Healthy Baby Club is a prenatal nutrition and education support program offered through community-based family resource centres. The objective is to support healthy nutrition during the pregnancy and early post-natal period and to promote healthy pregnancy and newborn outcomes. Healthy Baby Club actively supports healthy lifestyles for people who are pregnant using a peer support model with a team approach. Support is offered to the participants by a resource mother or other healthy baby club staff, as well as other club participants. Staff work closely with the other family resource centre team members, the public health nurse and the regional nutritionist to provide prenatal education and support.
For Healthy Baby Club Staff
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Forms
Healthy Baby Clubs (HBC) in Newfoundland and Labrador use a series of forms to support staff in their discussions with participants. These forms are developed by the HBC Provincial Advisory Committee (PAC) including representatives from Family Resource Centres and Healthy Baby Clubs. The forms help staff engage with the new participants and determine how to best support the pregnant person and their family.
- Getting to know the Mom: Part A and healthy baby club outcomes: Part B
- Permission to share information
- Physician notification
- Follow-up contact
- Resource mother’s record of participant contact
- Record of participation
- Group session
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Resources
As Resource Mothers and other Healthy Baby Club (HBC) staff work to support pregnant people and new parents there are many topic areas that are addressed. The Healthy Baby Club Provincial Advisory Committee (HBC PAC) worked with HBCs to explore the types of resources currently in use and to determine where more support may be needed.
The following is a list of resources based on the needs identified by HBCs. These resources have been reviewed by the HBC PAC and additional resources may be added as they become available.
- Pregnancy
- Labour and Birth
- Feeding Baby
- Care of Baby
- Mental Health
- Sexual Health
- Healthy Eating
- Physical Activity
- Living Smoke Free
- Alcohol, Drugs and Substance use
- Parenting Support
- Child Safety
- Abuse in Pregnancy
- Regional Health Authority Websites
- Indigenous Governments, Communities, and Friendship Centres
- Additional Information
Pregnancy
A Healthy Start for Baby and Me
Your Guide to a Healthy Pregnancy
Pregnancy and Your Teeth and Gums
Best Start: How to Survive Morning Sickness Successfully
Labour and Birth
Your Guide to Labour and Birth
Feeding Baby
- Feeding Your Baby: So You Have a Decision to Make
- Holding your Baby Skin to Skin
- Breastfeeding Handbook
- How Do I Know if My Baby’s Getting Enough Breastmilk?
10 Great Reasons to Breastfeed your Baby
10 Valuable Tips for Successful Breastfeeding
Protecting, Promoting and Supporting Breastfeeding: A Practical Workbook
Healthy Eating for Babies Aged 6-12 Months
Seasonal Flu Infographic 14Dec (babyfriendlynl.ca)
Working Together Makes Breastfeeding Better: Tips for Grandparents in Newfoundland and Labrador
Care of Baby
A Healthy Start for Baby and Me
What to Expect in the First Three Months
Caring For a Young Child with Fever
Mental Health
NL Mental Health Crisis Line: 1-888-737-4668 / (709) 737-4668
CHANNAL Peer Support Warm Line: 1-855-753-2560 / (709) 753-2560
Doorways (Walk-In Mental Health and Addictions Service) – see the service directory for local telephone information for your region or call 811
Mother’s Mental Health Toolkit
Prenatal Education Key Messages – Mental Health
How to talk about mental health in pregnancy – webinar for prenatal educators in pregnancy
Canadian Mental Health Association
Perinatal Mental Health Alliance NL
Doorways to Conversation – Brief Intervention on Substance Use with Girls and Women
Sexual Health
Healthy Eating
Canada’s Food Guide – Healthy Eating when pregnant and breastfeeding
Canada’s Food Guide – Healthy eating for parents and children
Healthy Eating During Pregnancy
Build a Baby Game
This game, developed by Provincial and Regional Nutritionists, in partnership with the NL HBC Provincial Advisory Committee, has been reviewed by Resource Mothers and used by HBC participants. It is a fun way to review prenatal nutrition recommendations with HBC participants. The activity focuses on healthy eating for a healthy pregnancy, food safety during pregnancy, affordable healthy eating and other common questions and concerns.
The Build a Baby game includes the following:
Dial-a-Dietitian email or call 811 for access to a local Registered Dietitian – HBC staff or clients can call or email directly for free and credible nutrition information and advice
Prenatal-Infant Nutrition Supplement (formerly the Mother-Baby Nutrition Supplement)
Safe Food Handling For Pregnant Women
Physical Activity:
Canadian Guidelines for Physical Activity throughout Pregnancy
Healthy Families BC – Healthy Physical Activity in Pregnancy
24 Hour Movement Guidelines for Adults 18 – 64
Physical Activity – Overview – Tourism, Culture, Arts and Recreation (gov.nl.ca)
Living Smoke Free:
NL Smokers Help Line – Smoking and Pregnancy
NL Smoking Cessation Program under NLPDP
NL Making your car and home smoke-free
Smoke Free Cars for kids Poster
Health Canada – Smoking in Pregnancy
Health Canada – Make Your Home and Car Smoke-free
Prevention of Gestational and Neonatal Exposure to Tobacco Smoke (PREGNETS)
Smoking- Prenatal Key Messages NL Smokers Helpline
Alcohol, drugs and substance use:
Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder Newfoundland and Labrador Network
Best Start- Alcohol and Drugs Resources
Cannabis – Prenatal, Pregnancy and Breastfeeding
Cannabis use during pregnancy and lactation
Government of Canada information on controlled and illegal drugs
Medication and Drugs before and during pregnancy
Clearing the Smoke on Cannabis Maternal Cannabis Use during Pregnancy
BC Centre for Excellence for Women’s Health
- Women and Alcohol
- Alcohol, Pregnancy and prevention of FASD – what partners can do to help
- Why do girls and women drink alcohol during pregnancy? – a resource for Service Providers
- Here’s what we know about alcohol and pregnancy
- Women and Prescription Opioids
- Women and Prescription Pain Medications
Parenting Support
Care For, Comfort Me, and Never, Never Shake Me
Healthy Beginnings: Supporting Newborns, Young Children and Families
Information on parenting for Newcomers
Bridge the Gapp Information for Parents in NL
Child Safety
Child Safety 1-866-288-1388 (Toll free in Atlantic Canada)
Transport Canada: Buying a child car seat or booster seat
Grief – Pregnancy and Infant Loss
Perinatal Bereavement Services
Postpartum Support International : NL Support Coordinators
Connect with PSI Support Coordinators located in NL : Sarah Jones, Michelle Lester and Emma Duke
Inspiring Hope and Healing in Grief
Sunnybrook Pregnancy and Infant Loss Network
Perinatal Mental Health Alliance of NL
Abuse in Pregnancy
Abuse in Pregnancy – information for use in prenatal education
Regional Health Authority Websites
Indigenous Governments, Communities and Friendship Centres
First Light – St. John’s Friendship Centre
People of the Dawn Indigenous Friendship Centre
Additional Information
For additional information on any of the topics covered in Healthy Baby Club, please refer to the Public Health Nurse in your region.
Additional resources related to health promotion are found on the Government of NL’s Health Promotion Resources page
The Government of Newfoundland and Labrador is committed to preventing, reducing and alleviating poverty. This guide can help people find out what Provincial Government programs and services are available – Guide to Programs and Services for Individuals and Families