Parents across Manitoba can now access current, evidence-based information on pregnancy and child development through the newly developed Parenting in Manitoba website.
“Pregnancy and parenting open the door to a new world of responsibility and learning that can feel deeply rewarding and understandably overwhelming,” said Health, Seniors and Long-Term Care Minister Uzoma Asagwara. “The Parenting in Manitoba website offers clear, trustworthy information to help new and expectant parents support their child’s healthy development, from pregnancy through the first five years of life. It builds on our government’s continued investment in early childhood health, including the Manitoba Prenatal Benefit, which has already supported more than 1,200 Manitobans this year.”
The new website features over 120 articles on topics like safe swaddling techniques, tips for starting solid foods and how to tell the difference between a sore throat or strep. The site responds to recommendations made in the Manitoba Advocate for Children and Youth’s (MACY) Shifting the Lens report, which addresses sleep-related infant deaths and aligns with Manitoba’s Renewed Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) Strategy and Healthy Child Initiatives, added Fontaine.
“Our government is committed to implementing initiatives that improve social drivers of health for all Manitobans,” said Families Minister Nahanni Fontaine. “Having a centralized resource that’s easily accessible to caregivers will help improve the health and well-being of children and their families.”
More than 200 public health nurses across Manitoba provide direct support to families through home visits, newborn assessments and early-years programs, the ministers noted, and these nurses, alongside community partners, help ensure families have access to trusted information and care when it matters most.
“As a new mom and a nurse practitioner in primary care, I know how quickly parents can get lost in online advice,” said Kristy DuGray, nurse practitioner, Winnipeg Regional Health Authority. “I see how often new and expectant parents turn to the internet for guidance. You want to do the best for your baby, but so much of what’s out there is inconsistent or lacks credible sources, and it can leave you feeling more anxious than reassured. Having a trusted, Manitoba-based website gives parents and providers one reliable source for clear, accurate information to help raise healthy families.”
Over the past several years, Manitoba’s average birth weight has remained healthy and consistent, which the ministers said is a sign of strong prenatal supports and stable access to care. Public health nurses continue to reach families across the province through early-years programs like Families First and Healthy Baby, which now operate in communities across the province.
For more information, visit parentinginmanitoba.ca.
