Starting Off Right

You have finally met the little person living inside of you for the last few months!  You now know that he is a boy or a girl … whom he looks like … how big she is.  You will spend the next few weeks getting to know the newest member of your family.  You may be feeling happy, tired, proud, sad, overwhelmed, excited or even scared, sometimes all at once! 

Caring for your newborn may not be what you expected.  You may not be sure about the best way to care for your baby to make sure he grows up healthy, happy and safe. You might be worried that you will do something wrong and possible harm your baby.  You may have lots of questions, even if this is not your first baby.  As many parents with more than one child would agree, every baby is different – even if they have the same parents! 

We Can Help

All mothers who deliver a baby, whether it is her first or her third baby, will receive support from the Growing Health Families Program.

Telephone Consultation:

When you get home with your new baby, a public health nurse will call to make sure you and your baby are doing well.

The telephone consultation is also a chance to:

• ask questions about your health or your baby's health.
• get information about infant feedings and caring for your baby.

Face-to-Face Consultation:

During the Telephone Consultation, the public health nurse will offer to visit you at your home to provide more information about caring for your baby in the early days.

The public health nurse can also offer:

• an infant check-up (including a weight assessment).
• an infant feeding assessment.
• a car seat inspection.
• information about services in your community for new parents.

Last reviewed : November 23, 2010