Life with your new baby

You may have received the Parenting in Ottawa postpartum handout after giving birth to your baby. Below you will find links to resources shared in that handout.

Parenting in Ottawa Drop-Ins

Mental Health Resources for Postpartum Families

Infant Feeding Resources in Ottawa

Ontario Breastfeeding Services

Understanding and Coping with Your Baby's Crying (CHEO)

EarlyON Programs and Resources for Families

A Public Health Nurse is available to:

• Meet with you at your home to discuss how we can help your family.
• Assess your family's health, including mental health, parenting challenges and stresses affecting your family and also your child's growth and development.
• Provide health teaching, counselling, and active support.
• Help you to connect with community resources
• Involve other members of her team - family visitors and a social worker, as needed

The service is available in the language that you speak and there is no cost to you for this service.

To contact us:

613-PARENTS [613-727-3687]
TTY: 613-580-9656, Toll free: 1-866-426-8885
Monday to Friday from 9:00 am to 4:30 pm 

Parenting topics include:

• family planning
• pregnancy
• breastfeeding
• the growth and development of your child
• physical activity
• healthy eating
• child safety
• mental health
• how to talk to your child and teen about alcohol, tobacco and other drugs 
• how to talk to your child and teen about puberty and sexuality
• community services for your family

What are you waiting for?! Join the conversation! 

If you need help, for you or your newborn, on the weekend:

In person:

• Parenting in Ottawa Drop-ins to speak to a Public Health Nurse and a Certified Lactation Consultant:

• The hospital where you gave birth: some hospitals offer a postpartum clinic or may direct you to one. Contact your hospital for more information.

• Your medical clinic: some clinics offer walk-ins or appointments with a physician on-call on the weekends. Call your clinic or check their website.

By phone:

• Telehealth Ontario: 1-866-797-0000 24 hours a day, 7 days a week

Websites:

• www.ParentinginOttawa.ca
• www.OntarioBreastfeeds.ca

Choosing what and how to feed your baby is an important decision for a new parent. Check out the following information: 

Breastfeeding

Breast milk is the natural food for newborns. It offers everything a baby needs. 

Check out our Breastfeeding Section, or one of the links below.

• Breastfeeding Guides:

  • My Breastfeeding Guide (Best Start) (PDF)
  • Breastfeeding your baby in the first few weeks (Ottawa Public Health) 
  • Breastfeeding Matters (Best Start) (PDF)
• Breastfeeding and Infant Nutrition (Public Health Agency of Canada)
• Mixing Alcohol and Breastfeeding (Best Start) (PDF)
• Expressing and Storing Breastmilk (Best Start) (PDF)

Bottle Feeding

Bottle Feeding (Parenting in Ottawa). Topics include: 

• • How to know if baby is hungry
  • Baby formula
  • How to bottle feed baby
  • Transitioning to an open cup and introducing cow's milk 

Introduction to Solids

• Introducing Solids 6 to 12 months (Parenting in Ottawa). Topics include:
  • Signs of readiness
  • Breastfeeding while introducing solids
  • Using an open cup
  • Healthy relationship with food
  • Baby-led feeding
  • Spoon feeding
  • Gagging
  • Iron rich foods
  • Textures
  • Priority allergens
  • Meal timing and sample meal plans
  • All about milk
  • Foods to avoid and choking prevention

Additional Nutrition Information

• Feeding your baby (PDF) (Best Start). A guide to help you introduce solid foods. 
• Nutrition for Healthy Term Infants: Recommendations from Birth to Six Months (Health Canada) - This online Health Canada resource provides information about feeding your baby from birth to six months.
• Unlock Food - Provides information on everyday food choices ato help you be healthier. 
• Find a Registered Dietitian in Ottawa (Ottawa Public Health). Do you have any questions or concerns about nutrition and health? Do you need help sorting through the nutrition information out there? Do you want support to make lifestyle changes? Ask a registered dietitian!

To reduce Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS), it is recommended that babies be placed on their back to sleep on a firm flat surface. SIDS is less common in babies who sleep on their back. Learn more about safe sleep and sleep behaviour.

• It may seem that your baby cries more than other babies, or that nothing you do calms your baby's crying. Learn what you can do to comfort your baby.

• Shaken Baby Syndrome Prevention Program (Ontario Neurotrauma Foundation) - It can be tough for parents when their baby is crying and nothing seems to comfort.  Some parents and caregivers get to a point where they just don't know what to do anymore. Learn about the Shaken Baby Syndrome Prevention Program.

Responding to your infant's needs and cues from birth will help your baby to grow up happy and healthy.  Learn more about mental health and attachment, and how to help your little one to feel safe and loved.

The emotional bond between your child and you is called attachment.

• Attachment (Encyclopedia of Early Childhood Development) This resource explains the different types of attachment, how they develop, and why this is so important for your child's development.
• Attachment (Parenting in Ottawa).  Learn about secure attachment and why it is important.
• Tips for Parents - Brain Development (Best Start) - This resource offers practical suggestions for parents to support their baby's brain development.
• Brain Development (Parenting in Ottawa) - Learn about brain development and why it is important.

As a parent you want your baby to be happy, healthy and safe. Learn more by selecting one of the options below:

• Indoor Safety (Parenting in Ottawa)
• Outdoor Safety (Parenting in Ottawa)
• Child Passenger Safety (Parenting in Ottawa)
• Is your child safe? (Health Canada) - This information from Health Canada will help you to do so by providing information on household hazards, safety tips and, product recalls. 
• Advisories and Warnings (Health Canada) - Latest recalls and safety alerts! 

New parents experience some emotional changes . It is important to care for yourself. It's also important to know about the postpartum blues as well as the signs and symptoms of postpartum depression and where to get help.

Postpartum blues or "Baby Blues"

Postpartum blues (PDF) are common. In fact about 80% of mothers will experience "baby blues". You may have postpartum blues if you are:

• restless
• irritable
• sad and tearful
• fatigued
• discouraged
• having trouble eating or sleeping

All of these feelings are normal and usually start a few days after the baby's birth. They usually last for only a few days, but no more than 2 weeks.

What can you do?

• Remind yourself that these feelings are normal
• Talk to someone you trust about how you are feeling
• Have a good cry if you feel like it
• Ask for help

Postpartum depression

Postpartum depression (PDF) can happen shortly after having a baby or many months later. About 10-25% of mothers will experience it. We don't really know what causes postpartum depression.

Some of the signs of postpartum depression are:

• Trouble sleeping
• Loss of appetite
• Feeling tired
• Feeling overwhelmed
• Feeling sad and crying frequently
• Difficulty making decisions and concentrating
• Being restless or irritable
• Feeling frustrated or angry
• Having anxiety or panic attacks
• Feeling sad, lonely, hopeless
• Feeling guilty or ashamed
• Losing interest or joy in activities you used to like

Talk to your health care provider, if these feelings go on for more than a couple of weeks. You may have postpartum depression.

What can you do?

• Remind yourself this is not your fault. It is normal and you are not alone.
• Talk to your partner and family about how you are feeling.
• Don't try to do everything. Ask for help.
• Take care of yourself. Rest when your baby does. Try to get as much sleep as possible. Eat healthy foods and be active.
• Get help. Join the MOMS support group or go for counselling.
• Talk to your doctor about medications.
• Call Ottawa Public Health Information 613-580-6744 ext. 28020 / Toll free 1-866-426-8885.
• Call the Distress Centre of Ottawa and Region at 613-238-3311. Open 24 hours a day to provide immediate support.

What can partners do?

• Learn about the signs of postpartum depression and be alert for them. Mothers don't always know that what they are feeling is more than the "baby blues".
• Help and support her. Do household chores, go to appointments with her and make sure she has had something to eat and drink.
• Be ready to listen and encourage her to talk about how she is feeling.
• Encourage her to get help.
• Take care of yourself. Eat well and keep active.
• Talk to someone about how you are feeling.

Life changes with a new baby. As exciting as each new moment can be, there can also be hard times. Coping with the hard times can be even harder if you are not getting enough sleep. Sleep can affect how you feel emotionally and physically. Remember, your needs matter too and it is important to take care of yourself.

You can try:

• Sleeping when your baby sleeps.
• Asking for help from others. Try being clear about what help you need.
• Being active (PDF) because it can help clear your mind, reduce stress, increase your energy and meet others.
• Eating a well-balanced diet. For more information, visit Canada's Food Guide.
• If you have a partner, work together during the night to feed and care for your baby. For example, your partner can change the diaper and you can feed.

If you are not feeling like yourself, or you are worrying your partner, it is important to get help. Some women experience postpartum blues or more serious, postpartum depression.

It's important that your baby sleeps on his back. Babies who lie in one position for long periods of time can develop a flat area on their head, as their skull bones are soft until about one year of age. During waking hours tummy time is a great way to interact with your baby.

• Preventing flat heads in babies who sleep on their backs (Caring for Kids, Canadian Paediatric Society)
• Physiotherapy for left torticollis (PDF) (CHEO)
• Physiotherapy for right torticollis (PDF) (CHEO)

• Dental Health for Babies and Toddlers (Parenting in Ottawa)

Visual health is important for your new baby. Infants and toddlers should have their first eye examination between the ages of 6 and 9 months.

• Visual Health for Babies and Toddlers ( Parenting in Ottawa)

• Fevers (PDF) (CHEO)

Learn more about your child's growth and development, and what you can do to help your little one explore and discover his environment.

• Growth and Development for Babies and Toddlers (Parenting in Ottawa)
• Early Childhood Development (Ontario Ministry of Children and Youth Services) - Learn more about stages of development and the services available to support your child's health.

The City of Ottawa's smoke-free regulations are designed to protect children and non-smokers from second-hand smoke.

For example, your emergency food and water kit should contain adequate supplies to keep you and your family self-sufficient in your home for at least three days.

It is important to review the emergency preparedness checklist and the emergency preparedness special needs kit to ensure your safety and the safety of your family.

Here are some tips for you to help balance your demands:

• Ask for help
• Write down 3 things you are thankful for each day, even if you find it hard  
• Aim to get 7 to 9 hours of sleep each night 
• Don't try to do it all

• Take care of your well-being 
• Use your vacation time 
• If you get sick, stay home 
• Plan ahead
• Set firm limits between your work and non-work time
• Say no. Be honest with yourself about how much you can handle.

If you are returning to work, it can be a hard transition for both parents and children. You may want to talk to your employer about a flexible work day or slowly returning to work. Take the Work-Life balance quiz to find out if your life is in balance.

For more information on the 'Struggle to Juggle' visit the Psychology Foundation of Canada (PDF).