Healthy Parents, Healthy Children - Pregnancy and Birth - Healthy pregnancy and newborn guidance

Sep 27, 2026

Uploaded by Bintang

Healthy Parents, Healthy Children: Pregnancy and Birth provides practical guidance for expectant parents across pregnancy, labor, delivery, and the early postpartum period. The book highlights prenatal care, planning ahead, safety considerations, and coping with situations when pregnancy does not go as expected. It also covers the stages of labour, pain relief options, and early weeks at home, including breastfeeding basics, expressed breastmilk, and common challenges. Includes important contact information and health-related resources from Alberta Health Services.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryHealthcare

FormatPDF

Pages340

Reading Time14 h 17 min

AccessFree to download

Introduction

Important Contact Information

Important Websites

Your Book

Thank You!

An Overview of Pregnancy

Becoming a Parent

Growing Together

The Developing Brain

Starting Off Healthy

Growing Together

Prenatal Care

Healthy Body and Mind

Being Safe

Planning Ahead

First Trimester: The Beginning

Growing Together

Healthy Body and Mind

Prenatal Care

If Pregnancy Doesn’t Go as Expected

Second Trimester: The Middle

Growing Together

Healthy Body and Mind

Prenatal Care

Planning Ahead

If Pregnancy Doesn’t Go as Expected

Third Trimester: The Final Stretch

Growing Together

Healthy Body and Mind

Prenatal Care

Planning Ahead

If Pregnancy Doesn’t Go as Expected

Labour & Birth: The Big Event

Knowing What to Expect

Three Stages of Labour

Pain Relief Options During Labour

Other Procedures During Labour and Birth

Postpartum: The First 6 Weeks

Congratulations Your Baby is Here!

At the Birth Centre

Your First Few Weeks at Home

Healthy Body and Mind

Healthy Relationships

Breastfeeding

Breastfeeding Your Baby

Breastfeeding Basics

The First Week and Beyond

Expressed Breastmilk

Healthy Body and Mind

Challenges and What to Do

The Early Years

Index

H EA LT HY PA R ENTS , H EA LT HY CH I L D R EN &Birth 2 nd E D ITIO N Because they don’t come with a manual [healthyparentshealthychildren. ca](healthyparentshealthychildren. ca) This book belongs to: Your baby’s due date: My important contact information Health care provider Name: Phone: Birth centre/hospital Name: Phone: Community or public health centre Name: Phone: Other: Name: Phone: This book has lots of information to help you through your pregnancy and prepare you for your baby. The content in this book reflects Alberta Health Services’ (AHS) information at the time of printing. For more information and regular updates visit [healthyparentshealthychildren.ca](healthyparentshealthychildren.ca) Follow us on /healthyparentshealthychildren @AHS_HPHC Copyright © (2013) Second Printing (2014) Third Printing (2018) Second Edition (2018) Reprint (2019) Alberta Health Services. This material is protected by Canadian and other international copyright laws. All rights reserved. These materials may not be copied, published, distributed or reproduced in any way in whole or in part without the express written permission of Alberta Health Services. These materials are intended for general information only and are provided on an ‘as is’, ‘where is’ basis. Although reasonable efforts were made to confirm the accuracy of the information, Alberta Health Services does not make any representation or warranty, express, implied or statutory, as to the accuracy, reliability, completeness, applicability or fitness fora particular purpose of such information. These materials are not a substitute for the advice of a qualified health professional. Alberta Health Services expressly disclaims all liability for the use of these materials, and for any claims, actions, demands or suits arising from such use. ISBN 978-0-9916769-1-0 Table of Contents I NTRO D UCTIO N 3 Important Contact Information 3 Important Websites 4 Your Book 5 Thank You! 8 A N OV E RV I EW O F PR EG NA NCY 9 Becoming a Parent 11 Growing Together 16 The Developing Brain 19 STA RT I NG O FF H EA LT HY 21 Growing Together 23 Prenatal Care 24 Healthy Body and Mind 26 Being Safe 75 Planning Ahead 85 FIRST T R IM EST E R : T H E BEG IN N ING 89 Growing Together 91 Healthy Body and Mind 95 Prenatal Care 103 If Pregnancy Doesn’t Go as Expected 108 S ECO N D T R IM EST E R : T H E M IDDL E 111 Growing Together 113 Healthy Body and Mind 117 Prenatal Care 123 Planning Ahead 126 If Pregnancy Doesn’t Go as Expected 137 Healthy Parents, Healthy Children | Pregnancy and Birth 1 TH I R D TR IM ESTE R : TH E FI NA L STR ETC H 143 Growing Together 145 Healthy Body and Mind 148 Prenatal Care 154 Planning Ahead 156 If Pregnancy Doesn’t Go as Expected 161 LA BO U R & B I RT H : T H E B IG EV E NT 163 Knowing What to Expect 165 Three Stages of Labour 171 First Stage of Labour: Contractions, Thinning and Opening of the Cervix 172 Second Stage of Labour: Birth 190 Third Stage of Labour: Separation and Delivery of the Placenta 192 Pain Relief Options During Labour 193 Other Procedures During Labour and Birth 196 POST PA RT UM : T H E F I RST 6 W E E KS 205 Congratulations Your Baby is Here! 207 At the Birth Centre 208 Your First Few Weeks at Home 224 Healthy Body and Mind 226 Healthy Relationships 253 BR EAST FE E D ING 273 Breastfeeding Your Baby 275 Breastfeeding Basics 279 The First Week and Beyond 286 Expressed Breastmilk 293 Healthy Body and Mind 303 Challenges and What to Do 307 T H E EA R LY Y EA RS 321 IN DEX 323 2 Pregnancy and Birth | Healthy Parents, Healthy Children Important Contact Information No cost services available in many languages Emergency Services Ambulance, Fire and Police 911 Available 24/7 Health Link Health advice from a registered nurse. 811 Available 24/7 Addictio

FAQs

What information does the book provide during pregnancy?

The book guides parents through pregnancy with sections on prenatal care, healthy body and mind, safety, planning ahead, and how to handle situations if pregnancy doesn’t go as expected.

How does the book explain labour and birth?

It outlines what to expect, describes three stages of labour, and covers options for pain relief as well as other procedures during labour and birth.

What does the postpartum section cover?

It focuses on the first six weeks after delivery, including the early days at the birth centre and home, healthy body and mind, healthy relationships, and breastfeeding support.

Sep 27, 2026

Uploaded by Bintang