The local health unit is close to home for local families seeking help and support for pregnancy, breastfeeding and parenting, during the pandemic.
The Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge District Health Unit continues to offer its Healthy Families support programs for new and expectant parents, as well as moms and dads with young children.
Even though the offices are closed due to COVID-19, services and support for local families are still available via phone and online, in Haliburton County, Northumberland County and the City of Kawartha Lakes.
Services include:
• The toll-free Healthy Families intake line at 1-866-888-4577, ext. 5003, that allows people to speak to a Public Health Nurse and receive support and answers on pregnancy, breastfeeding and parenting. Public Health Nurses are now able to provide infant-feeding support to parents via video-conferencing as well.
• The free online Prenatal Program gives expectant parents accurate and reliable information/resources on pregnancy, labour and birth, and caring for a newborn. The web-based, mobile-friendly format can be done from home.
• The Healthy Families Facebook page offers an online forum for parents/caregivers and Health Unit staff to exchange information, comments and resources on parenting and family issues.
• The Health Unit website features general health advice, as well as specific information on Keeping Your Family Healthy during COVID-19, Preventing Injuries during the Pandemic, and Ways to Be Active Outdoors Safely in the current climate.
• Healthy Babies Healthy Children (HBHC), which is a free, confidential and voluntary program for eligible pregnant women, new mothers, and families with children up to age six.
HBHC provides advice and support immediately after a baby’s birth and at different stages afterwards to ensure children get the best start in life. While HBHC home visits are currently unavailable, follow-ups with families can be done by phone and video-conferencing.
“Life as we know it has changed dramatically over the past two months due to COVID-19, but the Health Unit is still here to support local families,” says Jennifer Kurpjuweit, a Public Health Nurse with the HKPR District Health Unit.
For parents, there may be extra pressure from having kids home from school and daycare, ongoing worries about income because of job disruptions, stress over going back to work as businesses re-open, or difficulty responding to a child’s questions or concerns over the coronavirus. For those who are pregnant, there can also be questions and concerns about accessing medical care during a pandemic.
“Whatever your care, concern or question, we encourage you to reach out to the Health Unit and talk to our staff about how we can help,” Kurpjuweit adds.
