Having a baby during the pandemic adds an extra layer of worry for new parents, says a registered nurse.

“A lot of moms are scared when they come in — Scared about doing something wrong, and nobody has told them what to do. And it’s COVID-19,” says Rebecca Sloan, who is part of the Well Baby team, operating out of the North Simcoe Family Health Team at in Midland.

The disadvantage of having a baby during the pandemic is there is less physical support for new parents and less access to community resources, said Sloan.

That’s why she’s trying to get the word out about the Well Baby program. It’s an OHIP-supported program available for parents of children, from birth to age three, which has now converted to offering the majority of appointments over the phone.

Sloan was recently a part of the Midland Cultural Centre’s ‘Our Health: World of my Baby’ virtual program, where she said every family can benefit from the program that offers baby check-ups at each milestone, as well as a connection to a registered nurse, dietician, social worker and nurse practitioner.

“You’ve got four different professions until they are three years old,” said Sloan.

Well Baby staff also communicate with clients’ family doctors and specialists.

Mom Rebecca Merkley didn’t think she needed the extra help through the clinic, but then her second baby developed severe allergies.

“At five months, my husband gave her peanut butter and she got a big rash on her face. We went to an allergist in Barrie and discovered she is allergic to any dairy, all kinds of nuts and eggs,” said Merkley.

“For a while, it was pretty scary,” said Merkley, because those ingredients are in all types of food, including infant cereal.

Going into the Well Baby clinic made all the difference.

“I’d recommend it to any new mom for sure. They answer all your questions. They give you so much information,” said Merkley.

Her daughter Alice was switched to a soy-based formula and her eczema got better. She now tolerates almond milk.

The silver lining to having a baby during the pandemic is that everything is more relaxed ,and keeping a small social bubble can bring families closer together, said Sloan.

“The expectation to be out there doing things is gone. They feel they are bonding with their baby, and bonding as a nuclear family.”

Newborns are particularly prone to respiratory ailments, so strictly following health guidelines of a small social bubble, hand washing, and mask-wearing is especially important, Sloan said.

The virtual program ‘Our Health: The World of my Baby’ can be viewed through the Midland Cultural Centre website at or through Rogers TV.

For more information about Well Baby, visit the website: or call

STORY BEHIND THE STORY

With people more isolated at home due to the pandemic, it’s a challenging time if you have a newborn and a lot of questions. The Well Baby clinic now offers appointments over the phone, with access to four professions.