A healthy, pregnant mom is a baby’s best chance at a healthy start in life. Community Health Nurses offer pregnant women, their partner, and their families many services to help her stay healthy.

Prenatal education is provided, this may include the physical changes during pregnancy, emotional changes due to pregnancy hormones, fetal growth and development, mental health support and spiritual support from Elders based on the needs of the client.

Services offered by the Community Health Nurse includes:

• Prenatal screening (bloodwork for HIV, Hepatitis C, Syphilis).
• Weight and Blood pressure monitoring.
• Spot Blood Sugar (SBS)
• Oral Glucose Tolerance Testing (50 grams) to check for mom gestational diabetes.
• Referrals to counselling and other support services
• Hospital tours of the Women’s Birthing Unit at BUH
• Prenatal education on how tobacco, alcohol and drugs affect mom and the unborn baby.
  
  

‍

Healthy Babies and Toddlers

Community Health Nurses assist parents to help their babies and toddlers develop and grow in the best possible way. Services include:

• Postnatal home visits
• Breastfeeding information and support.
• Parenting sessions which include (Nobody’s Perfect Positive Discipline in Everyday Parenting and Handle with Care).
• Well-baby clinics where RNs provide parent support and counselling as well as immunizations and baby assessments for growth and development.
• Referrals to specialists.

‍

Growing Up Healthy

Community Health Nurses help school- aged children, youth and young adults make informed lifestyle choices as they continue to grow. These services include:

• ‍Education on healthy growth and development, infection control, hygiene, nutrition, and physical activity.
• Education on sexuality, including relationship boundaries and self-respect
• Education on sexually transmitted infections (STI’s)
• School based immunizations and assessments.

‍