Life Stages and Caregivers

The IWK Health Centre provides care to women, children, youth, and families living in the Maritimes and beyond. The "Women’s & Newborn Health" tab includes information about having a baby, newborn health, infant feeding, breast health, women’s health and more.

This free, confidential referral service can connect you to programs and services in your community by phone, text or online. For example, searching “prenatal and parenting” shows organizations that offer supports, programs, and services that are taking place in your local area and their contact information.

Call 811 to speak to a registered nurse around the clock, seven days a week. The nurses can give you information and advice about health, answer questions about your health concerns, and provide information about services in your area. This free service is available in over 125 different languages including Farsi, Cantonese, French, Chinese, and Arabic.

More pregnancy and parenting resources.

Information on contraception (birth control), STIs, (sexually-transmitted infections), and more, from the Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada.

Information about your pregnancy and birth, your baby’s development, getting off to a healthy start, and what to expect for you and your baby in each trimester. You will also learn about different periods after having a baby, including the postpartum period, birth to 6 months, and 6 to 12 months.

Has trusted information on pregnancy, birth, and early parenting (focusing on resources in Ontario). Also available as a mobile app.

Provides information on how to get Public Health support during pregnancy and for your newborn.

Gives information on all stages from conception, during pregnancy, and after birth. From the Society of Obstetricians and Gynecologists of Canada.

From the Public Health Agency of Canada, this resource will help you to learn about planning a healthy pregnancy. Topics include: prenatal nutrition and folic acid, alcohol and pregnancy, physical activity and pregnancy, smoking and pregnancy, oral hygiene, and emotional health. A pregnancy calendar is given to track your pregnancy.

Provides tips for parents when choosing a daycare, allows parents to search for licensed daycare facilities, how to apply for subsidy, inclusion support, and intervention services.

Provides programs, services, and supports in the following areas: parenting classes, drop-in group programs for families, and more.

Everything you need to know about breastfeeding, including general information, access to helplines across the country, and answers to breastfeeding questions. You can also search for a leader in your province, ask questions online, and share your feeding and parenting stories with others.

Developed by the Nova Scotia's Department of Health & Wellness in partnership with Public Health, this link provides PDF downloads for a series of free ebooks for parents of children from birth to age 3. The aim is to help parents to better recognize and build on their own strengths as parents.

A guidebook for navigating the challenges of being physically active after giving birth from Dr. Iris Lesser and Dr. Corliss Bean.

This link provides resources from Public Health for new parents in Nova Scotia. Topics include feeding your baby, home visiting program, Loving Care books, and more contact information.

Learn about how pregnancy and the postpartum period (the time after you give birth) can affect your mental health. Find out who can support you and what they can offer.

This pamphlet gives information on common issues, like sleep troubles and intrusive thoughts (strange thoughts or mental images that seem to pop into your head and cause stress); anxiety and mood disorders; postpartum psychosis (rare).

A collection of resources for women, their families, and those who support them. These resources should be used together with your primary care provider or other supports.