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Childbirth Preparation Classes & Doula Services The Health Services Authority (HSA) offers a free, eight-week educational series called ‘Parent Craft’. Classes are held on Monday evenings, 5.30pm-7.30pm at the Women’s Health Centre located at the Cayman Islands Hospital. There is no charge or need to register in advance. Led by experts in the relevant fields, topics include, among others: Nutrition for Pregnancy, Labour & Delivery, Knowing your Baby, Breast Feeding, Infant CPR, Alternative methods of delivery and immediate postnatal care, Postnatal care at home, safety, immunization & family planning, Relaxation in pregnancy and Motor development in the first 12 months. You will also be taken on a tour of the maternity ward so you can familiarise yourself with the facilities. If you miss any classes, you may make them up during a subsequent eight-week course cycle. Please call (345) 244 2649 or (345) 244 7627 for more information. Doctors Hospital offers free Antenatal Classes that are an hour long and run for three-consecutive weeks. Topics include what to expect when you’re pregnant, pregnancy complications, health and nutrition, the four stages of labour and recovery, choosing a paediatrician, breastfeeding, mental health and newborn care. You will also be offered a tour of the maternity ward. The classes are held at the Camana Bay location. Tel: (345) 949 6066. RVC Rehab Services (Tel: (345) 949 6024) offers courses, both group and private, in the Lamaze method of childbirth. This is the most common type of birth class and approaches childbirth as a natural and healthy process. They neither support nor discourage the use of medicine or medical interventions during labour and delivery. Instead, they inform mums-to be about their options so that they can make decisions about their own birth plan. The course consists of six two-hour sessions with a maximum of 12 couples and is often a great way to meet other parents-to-be at a similar stage of pregnancy. The course 396
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covers topics such as comfort measures for coping in labour, breathing and relaxation techniques, birth plans, coping with challenges during labour, breastfeeding and infant care. Private classes and refresher childbirth classes, doula and lactation services are also available. Ariel Grace is a registered Doula and pre and post-natal Pilates instructor at Align Wellness Studio. Ariel teaches child birth education and pre-natal Pilates classes to inform, and prepare new parents for childbirth and recovery. As a birth doula, Ariel offers compassionate and non-judgmental, one-on-one individual physical, emotional, and educational support sessions for mums throughout pregnancy and childbirth. Safety At Home Before bringing your baby home, it’s a good idea to do a safety appraisal. Toilet and cupboard locks, stair gates, bath grip mats, corner protectors and electrical socket plugs are all easy and affordable ways to make your home safer. You will find a good selection of baby-proofing equipment at A.L. Thompson’s, Kirk Home and Baby Express. You should also consider fencing (and perhaps an alarm system) if you have a pool. Contact Oasis Pool & Spa (345) 945 7665 or Pool Patrol (345) 949 8543. Fitness Connection (Tel: 345) 949 8485 offers pool safety and swimming lessons for little ones from three months of age. They also teach nannies how to swim and offer CPR, First Aid, AED, Lifeguard and SAI STAR certifications to put safety first in your home. (SEE AD PAGE 443) Check your garden for noxious plants that might pose a threat if ingested by young children. Additionally, citronella oil, is commonly used as a mosquito deterrent in lamps and Tiki torches, poses a danger when ingested or inhaled. Make sure that any such bottles and torches are stored out of reach. If you find your baby with part of a plant, or if you suspect a household product may have been ingested, even if your baby is awake and alert, it is prudent to call the Center for Disease Control and Prevention Poison Helpline
(USA) (Tel:
1 (800) 222 1222) to check if the substance is potentially dangerous or take your child to the emergency unit of the Cayman Islands Hospital. Massage for Pregnancy Make sure you get full approval from your doctor before you engage in any type of massage therapy. There are many options on-Island such as La Prairie Spa at The RitzCarlton or The Spa at Seafire at the Kimpton Seafire Resort + Spa, Touch of Thai (Tel: (345) 949 8989), Tips n’ Toes (Tel: (345) 943 8637), Beyond Basics Medical Day Spa (Tel: (345) 945 2737) and Da Vinci Centre (Tel: (345) 943 2002). Prenatal Exercise Classes Pre and post-natal circuit classes are offered by Carla at 345 Personal Training (Tel: (345) 926 2117 or email: 345personaltraining@ gmail.com) Kula Kids Cayman (www. kulakidsyogacayman.com) offers weekly prenatal yoga classes and workshops. Ariel Grace at Align Wellness Studio (www.align. ky) and Energy Essential Fitness (www. energycayman.com) both offer pre and post-natal Pilates classes. Prenatal exercise classes are a great way to meet other expecting mums! Maternity Clothes & Bras The Bump to Baby sells upscale and stylish maternity clothing from brands such as Séraphine. They also stock nursing bras, belly bands, diaper bags and pregnancy pillows. Located in The Strand, Tel: (345) 938 6498 or visit www.thebumptobaby. com. Atlantic, Silhouette and The Baby Shoppe also sell a good selection of maternity bras. Funky Monkey offers a wide range of comfortable clothing. Maternity Leave The Labour Relations Act (2015) provides for a minimum maternity leave allowance of 14 calendar weeks in any 12-month period. However, this is only available as an entitlement where the mother concerned has already completed a full year of employment with her employer. Where an employee
