Allow expectant mothers and their families to prepare for birth and parenthood from the comfort and safety of their homes. Create an online video library your patients can use during the COVID-19 pandemic and for years to come.
Advantages of Virtual Birth Care Education
When you provide your birth care classes and tours online, your health system and community will benefit from the convenience and flexibility of this format. Find success with online courses that let your patients learn from you where and when they want. Learn how to create virtual classes that are timeless and impactful.
1. Become Adaptable
In a public health crisis, being adaptable is critical. The COVID-19 outbreak makes in-person maternity classes impractical, or even impossible, for an unknown period of time. The ability to change to meet the demands of your environment keeps you relevant and enables you to make a positive impact in your community during a difficult time.
Be an adaptable healthcare system by being resourceful. Use your website to deliver the knowledge of your maternity experts to your patients — instead of asking them to come to you.
2. Think Long-Term
Make videos that will outlast the COVID-19 pandemic. To produce effective and timeless videos:
- Avoid time stamps – Do not reference current events, dates, or fads. Stick to the core purpose of each video to preserve your videos.
- Avoid trends – Encourage your instructor to dress in a classic style that looks professional now and will still look professional 3 years from now. Avoid patterns, logos that can become outdated, and fashion statements.
- Focus on your messaging – Follow the topics you typically address and answer questions that come up the most in an in-person class.
- Break it up – Grab and keep your viewers’ attention by putting the most important information first. Then cover one topic at a time. Keep each point short and simple.
- Accommodate your viewer’s pace – Use titles in your videos to allow people to easily pause and rewind as needed.
- Keep it simple – Speak using an active voice. Use words your audience understands and explain any technical terms.
- Use visuals – Help your audience understand and remember by demonstrating best practices. Encourage your viewers at home to give each exercise a try.
- Make it accessible – Include closed captions to accommodate all audiences.
- Include a call to action – Invite your viewers to continue engaging with your healthcare system by giving them a relevant next step after they finish a course.
3. Build an Engaging Online Library
You do not have to create online options for all of your classes at once. Prioritize the classes that fill up first. Progressively build your online library to allow people to explore topics that are relevant to them. Assemble a collection of courses to cover:
- Advice for grandparents
- Breastfeeding benefits and tips for success
- Cesarean birth
- Comfort measures, including breathing and relaxation techniques
- First aid for newborns and infants
- Newborn care
- Navigating the first year of parenthood
- Postpartum care for mother and baby
- Tips for expectant parents
- What to expect during labor and birth
Virtual Maternity Tours
Offer a virtual tour of your birthing center to build trust and awareness online. Make your video memorable by showcasing why families should choose you for their delivery. Create warmth by using happy families holding their babies with supportive and compassionate nurses nearby. Use images that help people envision themselves or a loved one having a positive experience at your center. Include a step-by-step look at everything families may experience, including:
- What to bring to the hospital
- Where to go when you’re in labor
- Your care team
- Birth center amenities
- Maternity rooms
- Neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) and team
- Breastfeeding services
- How long families can expect to stay
- Going home with your baby
In your video, include testimonials from families that can serve as ambassadors for your hospital. Include clips from your care team on why they love what they do.
4. Promote Your Online Library
People are continually searching for a source of information they can trust. Get the word out about your online library and encourage people to visit it by:
- Featuring your classes in your blog
- Playing clips of classes in the offices of your OB-GYNs
- Promoting online courses on your social media platforms
- Running a digital ad campaign
- Sharing it with your internal team
- Using email marketing
Continue building awareness by including ways to promote your videos each time you revisit your marketing plans.
5. Connect With Your Viewers
Create a place for people to submit questions and comments. You will gather valuable insight from your viewers by reaching out to them directly. You may learn:
- Common questions your videos are not addressing
- Concerns families have
- Parenting trends
- Resources people are looking for
- Topics that interest expecting parents
- What sets you apart
Use this feedback to iterate your existing materials or to create more videos and resources.
Make an Impact
Stand out as a resource people can turn to anytime they need information. Focus on what people need to know and how you can best provide that information to them through your virtual classes.
