Beautiful Beginnings
About:
Beautiful Beginnings is a weekly drop in program for parents that are pregnant or up to 6 months post partum. We provide support so families can give birth to and raise healthy babies through meals, food vouchers, vitamin supplements and educational opportunities.
Our vision is for healthy babies, born to confident, well-informed parents, within a close network of support.
The Canada Prenatal Nutrition Program (CPNP) funds community based projects to promote public health and address health disparities affecting pregnant women and their infants.
Using a community development approach, the CPNP aims to:
- Strengthen community supports for pregnant women
- Encourage and support breastfeeding
- Reduce the incidence of unhealthy birth weights
- Build community partnerships
Program Components:
The Beautiful Beginnings program offers participants a weekly lunch, workshops and presentations, free supplements, access to a hospital grade breast pump, and a weekly $10 food voucher up to 6 months post partum.
Workshop themes include: birth options, postpartum depression, attachment and attunement, car seat and home safety, baby massage, introducing solids, developmental milestones, and many more! An Infant Development Consultant and a Public Health Nurse attend sessions monthly to offer workshops or answer any questions or concerns moms might have.
Older siblings are welcome and our child minders can watch them during workshops, 11:00-12:00.
We have on site access to the Infant Development Program, Occupational and Speech therapies and Supported Child Development. We also have a vegetable and fruit garden and free clothes for children.
Prenatal classes (preparation for labour and delivery) are also offered on site through Selkirk College Community Education (250-365-1208)
Past Participants speak:
- I was new to the area when I joined and made most of my friends through the program.
- Being treated with respect was one of the reasons I kept coming.
- The voucher helped me buy healthier foods once a week.
- Because I’m a young mom I wanted information to help me make healthy choices.
- I have nursed for longer than I initially planned to as a result of all the support from the other nursing moms.
- I’m always counting down the days to the next class.
- This program has exceeded what I needed and expected.
Contact:
Lauren Andres
Kootenay Family Place Neighbourhood House
767 11th Avenue (behind Chopsticks)
Castlegar
Phone: 778-460-5103
Fax: 250-365-5792
Email: cpnp@kootenayfamilyplace.org
Care providers can also refer parents to our program using the form linked below. You do not need to be referred to come. Referral Form for Beautiful Beginnings
Affiliations:
The Public Health Agency of Canada
British Columbia Association of Pregnancy Outreach Programs
Frog Hollow Neighbourhood House (Vancouver)
Additional links:
Kelly mom- parenting and breastfeeding
Kootenay Doula Group resources and find a doula
canada prenatal nutrition program search
Health Canada prenatal nutrition
BC Association of Pregnancy Outreach Programs
prenatal care british columbia search
BBC Parenting
