Sarah Rennie – LJI reporter

Little Bean is a new web-based prenatal resource for expectant mothers looking for unbiased information on a range of subjects as they prepare to meet their baby.

The support service, which includes online prenatal classes, was recently launched by nurse clinicians Sabina Finnie and Agathe Lapointe to help women approach their delivery experience from a knowledgeable, prepared, and confident perspective.

Finnie has roots in the Valley, and she says she was thinking especially about rural areas and the somewhat limited availability of prenatal services. She says the number of families that come to the maternity ward unprepared has always surprised her. “A lot people did not know the minimum about what was happening to both them and their baby while they were delivering,” she says, noting new parents are often also not aware of the different interventions that might happen during the process. “This is in part because families will put their full trust in the hands of the medical staff, and while the medical team is there for expectant parents, they do not know what they want, and this may be different from what they think is best.” 

Lapointe works in a more high-risk environment at the Royal Victoria Hospital in Montreal, but says that even some women who are facing complicated pregnancies and deliveries arrive unprepared.

“I think there is a belief out there that birth is a rite of passage, and you just have to tolerate it to get to the good part of having your child,” says Finnie. “Birth will change you. It’s a monumental moment, and I feel that being informed and prepared will help women make choices and avoid feeling like they did not have any control over their birth,” she exclaims, noting that a positive birth experience can influence everything that follows.

Finnie and Lapointe began talking about their observations in February 2023, when they decided to work together to produce a resource to empower women to advocate for more informed birth experiences. Later that year, both women became pregnant and began to learn first-hand about navigating the health care system while expecting.

More services planned

“Our prenatal courses are really in-depth. They touch on 10 different topics and are very extensive,” says Finnie. The classes, which are currently presented in English, cover everything from what to include in a hospital bag to possible emergency scenarios and rare medical complications.

Finnie says they are working on a postpartum program and plan to eventually offer in-person services, including prenatal classes, workshops, and yoga instruction. “Birth is super important, but setting yourself up for a good postpartum is crucial,” she explains, while noting how difficult it can be to survive on little sleep or attempt to get anywhere on time while healing from delivering a baby.

Finnie also plans to integrate infant massage workshops into their list of services. She is completing a course on the subject and is partnering with Une Affaire de Famille in Ormstown to offer five free courses to parents with children under one year of age. The courses will take place on Wednesdays in November and early December. Families can register by contacting her directly at sabinafinnie@gmail.com.

More information on the prenatal courses currently available through the Little Bean web platform can be found online at little-bean.ca.