Food Insecurity now impacts one in four households in Windsor-Essex County. Pregnant women and infants are especially vulnerable to the stress and malnutrition caused by food insecurity. When not addressed, food insecurity significantly increases the risk of pregnancy complications, adverse birth outcomes, early breastfeeding cessation, and impaired child development. Health care providers play a critical role in the identification and management of food insecurity. Consider screening all prenatal patients and families with infants for food insecurity using a simple, validated screener, like Hunger Vital SignTM.
What Healthcare Providers Can Do:
- Help patients optimize their household income
- Complete the Pregnancy/Breastfeeding Nutritional Allowance Form.
- Complete the Special Diet Allowance Form, when infant formula is required.
- Direct patients to tax clinics, as needed, to ensure access to the Canadian Child Benefit.
- Help families sustain breastfeeding
- Recommend free breastfeeding classes and direct to credible breastfeeding resources.
- Help patients access immediate needs, including food and prenatal supplements
- Recommend Building Blocks for Better Babies and the local food affordability directory.
Continue to refer to Healthy Babies Healthy Children for comprehensive, in-home care.
Order patient handouts about local breastfeeding and food insecurity services
Local Referral Options
Healthy Babies Healthy Children
Refer on-line at wechu.org/parents or fax to 519-258-2790.
Self-referral also accepted. Call for more information: 519-258-2146 ext. 1350.
- Free in-home individualized care to help families prepare for the arrival of their infant(s).
- Help clients optimize income, access food, and learn how to feed their infants.
- Nurse-led with access to a social worker and lactation consultant, as needed.
- Services also available in French, Arabic, Spanish. Interpretation available for other languages.
- Wrap-around care also provided postnatally, including support with housing, parenting, mental health, home safety, child development, system navigation & more.
Building Blocks for Better Babies
Self referral. Call/text to register: 519-977-6862. email: bbbb@uwindsor.ca
- In-person or virtual perinatal group education offered weekly.
- Co-led by nurse and dietitian. Class locations in Windsor and Leamington.
- Free prenatal multivitamins, infant vitamin D, snacks, and grocery gift cards.
Breastfeeding Education
Pre-register for classes at wechu.org/parents
- In-person or virtual 2-hour interactive classes offered each month.
- Nurse-led education on latch technique, breastmilk supply, and responding to infant cues.
- Instructional videos and resources also available at wechu.org/parents