Before your first appointment
please review the following video & information:
At one of your first appointments with us, we will ask you about ACEs in your life. Asking about your ACE score helps us identify problems you have faced as a child that may affect your health today. It also helps you understand how ACEs may affect your child’s development. Awareness is the first step in learning how to reduce the risk of physical and mental health problems for you and your child.
Birthing Plan: We will keep a signed copy of our birth plan on your chart.
Please feel free to ask us any questions about either of these topics (or anything else!) during your appointment.
Breastfeeding Topics & Resources
Baby Friendly Hospital Initiative (in 2017, we were the first hospital in Alberta to obtain the Baby Friendly designation)
Collecting colostrum while you’re pregnant (useful for increasing breastmilk supply)
Global Health Media (useful videos on topics such as: breastfeeding in the first few hours, attaching your baby to the breast, how to know if your baby is getting enough milk and others)
La Leche Leauge (breastfeeding support)
Natural Breastfeeding for an Easier Start (a useful video for getting a good start to breastfeeding)
NorthernStar Mothers Milk Bank (information if you have extra breast milk to donate to babies in need or if you/your baby have a need)
General Information
The Society of Obstetricians and Gynecologists Pregnancy Info website
The Government of Canada’s The Sensible Guide to a Healthy Pregnancy
Healthy Parents Healthy Children (this is the same content as the coil books we hand out at each first prenatal visit)
Ready or Not (useful information to have before you try conceiving or if you are trying to not get pregnant)
General pregnancy information from MyHealth.Alberta.ca
Excellent resource for all things pregnancy-related, PregnancyInfo.ca
Useful free podcasts from some physician colleagues in BC, SheFoundHealth.ca
Adoption: general information about adoption can be found here. There are several adoption agencies in Calgary: Adoption Options and Amaris Adoption.
Medications in pregnancy; Pregnancy and Breastfeeding Pocket Guide
7 Essential Steps to Healthy Eating in Pregnancy and Healthy Eating & Active Living for Pregnancy
Postpartum Topics
Local pelvic floor physiotherapy options are available, all of whom accept self-referrals; ask your healthcare provider if you need recommendations
Specific Pregnancy-Related Topics
Early pregnancy loss support and the Pregnancy and Infant Loss Support Centre
Maternal health of migrant women (a YouTube video on immigrant and maternal health)
Water birth information; for more information on water births in High River, please click here
COVID-19 risk in pregnancy: from Alberta Health Services, CDC, and the SOGC
Parenting Related Topics
About Kids Health (a great resource for children’s health concerns from The Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto)
Alberta Family Wellness Initiative information on ACEs and brain development
Extra Services
Safe sleep brochure and website from Alberta Health Services
Safe sleep information from La Leche League International
Community Supports
HealthLink (Call Health Link by dialing 811 for quick and easy advice from a registered nurse 24/7.)
Early Start Line (This telephone information line gives postpartum information to parents of babies under 2 months old. Nurses are there 24/7 to offer support, information, and referrals to new mothers and their families for the first 2 months after their baby’s birth.)