provide to families in our community & I want to ensure you’re still receiving the support you need. I am offering Live Q+A sessions twice monthly in our Well Rooted Mama Community on Facebook, so you can ask the questions you’d usually ask at the drop-in & connect in real time with one another a little bit. If you’re requesting to join the group, please be sure to complete ALL of the membership questions.

On the first & third Thursdays of the month, short (10 minute) weight check appointments, at Reconnect Health Centre, are available. These appointments are limited in number & need to be booked ahead of time. I also ask that if you’ve booked a time slot & you’re unavailable to attend or you or someone in your household have symptoms of respiratory infection or you or someone in your household has traveled outside of New Brunswick within the 14 days prior to the booking, to please cancel it as soon as you can so another family has the opportunity to book. Reconnect Health Centre’s COVID-19 Operational Plan is available online & all relevant guidelines will be followed for these infant weight check appointments.

House Calls + COVID-19 Precautions

** UPDATE January 18, 2021. Virtual consultations are the best option at this time. If in-person assessment & support is needed, we can arrange a house call if you’re in the Greater Moncton, Sackville & Shediac regions.

Prior to the Visit

  1. All families will be screened for symptoms of respiratory infection & recent travel, the day before the visit. In the case of a confirmation of respiratory symptoms in the home or travel outside of New Brunswick within the last 14 days, a virtual consultation will be offered instead via a PIPEDA compliant telehealth platform.
  2. If any of the answers on the screening form change between its completion & the scheduled session, the family will notify me immediately & a virtual consultation will be offered instead, via a PIPEDA compliant telehealth platform.
  3. All clinical forms (intake & consent) for new clients, as well as COVID-19 screening forms will be completed & submitted online.
  4. I thoroughly clean all of my supplies, including the infant scale, my charting laptop and my phone before each visit.
  5. I change my outer layer of clothing (lab coat/jacket, pants & socks).

During the visit

  1. Upon arrival, I will clean my hands with soap & water for at least 20 seconds, followed by an application of alcohol-based hand sanitizer. Please have soap & a clean hand towel ready by the sink you’d prefer I use.
  2. Throughout the visit, I’ll use gloves every time I touch you & your baby.
  3. Throughout the visit, I will wear a face mask & ask that you do the same, when physical distancing (2 metres, 6 feet) cannot be maintained.
  4. Throughout the visit, we’ll work together to maintain physical distancing (2 metres, 6 feet), except when needed during a feeding assessment &/or an oral assessment for your infant.
  5. When weighing your baby, we will use a receiving blanket on the scale – please have a clean one ready for us to use.
  6. For session fees not covered via direct billing of extended health benefits, the best methods of payment are contactless, including e-transfer or credit card.