Resources
Not all information on the internet is created equal and it can be hard to sift through misinformation and disinformation to find the facts.
Here are some evidence-based resources on a few topics to help get you started. Your family physician and obstetrical care provider are also wonderful resources to turn to with more specific questions about you and your health.
Pregnancy
OMama
This Ontario resource is all about pregnancy and what to expect at each stage: Prior to pregnancy, tests in pregnancy, all about labour and delivery, bringing baby home and postpartum recovery.
Prenatal Screening
Learn about your options in Ontario regarding screening for certain genetic conditions in your baby. Want a quick overview? Click here .
Pregnancy Info
An evidence-based informative website about pregnancy and childbirth from preconception through postpartum by the Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada (SOGC).
Simcoe Muskoka Public Health: Planning, Pregnant, Parenting
Lots of evidence-based resources from Public Health and includes local resources for parenting, pregnancy, prenatal classes, breastfeeding and more.
Mother to Baby
Evidence-based information about the safety of medications, over-the-counter-products and other exposures during pregnancy and while breastfeeding with an easy-to-use search tool.
Health Canada - Healthy Pregnancy
A guide to a healthy pregnancy by the Government of Canada and Public Health.
Pelvic Floor Physiotherapy
Pelvic Floor Physiotherapy is a specialized branch of physiotherapy that involves the internal and external assessment and treatment of the the pelvic floor muscles. They can be an important part of your care team both during pregnancy and postpartum. We are fortunate to have many local providers in our community. No referral is needed, unless required by your extended health benefits for coverage
Induction of Labour
Your care provider may recommend an induction of labour for reasons associated with your (parental) wellbeing or your baby’s (fetal) wellbeing. Learn more about some of the indications, procedures, risks and what to expect in an induction of labour.
Working in Pregnancy
For most women in healthy pregnancies, it is safe to work until just before childbirth. Sometimes, the type of work you do, your health or your baby’s health affect your ability to continue working. This guide reviews some important things to think about and discuss with your care provider.
Trial of Labour After Caesarean Section
When you’ve had a previous c-section, you usually have two choices on how to deliver in your next pregnancy: Trial of Labour After Caesarean Section (TOLAC) or Elective Repeat Caesarean Section (ERCS). It is important to have.a discussion with your care provider about your eligibility for each option and the risks and benefits of each. This handout reviews important facts and information to consider in making your decision.
Cord Blood Banking
Public vs Private Cord Blood Banking
After a baby is born, the blood left in the umbilical cord and placenta is filled with lifesaving blood stem cells. This blood can be donated to Canadian Blood Services and stored for future use by anyone in need of a stem cell transplant. Or, it can be privately stored in a cord blood bank for a fee. Otherwise, it is discarded as biomedical waste.
Cannabis and Pregnancy
Cannabis Factsheet #1 Cannabis Fact Sheet #2
It is safest for you not to use cannabis during pregnancy and breastfeeding. These info sheets give some more information about why we recommend stopping cannabis while pregnant or breastfeeding.
Perinatal Mental Health
“Bringing a baby into the world can be a delightful experience, but pregnancy and the time following birth presents many challenges for families. Perinatal Mood Disorder is a mental illness that affects a person’s mood - the way we feel. Mood impacts the way we think about ourselves, relate to others and interact with the world around us. Changes in mood may start during pregnancy or at any time up to a year after the birth of a baby.”
(North Simcoe Muskoka Perinatal Mood Disorder Coalition January 2017)
The following links can connect you to more information about perinatal mental health, local and online resources for support. Please reach out to your healthcare provider for help with prevention or if you are worried and struggling - we want to help and you will get better!
Feeding Your Baby
Not feeding your baby is not okay! Breastfeeding, formula feeding, pumping and bottling or any combination of the above are all excellent options. We want to support you in how you choose to feed your baby in the early days as well as once solids are introduced at approximately 6 months of age.
If that includes breastfeeding, we have many resources to support you in this - sometimes it “just clicks”, but sometimes it takes a bit of work. For all moms and babies, it takes 4-6 weeks for the breastfeeding relationship to be fully established, even when things are going well. Remember, if this is your first child, neither you nor your baby have ever done this before. If this is your second, third or sixth child, remember that he or she has never done this before.
All of our family doctors are knowledgeable and experienced in supporting families to breastfeed. So are our Labour, Delivery and Postpartum Nurses at OSMH. We are also extremely fortunate to have an in-hospital lactation consultant and an outpatient Breastfeeding Clinic open to all new parents in our area.
OSMH Breastfeeding Clinic
705-325-2201 ext. 3573
All patients interested in breastfeeding are referred to our Breastfeeding Clinic upon discharge from hospital They are offered an appointment within the first week of delivery. Our RN Lactation Consultant is a fantastic resource, support and part of our team.
Formula Feeding Resources
Simcoe Muskoka Health Unit Information
Sick Kids Formula Feeding Information
Information about what formula is, types of formula and how to prepare and store formula safely. Also details about how much formula to give your baby and how to prevent tooth decay.
Jack Newman Website
Breastfeeding Info Sheets and Videos
Multi-language information sheets and videos on numerous topics about breastfeeding as well as a Toronto-based clinic for additional support and a virtual prenatal breastfeeding class.
Feeding Your Baby in the First Year
Canadian Paediatric Society Information
From breastmilk and formula to the introduction of solids and concerns about allergens and choking risks, the first 12 months of your baby’s life are an exciting adventure often filled with lots of questions.
Simcoe Muskoka Public Health Resources
Public Health information about many breastfeeding topics as well as a list of various local and online breastfeeding supports and services.
Babies and Parenting
Your beautiful baby is here… now what? Where’s the instruction manual and How-to-Guide? We may not have ALL the answers, but we do have some excellent evidence-based resources to get you started, answer many common questions and provide you with the tools, resources and free programs to help you along your parenting journey. Your family doctor will also support you at Well Baby/Child Visits to navigate this path and we encourage you to reach out with any and all of your questions.
Rourke Baby Record
The Rourke Baby Record is a system that many Canadian physicians use for well-baby and well-child visits from 1 week to 5 years of age. This website has reliable, parent-friendly resources for parents looking for answers to questions about their children up to age 5..
Best Start: Info for Parents
Lots of resources including brochures, fact sheets and videos in multiple languages, including information for newcomers and Indigenous populations. Topics range from pre-pregnancy, pregnancy, newborns, babies and children up to 6 years old.
About Kids Health
A health education website for children, youth and their caregivers, put together by the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto, Ontario.
Early ON Child and Family Centres
EarlyON Child and Family Centres provide community meeting places for all children, parents and caregivers to grow, learn and have fun – together! They provide opportunities for children from 0-6y to participate in play and inquiry-based programs and support parents and caregivers in their roles.
Caring for Kids
A website developed by the Canadian Paediatric Society to provide parents with reliable information about your child’s and teen’s health and well-being.
Car Seat Safety
It is important to choose the right type of car seat or booster seat for your child and to make sure that. it is installed and used properly every single time. See the above link to the Parachute Injury Prevention Car Seat Guide.
Immunizations
Immunizations offer children the best protection from vaccine-preventable diseases and their complications. Vaccines are routinely recommended in children from infancy to adolescence and work best when given at the right time. Talk to your health care provider to learn more, but here are some additional resources to consider:
Health Canada: A Parent’s Guide to Vaccination
Pain Management During Immunizations
A Parent’s Guide to Immunization Information on the Internet
Vitamin K for Newborns
Our bodies need Vitamin K to make clots and stop bleeding. Babies are born with a very small amount of Vitamin K and so they are at risk of serious, life-threatening bleeds if they don’t have enough.
The Canadian Paediatric Society recommends all newborns receive a single injection of Vitamin K within 6 hours of birth.
Circumcision
Circumcision of baby boys is an optional surgical procedure to remove the layer of skin (foreskin) covering the head (glans) of the penis. It is usually done the first few days after birth. The Canadian Paediatric Society does NOT recommend routine circumcision of all newborn boys. Some parents decide to do so for religious, social or cultural reasons. See the above link to the Canadian Paediatric Society Info for Parents on Circumcision.
COVID-19 and Pregnancy
We recommend that all women who are pregnant or who are trying to become pregnant should receive the COVID-19 vaccination. There is no evidence to suggest that COVID-19 vaccines will affect fertility or the pregnancy itself. Pregnant women are at higher risk of serious, life-threatening complications from COVID-19 infections and vaccination is one of the best ways to protect them and their future children.
Here are some resources with further information about COVID-19 and vaccination in pregnancy. While we don’t typically recommend social media as a source of evidence-based medical information, some of these sources are created by excellent Science Communicators who have worked tirelessly to break down the constant flow of information/misinformation and headlines throughout this pandemic and beyond in an easy-to-understand format.
SOGC Statement and Info
The Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists recommend COVID-19 vaccination in pregnancy.
@PandemicPregnancyGuide
Created by Family OBs, Obstetricians and other MDs at St Michael’s Hospital in Toronto, Ontario.
SMDHU COVID-19 Info
The Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit is our local Public Health Unit.
@Science.Sam
Fantastic Canadian Science Communicator with lots of info about COVID in general as well as in pregnancy.
Vaccine Decision Tool
Helpful decision-making tool of factors to consider regarding COVID-19 vaccination by the Provincial Council for Maternal and Child Health
@jessicamalatyrivera
Another excellent Science Communicator, based in the United States.
OSMH Visitor Policy
Click the above link for the most up to date info on the hospital visitor policy during the COVID-19 pandemic.
@drjengunter
Canadian OB/GYN working in the US tackling the world of misinformation/disinformation.