PREPARED BY: Healthy Families
DATE: 2026-03-12
SUBJECT: Building Blocks for Better Babies
BACKGROUND/PURPOSE
In 2024, there were 3,900 live births to residents living in Windsor‑Essex County. Of those births, 35.7% of infants were exclusively breastfed prior to discharge from hospital or within the first three days following a home birth. This represents the lowest breastfeeding exclusivity rate in the past decade and remains below the provincial average. Additionally, 17.9% of individuals who gave birth reported a mental health concern, and 84.7% of prenatal individuals who gave birth in the region did not receive any form of prenatal education, a proportion significantly higher than Ontario’s provincial average of 64.2% (BORN, 2024).
The Building Blocks for Better Babies (BBBB) program, delivered by the University of Windsor in collaboration with the Windsor-Essex County Health Unit, provides prenatal and early parenting support to individuals and families experiencing health inequity. Priority populations for the program include newcomers, low-income households, and individuals facing mental health or social challenges.
BBBB offers evidence‑informed education on healthy pregnancy, labour and delivery, mental health, breastfeeding, newborn care, and early parenting. Programming is delivered through a combination of in-person and virtual classes and includes access to practical supports such as free prenatal multivitamins, Vitamin D for breastfed infants, and weekly food vouchers for families identifying financial need. Currently, education is delivered by BBBB dietitians in collaboration with Windsor Essex County Health Unit (WECHU) Public Health Nurses.
In Fall 2025, a participant survey was conducted to assess participant experiences, identify program strengths, and determine opportunities for improvement. The evaluation findings will inform on-going program development and WECHU’s alignment with the updated Ontario Public Health Standards (OPHS).
Discussion
Key Evaluation Findings:
Of the 106 BBBB participants invited, 52 initiated the survey and 42 completed all sections. The survey achieved a 49.1% response rate.
Participants reported strong improvements in knowledge, confidence, and preparedness related to pregnancy, childbirth, and early parenting, along with increased social and emotional support.
Reported benefits of attending the BBBB program included:
- 94% regularly took prenatal vitamins.
- 92% avoided substances harmful to the baby.
- 94% felt more prepared for labour and delivery.
- 100% felt more prepared to care for their baby after birth.
- 98% reported increased confidence in caring for themselves postpartum.
- 90% felt more prepared to breastfeed.
- 88% felt better able to care for themselves when experiencing stress, sadness, worry, or overwhelm.
- 100% reported that the BBBB program had a positive impact on their lives.
Qualitative Feedback:
Participants consistently highlighted:
- supportive relationships with dietitians and public health nurses.
- increased knowledge of healthy pregnancy and early parenting.
- practical supports (e.g., food vouchers, vitamins).
- improved preparedness for childbirth and early parenthood.
- assistance with system navigation and referrals.
Demographic data confirmed strong reach among newcomers, low‑income families, and first‑timeparents, reinforcing BBBB’s alignment with health equity goals.
Participants identified several barriers to participation, including transportation, health‑related challenges, scheduling conflicts, and language or connectivity issues. These findings point to opportunities for enhancing accessibility through expanded translation supports, continued virtual delivery options, and ongoing program refinements informed by participant feedback.
Next Steps
Evaluation findings will be used to inform program revisions for BBBB. For 2026, WECHU will continue to:
- offer in-kind prenatal education supports
- share local, equity‑focused data to inform program planning
- promote BBBB among community organizations, prenatal service providers, and prenatal individuals including those involved in the Healthy Babies Healthy Children program,
- provide evidence‑informed educational resources for prenatal and early postnatal education (up to six weeks postpartum) and
- continue to support evaluation activities that will provide the evidence needed to determine appropriate delivery methods and program modalities moving forward.