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Public Health Parenting Supports

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Parenting supports image

The early days, weeks and months following the birth of a new baby is a time of adjustment for most families. A Public Health Nurse may connect with you and your family in hospital or at home after birth to talk about supports you may want or need and link you with community supports and resources. 

Public Health Early Years provides many services to help families with young children. You can be referred to Early Years by a healthcare provider or community organization, or you can request these services for yourself. Your local Public Health Office can also give you information about postpartum supports and services in your community. 

Additional Public Supports:

211 Nova Scotia offers a free and confidential referral service, linking families with a variety of programs and services in your community that meet your needs. You can access the service by phone, online, or text. 

811 Nova Scotia can offer information and advice from a Registered Nurse if you have a concern about your health, or want to know about services in your area. This service is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Feeding your baby

Regardless of how you are feeding your baby it is common for questions to come up as you develop your new relationship and learn to respond to your babies' feeding cues. 

Information on breastfeeding can be found in our Breastfeeding Basics booklet (.pdf) and on the La Leche League Canada website. There you can access helplines across the country, ask questions online, search for a leader in your province and share your feeding and parenting stories with others.

Infant Formula: What You Need to Know (.pdf) has been developed for parents who have made an informed decision to feed their baby with infant formula.  It tells you what you need to know to feed your baby safely.

You can find information on Infant Feeding Emergency Preparedness for Parents and Caregivers here.

Do you have questions about how to feed your baby? Contact Public Health, your health care provider or family resource centre.

Loving Care Books

Loving Care is a series of books for parents of children up to three years old. Loving Care gives tools to help young families protect, promote or improve their health and to prevent illness, injury or disability.

These books have been developed to help parents to better recognize and build on their own strengths as parents.

Loving Care books (Birth to Six Months and Parents and Families) are given to all parents in Nova Scotia free of charge from Public Health. 

They are available in downloadable PDF below:

Home visiting program

Welcoming a new baby into the world can be an exciting time. It can also be challenging, especially when we live alone or in a remote area, or are worried about money, transportation or housing. 

Public Health offers a home visiting program that provides extra support to families facing challenges through in-home visits. Families may receive home visiting support for up to three years and/or referral to other health and community resources.  

View a video about the services offered through the Enhanced Home Visiting Program.

Early Childhood Immunization Clinics

To help support access to routine early childhood vaccines in Central Zone and Northern Zone, Public Health’s Early Years program offers vaccine clinics for children who do not have a primary care provider, or do not have an MSI number (health card).

These vaccines are publicly funded, which means families do not have to pay to immunize their children. To learn more, visit the Public Health Immunization webpage.

Early Years Drop-in Sessions - Central Zone

Public Health’s Early Years program in Central Zone (Halifax Regional Municipality, Eastern Shore, West Hants) offers regular community drop-in sessions to support families with children from birth to 5 years old. These sessions are staffed by a Public Health Nurse.

Drop-in sessions provide support and guidance on infant feeding, weight checks, questions about sleep, immunizations, mental health, growth and development, nutrition, parenting and social supports.

Please note: Public Health Nurses are not able to diagnose or prescribe medication. In addition, Immunizations are not available at drop-in sessions.

Please check with the Family Resource Centre for closures or cancellations before venturing out.

Accessing Primary Care

There are many ways to access primary care, even if you're not currently attached to a primary care provider.

Answer a few quick questions to receive personalized instructions for accessing Nova Scotia Health's primary care options near you including in-person, virtual and telephone options.

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Find Emergency Care

Use this tool to identify the emergency care options that are currently available nearest to you.

If this is a medical emergency, please call 9-1-1 for immediate assistance

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Upcoming Early Years Drop-in Sessions Map

Upcoming Early Years Drop-in Sessions

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