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Beautiful Beginnings

About:

The Canada Prenatal Nutrition Program (CPNP) funds community based projects to promote public health and address health disparities affecting pregnant women and their infants. 
Using a community development approach, the CPNP aims to:

moms and babes

  • Reduce the incidence of unhealthy birth weights
  • Encourage and support breastfeeding
  • Strengthen community supports for pregnant women
  • Build community partnerships

Beautiful Beginnings supports pregnant and parenting mothers to give birth to healthy babies through meals, food vouchers, vitamin supplements and educational opportunities.
Our vision is for healthy babies, born to confident, well-informed parents, within a close network of support.

Program Components:

The Beautiful Beginnings program offers participants a weekly lunch, workshops and presentations, free supplements, access to a hospital grade breast pump, and a weekly $10 food voucher.
Workshops include early brain development, birth options, postpartum depression, attachment, car seat and home safety, baby massage, introducing solids, and developmental milestones.  An Infant Development Consultant and a Public Health Nurse attend sessions monthly to offer workshops or answer any questions or concerns moms might have.  Participants are encouraged to plan, suggest and facilitate workshops themselves.
We have on site access to the Infant Development Program, Occupational and Speech therapies and Supported Child Development.  We also have a vegetable and fruit garden and a large clothes closet.

Prenatal classes (preparation for labour and delivery) are also offered on site through Selkirk College Community Education (250-365-1208)

mom nursing

  • I was new to the area when I joined and made most of my friends through the program.
  • Being treated with respect was one of the reasons I kept coming.
  • The voucher helped me buy healthier foods once a week.
  • Because I’m a young mom I needed information to help me make healthy choices.
  • I have nursed for longer than I initially planned to as a result of all the support from the other nursing moms.
  • I’m always counting down the days to the next class.
  • This program has exceeded what I needed and expected.
  • I have recommended the program to others.

Eligibility:

In order to qualify for Beautiful Beginnings you must be pregnant, or contemplating pregnancy and, preferably, before 30 weeks gestation.

Occasionally moms can start attending after the birth of their baby, depending on the current enrolment and individual circumstances.  Participants stay in the program until their babies are six months old and then are encouraged to continue on with other program options.

Contact:

Lesley Hastainlelsey
Kootenay Family Place Neighbourhood House
767 11th Avenue
Castlegar

Phone: 250-365-3662 ext 227
Fax:     250-365-5792
Email:  cpnp.kfp@telus.net

The group meets on Tuesdays at the Neighbourhood House between 10:30 and 1:30. Other programs are offered throughout the week and the coordinator is available on Wednesdays for individual sessions.  A monthly calendar is posted and participants with email can access it electronically.

Referral Form for Beautiful Beginnings

Affiliations:

The Public Health Agency of Canada
British Columbia Association of Pregnancy Outreach Programs
Frog Hollow Neighbourhood House (Vancouver)

Additional links:

canada prenatal nutrition program search
Health Canada prenatal nutrition
BC Association of Pregnancy Outreach Programs
prenatal care british columbia search
BBC Parenting