How to find what you are looking for
This resource centre has been organized to follow the natural course of pregnancy and baby development, from preconception,
to pregnancy, to giving birth, to newborn babies in their first month of life, to babies up to 12 months of age. The material
in this resource centre has been written in collaboration with obstetricians, paediatricians, nurse practitioners, lactation
consultants, dietitians, and psychologists, affiliated with The Hospital for Sick Children.
This section provides information about how reproduction occurs and what considerations you need to make before becoming pregnant.
You will find information about nutrition, exercise, and other things to think about in terms of your health care before pregnancy.
Stopping your birth control and fertility charting are also discussed.
This section describes the development of your baby and the changes your body will go through during pregnancy. Health care
is very important to ensuring a safe and healthy pregnancy. Here you will find information about health care in pregnancy,
including medical visits, proper nutrition, exercise, prenatal testing, genetic counselling, and things to avoid during pregnancy.
Complications of pregnancy and maternal conditions that can affect your pregnancy are discussed. Special information for fathers
is also provided.
This section provides information about how to plan for childbirth, decide between home or hospital birth, and write a birth
plan. You will also find discussions of the signs of labour, the different stages of labour and normal vaginal birth, pain
management, caesarean section, and vaginal birth after caesarean section. Other topics covered include induction of labour,
fetal monitoring, episiotomy, concerns during labour, and unusual deliveries.
The newborn or neonatal period is the first 28 days of life. This section discusses what your newborn baby will look like
and what he can do when he is first born. Medical care at birth, follow-up care, routine care at home, breastfeeding, and
newborn baby safety are all discussed. Information about newborn baby behaviour is provided, including tips on what to do
if your baby cries a lot or has colic. Common health concerns in the first month of life are described. A section about caring
for very ill newborn babies is also provided.
This section describes the development of your baby throughout his first year of life. Information about growth, motor development,
social and emotional development, and how your baby learns to think is provided. Medical care, routine care at home, feeding
and nutrition, and safety are discussed. Tips are provided on what to do if your baby cries a lot or has colic. Temperament,
which is your baby’s personality, and attachment, which is the emotional tie between you and your baby, are described. Finally,
information about common health concerns in the first year of life is provided.
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Trying to decide between breast and bottle feeding? Learn more about your baby’s feeding and nutritional requirements.
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Learn more about the various events that can happen around fertilization that affect what type of twins develop. |
What is happening in there? Follow along our interactive timeline to see how your baby will change and grow before birth.
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