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Healthy Babies Healthy Children is a free program in Ontario. It is for pregnant moms, and their partners, and families with young children up to the age of six. Public Health Nurses and Family Home Visitors answer questions and connect families with community programs and resources. |
Your privacy is important to us. For more information about the Health Unit's privacy statement, click here.
Healthy Babies Healthy Children Services:
Prenatal
We answer questions and support women and men getting ready for a new baby.
• Pregnancy Information
After your Baby is Born
A public health nurse will phone you in the first 48 hours after you go home from the hospital, or after your baby’s birth at home, and will offer to come to your home for a visit.
The public health nurse will answer your questions and offer support to help you adjust to life with your newborn. She will also give you information about community resources for parents with young children.
• Life with a Newborn
• Breastfeeding
• Babies and Children
Home Visiting Program
When a family wants more support, a Public Health Nurse and a Family Home Visitor work together to visit the family in their home. The Healthy Babies Healthy Children staff will work with the family to help their child develop in a healthy way. They will answer questions about a lot of parenting topics, including:
- breastfeeding
- healthy eating for infants and children
- fun ways to help your child develop and learn new skills
- how to keep your child safe inside your home and outside
- how children learn through playing
- the importance of learning in the child’s first six years
- community resources for parents and families with children up to the age of 6 years
Early Identification
 It is important to check your child’s growth and development and ask for help if she is not doing what most children her age are doing. As a parent, you know your child better than anyone else. You will notice if your child is learning new skills before anyone else.
To help you with this, the Health Unit mails out packages to parents of 17-month old toddlers. The package has information, a checklist of skills, and a gift. We would like you to complete the checklist and call the Health Unit if you have any questions. We encourage you to take the checklist to your health care provider for your child’s 18-month check up.
School Readiness
Many parents look at their 3-year-old child and say “I can’t believe he will be starting school in a year”. They wonder if their child will have problems getting used to kindergarten.
Thinking about your child’s school readiness well before he is registered for school gives you a wonderful opportunity to look at what he is able to do for himself. This also allows time to let him practice the skills that will help him once in school.
The Health Unit has information about child growth and development, school readiness and community resources. The Health Unit can give you a checklist so that you can see if your child is able to do the activities that most children the same age are doing. We can also suggest ways how you can help your child develop the skills that will help him/her be school ready.
When will I be ready to start school?
You can help me be ready for school. It’s easy!
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- Let me do things by myself, like putting on my coat & shoes and tidying up my stuff.
- Read me books, sound out the letters & sing songs with me.
- Take me places, like the park, the library and playgroups.
- Ask me what I saw & listen to what I tell you.
- Let me play with a bunch of other kids.
- Let me make simple choices.
- Let me visit my school so I can see where I’m going.
- Help me recognize my name when I see it printed.
- Praise me along the way.
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School Readiness includes being able to ....
- get dressed with help
- go to the bathroom
- open lunch items
- be away from you
- ask for help
- share & take turnswith other children
- follow routines
- communicate so a teacher & other students can understand
- listen & follow directions
- understand basic safety rules
- feel good about trying new things
- take part in group activities
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For more information about the Healthy Babies Healthy Children program you can contact:
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