Congratulations! After nine months of preparing, you are now a mother.

Infant Care

The learning curve is steep, and the hours of sleep are few - but soon you will find yourself falling into a pattern and feeling comfortable in your new role. This section offers help with some of the things you will experience after delivery.

In This Section

Breastfeeding

Health Canada recommends that babies are exclusively breastfed for the first six months of their life. Learn why breast is always considered best - for both mom and baby.

Car Seats

Adjusting to life as a new parent can be difficult – but perhaps not quite as difficult as learning how to properly install a car seat! Luckily, you have time to practice - with the car seat at least.

Circumcision

Circumcision - the surgical removal of the foreskin that covers the head of the penis - is a controversial topic.

Developmental Milestones

While every baby is different and they all progress at their own pace, there are some developmental milestones they should be reaching in their first year.

Formula Feeding

The choice of formula over breastmilk can be influenced by many factors, such as personal relationships or work responsibilities. Whatever you decide, make sure it is an informed decision.

Infant Care

Parenthood is a steep learning curve. Babies bring much happiness, but they are never delivered with an instruction manual.

Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU)

Every new mom hopes for a healthy baby but sometimes things don’t go as planned; babies can be born prematurely, with a serious health condition or can become gravely ill after delivery. The Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) in a hospital is equipped to deal with babies who need highly specialized care, such as ventilation, surgery or more time to develop.

Safe Sleep & SIDS

Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) is a real fear for parents with infants, and a source of great anxiety. Thankfully, safe sleep practices - such as putting your baby to sleep on his back and ensuring a safe sleep environment - have dramatically reduced the incidence of SIDS.