Media Releases and Opportunities

New parents are often surrounded by family and friends soon after the arrival of their baby, with many keen to visit the newborns and offer support. But when COVID-19 placed restrictions on our social interactions, many new mothers were limited in who they could see and how they may cope with postpartum issues.

Some turned to online forums and video teleconferencing to connect with loved ones, using technology to create a ‘virtual village’ of people who could interact positively with children and parents while also learning how to care for themselves and their babies. The switch to online interaction raised an important question: can a virtual village be equally beneficial to new mothers and their children?

Dalhousie researchers are investigating that question with the help of a $150,440 Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada Insight Grant. Dr. Megan Aston, Dr. Sheri Lynn Price and Dr. Anna MacLeod are the co-principal investigators on a project called, The virtual village: How do videoconferencing technologies influence experiences of postpartum education during a pandemic?

Dr. Price and Dr. Aston are available to discuss this innovative research project and the implications of online experiences for new moms, whether they are effective in reducing feelings of isolation and the long-term implications of this technology.

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Media contact:
Alison Auld
Senior Research Reporter
Communications, Marketing and Creative Services
Dalhousie University
Cell: 1-902-220-0491
Email: alison.auld@dal.ca