Being pregnant and being a parent 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. It is a time of many changes – there is a lot to learn.
The Best Start Resource Centre has resources on preconception health, prenatal health and early childhood development in 26 languages.
This information can help you or your partner to have a healthy pregnancy and to learn more about child development and parenting.
Resources in multiple languages from the Best Start Resource Centre
Alcohol and Pregnancy |
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Be Safe: Have an Alcohol-free Pregnancy - Handouts The handouts provide information and tips for expectant parents about alcohol use in pregnancy. Available in PDF in English, French, Arabic, Chinese (Simplified), Cree, Hindi, Ojibway, Punjabi, Spanish, Tagalog, Tamil, and Urdu. See also: Be Safe: Have an alcohol-free pregnancy |
Abuse and Pregnancy |
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You and your Baby… - Handout These printer-ready handouts provide information on abuse and pregnancy in multiple languages. Available in English, French, Arabic, Chinese (Simplified), Chinese (Traditional), Cree – N Dialect, Punjabi, Severn Ojibwe, Somali and Spanish |
Breastfeeding |
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Mixing Alcohol and Breastfeeding - 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 in PDF in English, French, Arabic, Chinese (Simplified), Cree, Hindi, Ojibway, Punjabi, Spanish, Tagalog, Tamil, and Urdu. |
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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.
Available in English, 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 (Available IN ENGLISH AND FRENCH ONLY): |
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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 in English, French, Arabic, Bengali, Filipino, Gujarati, Hindi, Korean, Persian, Punjabi, Russian, Serbian (Cyrillic), Somali, Spanish, Simplified Chinese, Tamil, Urdu and Vietnamese |
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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 in English, French, Arabic, Bengali, Filipino, Gujarati, Hindi, Korean, Ojibway, Persian, Punjabi, Russian, Serbian (Cyrillic), Somali, Spanish, Simplified Chinese, Tamil, Urdu and Vietnamese. |
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Breastfeeding Your Late Preterm Baby - Booklet This Late Preterm breastfeeding booklet supports families who have a late preterm baby born between 34 and 37 weeks gestation and who plan to breastfeed and/or provide breast milk to their baby. Topics include: breastfeeding your late preterm baby, skin-to-skin contact and Kangaroo care, tips to getting off to a good start, pumping, feeding your baby at the hospital and tips for when you take your baby home.
Available in English, French, Arabic, Bengali, Chinese (Simplified), Farsi, Gujarati, Hindi, Korean, Punjabi, Russian, Serbian, Somali, Spanish, Tagalog, Tamil, Urdu and Vietnamese. |
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Breastfeeding Your Early Preterm Baby - Booklet This Early Preterm breastfeeding booklet supports families who have an early preterm baby born prior to 34 weeks gestation who plan to breastfeed and/or provide breast milk to their baby. Topics include: breastfeeding your preterm baby, skin-to-skin contact and Kangaroo care, tips to getting off to a good start, pumping, feeding your baby at the hospital and tips for when you take your baby home. Available in English, French, Arabic, Bengali, Chinese (Simplified), Farsi, Gujarati, Korean, Hindi, Punjabi, Russian, Serbian, Somali, Spanish, Tagalog, Tamil, Urdu and Vietnamese. |
Child Development |
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When Children Speak More Than One Language - Booklet As a parent of a child who will learn two or more languages, you may have questions. This guide will give you information based on research to help you. Language is the best tool to help a child do well later in school and in life. Available in English, French, Arabic, Chinese, Hindi, Punjabi, Spanish, Tagalog, Tamil and Urdu |
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Baby Wants - Booklet This booklet for parents encourages them to do simple things to help develop their young child: playing, reading, singing, etc. The text is simple and the images describe the activities suggested. Available in English, French, Arabic, Chinese (Simplified), Hindi, Punjabi, Spanish, Tagalog, Tamil and Urdu. |
Mental Health |
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Life With a New Baby Is Not Always What You Expect - Brochure This 12 page brochure provides pregnant women and new parents with information on the baby blues and postpartum mood disorders. Parents are encouraged to seek help and use strategies for self-care. Available in English, French, Arabic, Chinese (Simplified), Hindi, Punjabi, Spanish, Tagalog, Tamil and Urdu |
Nutrition |
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Healthy Eating for a Healthy Baby - Booklet This 36 page 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. A nutrition quiz, charts and recipes are also included. Available in English, French, Arabic, Chinese (Simplified), Hindi, Punjabi, Spanish, Tagalog, Tamil and Urdu |
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Feeding Your Baby - A guide to help you introduce solid foods - Booklet This guide provides information about feeding your baby from six months to one year. It answers questions you may have about breastfeeding and starting solid foods.
Available in English, French, Arabic, Chinese (Simplified), Cree, Hindi, Ojibway, Punjabi, Spanish, Tagalog, Tamil, and Urdu. |
Prenatal and Postpartum Health |
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Preterm Labour Signs & Symptoms - Brochure This brochure provides critical information on how to recognize preterm labour signs and symptoms and when to seek help. Available in English, French, Arabic, Chinese (Simplified), Hindi, Punjabi, Spanish, Filipino, Tamil and Urdu |
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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. It includes information on local practices related to the prenatal and postnatal period, as well as services and resources available. Available in English, French, Arabic, Chinese (Simplified), Hindi, Punjabi, Spanish, Tagalog, Tamil and Urdu |
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Important Signs to Watch for if you are Pregnant - Image This small decal provides critical information on important signs and symptoms to watch for during pregnancy and when to seek help. Available in English, French, Arabic, Chinese (Simplified), Hindi, Punjabi, Spanish, Tagalog, Tamil and Urdu |
Workplace |
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Work & Pregnancy Do Mix! - Booklet This booklet is for working women who are or may become pregnant. It provides information on workplace risks, ways to reduce risks and sources of additional information. Available in English, French, Arabic, Chinese (Simplified), Hindi, Punjabi, Spanish, Tagalog, Tamil and Urdu |
Links and other resources
American Sign Language
Albanian
Amharic
Arabic
- Taking Care of You and Your Baby
- A Parent's Guide to Vaccination
- Having a Baby
- Children and Play
- Choosing Child Care
- Helping Children Learn Language
- Knowing About Child Care Choices
- Multi Cultural Health Communication
- Health Information
Assyrian
Bengali
Bosnian
Burmese
Chinese
- Taking Care of You and Your Baby
- Having a Baby
- Safe Sleeping for Babies
- HealthLinkBC Resources
- Health Information
Chinese (Simplified)
- Children and Play
- Choosing Child Care
- Helping Children Learn Language
- Knowing About Child Care Choices
- Multi Cultural Health Communication
- Health Information
Chinese (Traditional)
- Children and Play
- Choosing Child Care
- Helping Children Learn Language
- Knowing About Child Care Choices
- Selecting an In-Home Caregiver
- Writing a Parent-Caregiver Agreement
- Settlement and Cultural Adaptation
- Adaptational Difficulties for Refugee Children
- Multi Cultural Health Communication
- Health Information
Croatian
Czech
Dari
Dinka
Farsi
- Taking Care of You and Your Baby
- Children and Play
- Choosing Child Care
- Helping Children Learn Language
- Knowing About Child Care Choices
- Selecting an In-Home Caregiver
- Writing a Parent-Caregiver Agreement
- Multi Cultural Health Communication
Greek
Hindi
- Children and Play
- Choosing Child Care
- Helping Children Learn Language
- Knowing About Child Care Choices
- Multi Cultural Health Communication
- Health Information
Inuktitut
Italian
Japanese
- Choosing Child Care
- Settlement and Cultural Adaptation
- Adaptational Difficulties for Refugee Children
- Multi Cultural Health Communication
- Health Information
Khmer
Korean
- Taking Care of You and Your Baby
- Having a Baby
- Children and Play
- Choosing Child Care
- Helping Children Learn Language
- Knowing About Child Care Choices
- Selecting an In-Home Caregiver
- Writing a Parent-Caregiver Agreement
- Settlement and Cultural Adaptation
- Adaptational Difficulties for Refugee Children
- Multi Cultural Health Communication
- Health Information
Kurdish
Lao
Marcedonian
Marshallese
Nepalese
Polish
Portuguese
Punjabi
- HealthLinkBC Resources
- Safe Sleeping for Babies
- Children and Play
- Choosing Child Care
- Helping Children Learn Language
- Knowing About Child Care Choices
- Settlement and Cultural Adaptation
- Adaptational Difficulties for Refugee Children
- Multi Cultural Health Communication
Oromo
Russian
- Taking Care of You and Your Baby
- Children and Play
- Choosing Child Care
- Helping Children Learn Language
- Knowing About Child Care Choices
- Multi Cultural Health Communication
- Health Information
Samoan
Serbian
Serbo-Croatian
- Choosing Child Care
- Settlement and Cultural Adaptation
- Adaptational Difficulties for Refugee Children
Sinhalese
Somali
Spanish
- Taking Care of You and Your Baby
- HealthLinkBC Resources
- Safe Sleeping for Babies
- Children and Play
- Choosing Child Care
- Helping Children Learn Language
- Knowing About Child Care Choices
- Selecting an In-Home Caregiver
- Writing a Parent-Caregiver Agreement
- Adaptational Difficulties for Refugee Children
- Multi Cultural Health Communication
- Health Information
Swahili
Tagalog
- Taking Care of You and Your Baby
- Children and Play
- Choosing Child Care
- Helping Children Learn Language
- Knowing About Child Care Choices
- Multi Cultural Health Communication
Tamil
Thai
Tongan
Trigrigna
Turkish
Ukrainian
Urdu
Vietnamese
- Having a Baby
- HealthLinkBC Resources
- Safe Sleeping for Babies
- Children and Play
- Choosing Child Care
- Helping Children Learn Language
- Selecting an In-Home Caregiver
- Writing a Parent-Caregiver Agreement
- Settlement and Cultural Adaptation
- Adaptational Difficulties for Refugee Children
- Multi Cultural Health Communication
- Health Information
- Cultural Meal Guide for Vietnamese Gestational Diabetic Women