Pregnancy to Pre-School

Pregnancy and Early Life

Pregnancy Support

During pregnancy, you’re bound to have many questions: Is my diet healthy enough? What should I know about the baby’s development? How do I plan for labour and birth? There are many services in London and Middlesex County that can help to answer such questions, while supporting you through your physical and mental journey. The Middlesex-London Health Unit (MLHU) has resources to help guide you, whether you are planning a pregnancy, are currently pregnant, or have recently given birth. Below you’ll find a link to MLHU pregnancy resources as well as to other pregnancy services available in the region.
 

Postpartum Support

Postpartum (after pregnancy) is a time for you to recover physically and adjust mentally. You will have many questions and feelings and there are supports to help you, including:
 
 
Breastfeeding & Nutrition

It’s important for your baby to get the proper nutrients for growth and development.

The Public Health Agency of Canada, Health Canada, and the World Health Organization recommend breastfeeding your baby from birth to 6 months, and continuing to breastfeed for up to 2 years or more after introducing solid food.[1]

Breastfeeding can come with all sorts of challenges, from sore nipples and low milk supply, to your baby refusing to feed, and exhaustion. We’ve put together a list of local resources to help support you during your breastfeeding journey.

If you will be using Infant Formula, the Middlesex-London Health Unit has helpful information on their Infant Formula page [external link] to make sure that you are using it as safely as possible.
 

Sleep Help

Your body has worked very hard over the last 10 months and gone through tremendous change. Disturbed sleep patterns are common when you’re keeping up with your infant’s demands. It’s very normal to feel tired after the birth of your baby. It may take a few months to return to your usual energy level. [2]

Learn more about how to take care of yourself, and the recommended hours of sleep by age, by visiting these pages from the London-Middlesex Health Unit:
  EarlyON programs, like "Just Beginning: The First Six Months", offer a supportive setting for new moms to talk about topics such as sleep and crying, safety, and community resources. Visit the Family Centre and EarlyON Program Calendar and filter by ‘support groups’ to find programming to help you.  
 

Child Care

Sometimes finding child care that is the best fit for you and your child can feel overwhelming. We can help. We understand that families’ child care needs change, and that children thrive in many different environments. If you are returning to work after a parental leave, sending your youngest to kindergarten, or starting a new job, there are lots of choices for you located in London and Middlesex County. Visit the Child Care page for more information to help you make the best decision.

 

The Toddler Years

The toddler years are a time for your child to put into practice what they are learning and discovering each day, and a time for them to become more independent and adventurous. The resources from this section come from the Middlesex-London Health Unit’s (MLHU’s) ‘Parenting Toddlers & Preschoolers (1-3)’ resources page[3].


Feeding Your Young Child

It can be challenging feeding your child healthy foods and ensuring they receive proper nutrition. Visit MLHU’s Feeding Your Preschooler [external link] page to find nutrition screening tools, information on eating as a family, tips for picky toddlers, and how to encourage your toddler to safely help you in the kitchen. To find more information about healthy eating and your child, visit our Health and Wellness page.


Potty Training

This Middlesex-London Health Unit page is an excellent source of information for “toilet teaching” or “potty training”. It will tell you when you can tell your child is ready to use the toilet, how to get ready, and how you can teach your child.


Going Out with Your Child

Find out general tips for going out, including preparation, travel, and managing expectations from MLHU’s Going Out With Your Child resource page.


Supporting Children with Challenging Behaviour

Understand why your child is physically hurting others and what you can do to prevent hurtful actions in the future by visiting the Hitting, Fighting and Biting resource page from MLHU. 


Bedtime

Sleep is so important for your child’s health (and yours!). Find out what you can do to help establish and maintain a bedtime routine for your child on the MLHU Bedtime page.
 

 

Childhood Development

[From the Government of Ontario]

A child’s early years – from before birth to age six- are very important. Healthy babies are more likely to develop into healthy children, and healthy children are more likely to grow up to be healthy teenagers and healthy adults.

The Government of Ontario’s Healthy Babies Healthy Children Program is designed to help children get a healthy start in life. The program does this by helping infants and children up to age six and their families through:
 

• screening and assessments to see if there are any risks that could affect a child's healthy development and referrals to community programs and services
• supports for new parents
• help in finding community programs and resources on all kinds of subjects such as: breastfeeding, nutrition and health services, parenting programs, and family literacy programs[4]

At London and Middlesex County Family Centres and EarlyON/ON y va program locations, you can connect with other parents and share your experiences. London Family Centres have “Community Connectors” available at each site who can help you connect to parenting and community programs in the community.
You can also browse more services and supports below.
 

Developmental Milestones

It’s a joy for parents to watch their children grow. Although every child develops differently, if you want to look at some general guidelines, the Looksee Checklist from the Nipissing District Developmental Screen [external link] is a free, easy-to-use tool to monitor a child’s development from 1 month to 6 years of age.
Other services and resources in London and Middlesex County that can help you with questions or concerns about your child’s development include:   

Speech and Language

The Ontario Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services defines speech and language disorders as the following:
 

• join fun activities such as reading, storytelling, sing-alongs and games
• get advice from professionals trained in early childhood development
• find out about other family services in your community
• connect with other families with young children

• parenting and early learning
• early childhood education
• public health and wellness
• recreation, sports, and leisure

Need More Help?

 
In Middlesex County, Middlesex County Library Branches act as hubs for accessing information on family-centered supports and services. Library staff are knowledgeable and trusted Community Connectors equipped to help provide families with information on whom and how to connect to service agencies as well as providing access to key resources relevant to the service or support.  

Visit Middlesex Family Connections for more information on how to connect with a Community Connector in Middlesex County.