Featured Story #4 - Pregnancy and Parenting
Healthy Babies Healthy Children Program
The Healthy Babies Healthy Children (HBHC) program is a free, voluntary home-visiting program led by a Public Health Nurse. Mandated by the Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services (MCCSS), the HBHC program aims to improve pregnancy, parenting, and early childhood development outcomes. The program supports pregnant individuals and families with children from birth to school entry.
In 2025, the HBHC program received 4,614 program entry referrals across prenatal, postpartum, and early childhood stages. Referrals were received from various community partners, including hospitals, health care providers, and community organizations. Through these referrals, a total of 4,843 visits were completed and 961 families received in-home support.
HBHC provides in-home support in the following areas:
- Prenatal health
- Newborn care
- Infant feeding – chest / breastfeeding
- Parental mental health and wellbeing
- Healthy relationships and attachment
- Substance use
- Growth and development monitoring and support
- Newcomer support
- Access to community resources
Breastfeeding Support
The Healthy Families department provides free, monthly breastfeeding education classes for prenatal and postpartum individuals and families. Classes are offered in person and online to increase accessibility across the region. The classes aim to build knowledge, confidence, and practical skills to support the successful initiation and continuation of breastfeeding.
In 2025:
- 309 families participated in WECHU’s breastfeeding classes, representing a 40.5% increase
- 98.8% of post‑class survey respondents reported increased breastfeeding preparedness
- 92.1% of respondents reported increased breastfeeding self‑efficacy