Kamloops YMCA prenatal wellness program to focus on mindfulness, meditation, and self-compassion tools

KAMLOOPS — The Thompson Region Family Obstetrics Clinic, which handles the majority of expectant families in the Kamloops area, has announced it will stop taking new patients with due dates after July 31.

With that in mind, the YMCA BC’s Kamloops region is launching a new program to help expecting parents.

The free wellness group will be run out of the John Todd Centre on the North Shore. The eight-week program will be for both expecting moms and dads to learn about what lies ahead.

Those who participate can expect to learn coping strategies to use during labour and be given the chance to connect with other parents going through the same experiences.

“It’s really a group that will focus on offering those tools and copping strategies that parents or expecting parents might need while they are waiting for their little one to arrive, during labour and once they bring baby home. Things like mindfulness, meditation, self-compassion tools. And it’s also going to be a group that focuses on connections, so connecting with other expecting parents,” Romina Wachholz, co-director of mental wellness with the YMCA BC Kamloops region says.

There are still two spots remaining in the first run of the program that is set to begin on Wednesday (May 3) evening. However, they are looking at running the program again this summer and fall.

While the group can’t replace the medical care that will be lost in Kamloops if the clinic closes, they hope to help with the stress being felt by new families.

“I can’t imagine what it would be like… if you don’t have that prenatal care, or you don’t have the options of what prenatal care you might want. I think there is a lot of stress that comes with that, a lot of worries, concerns. having those feelings of being overwhelmed,” Wachholz says.