Pregnancy is a special time
It can be a time of joy and celebration. It can also be a time of uncertainty filled with many questions.
One thing is certain: pregnancy and the birth of a child bring many changes.
This information can help you or your partner to have a healthy pregnancy and to welcome a new life into your family.
Our resources in English
We also carry a list of Indigenous resources, of resources in French and of resources for newcomers to Canada.
Abuse |
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You and your Baby Deserve to Be Safe - Brochure This wallet sized fold-out brochure for women provides a self-assessment questionnaire and strategies (including contact information) for seeking and getting help.
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You and your Baby… - Printer-ready handout These printer-ready handouts provide information on abuse and pregnancy in multiple languages.
Available also in French, Arabic, Cree - N Dialect, Punjabi, Severn Ojibwe, Simplified Chinese, Somali, Spanish, and Traditional Chinese |
Alcohol and Drugs |
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Risks of Cannabis on Fertility, Pregnancy, Breastfeeding and Parenting - Booklet Best Start Resource Centre, 2109 This resource is for women and men, who are thinking about becoming parents, are pregnant, or who are new parents. It provides information about the effects of cannabis on fertility, pregnancy, breastfeeding, on children and adolescents when their mothers used cannabis during pregnancy and on parenting. This resource summarizes the current knowledge about the effects of cannabis.
See also: Thinking about using cannabis before or during pregnancy? |
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Be Safe: Have an Alcohol-free Pregnancy - Printer-ready handout The handouts provide information and tips for expectant parents about alcohol use in pregnancy.
Available also in French, Arabic, Cree, Ojibway, Hindi, Punjabi, Tamil, Urdu, Simplified Chinese, Spanish and Tagalog See also: Be Safe: Have an alcohol-free pregnancy |
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Mocktails for Mom - Recipe Cards This is a set of bilingual recipe cards for delicious non-alcoholic drinks, also called Mocktails.
See also: Be Safe: Have an alcohol-free pregnancy
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Mocktails for Mom - Brochure This booklet has recipes for delicious non-alcoholic drinks, also called Mocktails.
See also: Be Safe: Have an alcohol-free pregnancy |
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Be Safe: Have an Alcohol-free Pregnancy - Brochure This colour brochure provides information and tips for expectant parents about alcohol use in pregnancy.
See also: Be Safe: Have an alcohol-free pregnancy |
Breastfeeding |
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My Breastfeeding Guide - Booklet My Breastfeeding Guide has information and answers questions you may have as an expectant parent or as a new parent. You can share this guide with the people who are supporting you.
Available also in French, Arabic, Bengali, Filipino, Gujarati, Hindi, Korean, Persian, Punjabi, Russian, Serbian (Cyrillic), Somali, Spanish, Simplified Chinese, Tamil, Urdu and Vietnamese |
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Bilingual Online Ontario Breastfeeding Services Directory - Website Breastfeeding mothers benefit from the support of other mothers. Visit the Bilingual Online Ontario Breastfeeding Services Directory at www.ontariobreastfeeds.ca to connect with and receive help and support from peers, professionals and experts. |
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Breastfeeding Matters: An Important Guide to Breastfeeding for Women and their Families - Booklet This guide will help you and your family to explore breastfeeding. Topics include: the importance of breastfeeding, making an informed decision, helping your baby get a good start, learning to breastfeed, frequently asked questions and where to get help. The guide was tested by many pregnant and breastfeeding families and contains some of their quotes.
Also available in French, Arabic, Bengali, Chinese (Simplified), Farsi, Gujarati, Hindi, Korean, Punjabi, Russian, Serbian, Somali, Spanish, Tamil, Tagalog, Urdu and Vietnamese. The fact sheets below complement the Breastfeeding Matters booklet and offer additional information on the following topics: |
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Mixing Alcohol and Breastfeeding - Printer-ready Handouts The handout is a resource for mothers and their partners to help them make an informed choice when it comes to drinking alcohol while breastfeeding.
Available also in French, Arabic, Cree, Hindi, Ojibway, Punjabi, Simplified Chinese, Spanish, Tagalog, Tamil, and Urdu. |
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Mixing Alcohol and Breastfeeding - Brochure The brochure is a resource for mothers and their partners to help them make an informed choice when it comes to drinking alcohol while breastfeeding.
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Breastfeeding Your Baby - Guidelines for nursing mothers - Chart This 13 cm by 18 cm fridge magnet is a teaching aid for new mothers and their families. It is a good reminder for mothers on how to assess their infant’s breastfeeding effectiveness during the first three weeks. Colourful graphics and photographs with minimal text provide an at-a-glance look that new parents find particularly helpful.
Available also in French, Arabic, Bengali, Filipino, Gujarati, Hindi, Korean, Ojibway, Persian, Punjabi, Russian, Serbian (Cyrillic), Somali, Spanish, Simplified Chinese, Tamil, Urdu and Vietnamese |
Child Development |
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Healthy and safe sleep tips for infants 0-12 months - Did You Know? - Fact Sheet These tips for parents and caregivers of infants aged 0-12 months provide practical suggestions on healthy and safe sleep. The tips support the current recommendations on how to reduce the risks of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) and other sleep-related causes of infant death.
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Sleep Well, Sleep Safe - Booklet This booklet is for parents of infants from 0-12 months and for all who care for infants. The booklet provides information on healthy sleep tips for infants and for parents. It also provides information on safe sleep tips on how to reduce the risks of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) and other sleep related causes of infant death.
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Mental Health |
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M07-B Pregnancy and Life with a New Baby – Tear-off Pad This sheet provides information to help women recognize if they have symptoms of depression or anxiety during pregnancy or postpartum. It also provides brief information on where to get help. |
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Managing Depression - A Self-help Skills Resource for Women Living With Depression During Pregnancy, After Delivery and Beyond – Workbook This workbook is for women living with depression during pregnancy, after delivery and beyond, and their clinicians or service providers. It provides information about depression and healthy lifestyle behaviours, and skills for managing depression. Concerned partners, family members or friends may also find this resource helpful.
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Pregnancy Is Not Always What You Expect - Booklet Pregnancy is a time when some women are at greater risk of becoming depressed and/or anxious. This booklet talks about strategies to help women:
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Life With a New Baby Is Not Always What You Expect - Booklet This 12 page brochure provides pregnant women and new parents with information on the baby blues and potpartum mood disorders. Parents are encouraged to seek help and use strategies for self-care.
Also available in French, Arabic, Chinese (Simplified), Hindi, Punjabi, Spanish, Tagalog, Tamil and Urdu |
Nutrition |
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Folic Acid - Poster This bilingual poster (French one side, English on the other side) shares key messages about taking a multivitamin with folic acid prior to conception, and eating foods rich in folate.
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Healthy Eating for a Healthy Baby - Booklet This booklet provides information for pregnant women on nutrition in pregnancy. It addresses current concerns and questions such as alcohol and fish consumption, food safety, weight gain and physical activity. Charts and recipes are also included.
Available also in French, Arabic, Filipino, Hindi, Punjabi, Spanish, Simplified Chinese, Tamil and Urdu |
Prenatal and Postpartum Health |
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Ontario Prenatal Education Programs Directory The Ontario Prenatal Education Programs Directory is designed to help expectant parents find the right prenatal education program for them. Enter your postal code, how far you are willing to travel, and the format of prenatal education program you are interested in. The search results will provide you with program contact information and much more. www.OntarioDirectoryPrenatalEducation.ca
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Your Guide to Labour and Birth - Booklet This easy to read guide will answers common questions about labour and birth. The information in the guide is from the section on labour and birth from the resource “A Healthy Start for Baby and Me”.
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Giving Birth in a New Land: A Guide for Women New to Canada and their Families - Booklet This booklet contains information for newcomer women who are pregnant and expect to deliver their baby in Ontario. They include information on local practices related to the prenatal and postnatal period, as well as services and resources available.
Available also in French, Arabic, Chinese, Filipino, Hindi, Punjabi, Spanish, Tamil, and Urdu |
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Important Signs to Watch for if you are Pregnant - Decal This small decal provides critical information on important signs and symptoms to watch for during pregnancy and when to seek help.
Available also in French, Arabic, Chinese (Simplified), Hindi, Punjabi, Spanish, Tagalog, Tamil and Urdu. |
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Preterm Labour Signs and Symptoms - Brochure This brochure provides critical information on how to recognize preterm labour signs and symptoms and when to seek help.
Available also in French, Arabic, Chinese (Simplified), Hindi, Punjabi, Spanish, Filipino, Tamil and Urdu. |
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A Healthy Start for Baby and Me - Booklet This low literacy prenatal book includes information about prenatal care, healthy eating, healthy lifestyle, pregnancy, labour and birth, postpartum period, infant safety and early infant care.
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Tobacco Misuse |
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Creating a Smoke-Free Environment for Your Children - Video Best Start Resource Centre, 2010
This 24 minute video is on the social impact of second-hand smoke on young families. It contains testimonies of situations related to second-hand smoke experienced by families. Many strategies to reduce the exposure of young children and pregnant women to second-hand smoke are provided.
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Information on Second and Third-Hand Smoke - Handout This document contains information on second and third-hand smoke, a summary of the strategies and sources of supplementary information.
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Smoke-Free Home - Image Best Start Resource Centre, 2011
Originally created as a sticker, this image can be applied on a door or window, indicating that the environment is smoke-free. Size: 7.6cm X 7.6cm or 3" X 3"
Also available in JPG format. |
Workplace |
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Work & Pregnancy Do Mix! - Booklet This booklet is for working women who are or who may become pregnant. It provides information on workplace risks, ways to reduce risks and sources of additional information.
Available also in French, Arabic, Filipino, Hindi, Punjabi, Spanish, Simplified Chinese, Tamil and Urdu |
Links and resources
- Antenatal and Post-Partum Depression - Maternal Mental Health
- Abuse - Assaulted Women's Helpline
- A Healthy Pregnancy is in Your Hands - Public Health Agency of Canada
- Association of Ontario Midwives
- Be Safe: Have an Alcohol-free Pregnancy - Best start Resource Centre
- Canadian Association of Midwives
- Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety
- Coping with Depression in Pregnancy - Here To Help
- Dad Central
- Disability, Pregnancy and Parenthood International
- DONA International
- Drug and Alcohol Helpline - Government of Ontario
- Eating for a Healthy Pregnancy Menu Planner
- Eat Right Ontario
- EI Maternity and Parental Benefits - Government of Canada
- Expecting to Quit
- Find a Health Care Provider - Government of Ontario
- Folic Acid: For Preconception and Pregnancy - Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada
- Food Banks Canada
- Having a baby - Service Canada
- Healthy Eating - Government of Canada
- Healthy Eating, Exercise and Weight Gain - Before and During Pregnancy - Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada
- Healthy Pregnancy - Health Canada
- Hidden Exposures - HealthyEnvironmentForKids.ca
- I’m Expecting - Ontario Ministry of Children and Youth Services
- LGBTQ Information
- Life with a New Baby - Best Start Resource Centre
- Low-risk drinking guidelines
- Mental Health Helpline - Goverment of Ontario
- Mom and Baby to Be
- Mood Disorders Association of Ontario
- Mothers in Motion, Canadian Association for the Advancement of Women in Sport
- Mother Reach
- Multiple Births Canada
- Newborn Screening Ontario
- Nutrition Screening
- Ontario Network of Sexual Assault and Domestic Violence
- Parenting in Ottawa
- Pregnancy and Babies - Canadian Paediatric Society
- Pregnancy and Infant Loss Network
- Pregnets
- Prenatal Nutrition - Health Canada
- Pregnets Blog
- Preterm Labour - Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada
- Sheltersafe
- Support to quit Smoking - Government of Ontario
- Smoker's Helpline
- The MotHERS program
- The On-line PPMD Support Group
- The Post-Partum Stress Centre
- Twins, Triplets and More!
- Welcome to Parenting
- Workers Health and Safety Centre
- Your Healthy Home - BREATHE The Lung Association