​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​About the Program

The Maternal and Child Health program aims to support pregnant First Nations people to experience healthy pregnancies, and to support parents of infants and young children and their families in helping children to develop optimally into adulthood. 

For a complete description of the program, including objectives and components, see the FNHA Programs and Services guide​.​

Prenatal and Maternal Health

• A Guide to Your Baby's First Foods (FNHA guide)
  
• Breast Pump Coverage​ - Breast pumps are included under First Nations Health Benefits. This resource explains the process to access them.​
  
• ​Breastfeedin​g Wellness Posters​​ (5 FNHA poste​rs in one PDF)
• First Nations Health Benefits Coverage: Pregnancy and Infant Care​ (FNHA Guide)​​​
  
• Honouring Indigenous Milk Medicine Week​ (YouTube Playlist​)​​​ - To honour Indigenous Milk Medicine Week 2024, the FNHA’s Maternal, Child and Family Wellness team hosted five webinars that touched on the 2024  theme, "Mind, Body, Milk Medicine".​
  
• Honouring Indigenous Women's and Families' Pregnancy Journeys: A practice resource to support improved perinatal care created by aunties, mothers, grandmothers, sisters, and daughters​​​ (Perinatal Services BC) 
  
• Indigenous Pregnancy Passport​ (Perinatal Services BC)
  
• Videos for New Moms Ser​​​ies (FNHA) 
  
• Tips for Preventing a Birth before 37 Weeks of Pregnancy (FNHA poster) (8.5 x 11 inches)(11 x 14 inches) 
• Preventing Preterm ​Birth – Vaginal Progesterone Therapy​ (FNHA poster)
  
• Canada Prenatal Nutrition Program – Provides support to improve the health and well-being of pregnant women, new mothers and babies facing challenging life circumstances
• BC Association of Pregnancy Outreach Programs (BCAPOP)
  

Doul​​​as

A doula provides emotional, physical and spiritual support for expectant parents and their families during pregnancy, labour and the postpartum period.

Building on the role of the traditional Aunty, First Nation and Aboriginal doulas can help expectant parents and their families in honouring the traditional and spiritual practices and beliefs associated with maternity care. They can also support language and cultural needs.

Recruiting or Becom​ing a Doula?

These two FNHA documents outline important things to consider if you are planning to recruit or retain a doula, or thinking about becoming a doula:

• Recruiting and retaining a doula
• What to consider before becoming a doula

Financial Support

BC Association of Aboriginal Friendship Centres, the FNHA and the BC Ministry of Health has a grant program whose goal is to provide Indigenous families living in BC with up to $1,200 of coverage for full spectrum doula support with each pregnancy.

• See Doulas for Aboriginal Families on the BC Association of Aboriginal Friendship Centres
  

Infant Health​

• HealthLink BC Safe Sleeping for Babies
  
• Honouring Our Babies Safer Sleep Toolkit  3rd Edition 2023​– Facilitator guide and cards (Perinatal Services BC Hub)
• Honouring Our Babies Safer Sleep Cards 2023​ - Illustration cards  for use with the Facilitator Guide (Perinatal Services BC Hub​
  
• ​ La Leche League Canada – encourages, promotes and provides mother-to-mother breastfeeding support and educational opportunities
• Safer Infant Sleep: Practice Resource for Health-care Providers (Perinatal Services BC)
  
• Safer Sleep for m​y Baby (Perinatal Services BC)
  

Early Childhood Dev​elopment

• Aboriginal Infant Development Program – works together with families to support the growth and development of young children
• Aboriginal Supported Child Development – a program for children with developmental delays or disabilities and their families
• Aboriginal Head Start Association of British Columbia (AHSABC)​ – provides programs that support early childhood development, school readiness, and family health and wellness for children from birth to six years old​​
• Canadian Physical Activity Guide for the Early Years – gives some guidelines for physical activity for children
• Community Action Program for Children – promotes the healthy development of young children (0-6) who are living in conditions of risk
• Preschoolers: Building a Sense of Security​ – BC HealthLink fact sheet

Parents and Families

• BC Association of Aboriginal Friendship Centres (BCAAFC) – often has programs for parents, children, and pregnant women
• BC Council for Families​ – a source of dependable, current information and advice including parenting programs, online information, and online discussion groups for parents
  
• First Nations Parents Club – helps support parents with educational success
• Healthy Families BC – Parenting is an online resource for all British Columbians with information about pregnancy and parenting
• ​Metis Family Services – provides services for parents
• The National Collaborating Centre for Indigenous Health (NCCIH) – a source of reliable, current information of First Nations, Inuit, and Metis child, youth, and family health
• Family Connections: A resource booklet about bonding with your child for First Nations and Métis parents in BC
• Growing Up: A resource booklet about healthy children for First Nations and Métis parents in BC
• Parents as First Teachers: A resource booklet about how children learn for First Nations and Métis parents in BC
• Fatherhood is Forever: ​A resource booklet about fathering for First Nations and Métis parents in BC
  

Resources for Providers

• ​Nursing Handbook - Preconception Through Early Childhood​​​: A practice guide for community health nurses.​