Pregnancy

Pregnancy is an exciting time but can also be a time filled with questions and worry.

Taking care of your health during pregnancy is important for both you and your baby. Below you will find some information on how to have the healthiest pregnancy possible.

In the planning stages of pregnancy? It's never too early to plan for a healthy baby. Visit our Planning for Pregnancy page to learn more!
Visit our Pregnancy Options page for more information about how to proceed after having a positive pregnancy test for an unplanned pregnancy.

Prenatal, Breastfeeding, and Parenting Services

Prenatal Classes

Healthy Eating and Active Living

Alcohol, Smoking and Drugs

Infections

Mental Health

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Newcomers

Domestic Violence

Online prenatal, newborn and breastfeeding classes

Your easy guide to pregnancy and newborn care through InJoy Health Education.

Our free online classes cover five topics – pregnancy, birth, breastfeeding, understanding your newborn and local community supports.

These classes are for everyone and can be taken at your own pace.
Registration is valid for one year – you can start them early in your pregnancy or even before!
Support people are encouraged to take the classes as well.

Start the classes

SMILE prenatal classes

SMILE prenatal classes are free prenatal classes for expectant parents who meet the eligibility criteria. Information covered includes self-care during pregnancy, understanding labour and birth, comfort measures for labour, newborn care and community resources to support new parents.

Classes are held in-person or virtually and are taught by a public health nurse. Each series consists of two hour classes held weekly for four weeks. Virtual classes are live and require connection online or via phone. Dates and locations vary throughout the year and registration opens five weeks before the start of a series.

You are eligible for SMILE classes if you:

Are under 26 years of age, and/or
Have been referred by a community agency, and/or
Are living with low income.

Register for a SMILE series

Healthy eating and active living

Healthy eating

Eating healthy and making nutritious choices is especially important while you are pregnant. Eating well gives your baby the nutrients they need to grow and develop. It also helps lower your risk of having health problems during pregnancy, such as low iron or high blood pressure.

Find out more about Healthy Eating for a Healthy Baby.

Weight gain in pregnancy

How much weight should you gain during pregnancy? The ideal amount of weight gain during your pregnancy depends on your BMI (Body Mass Index) before pregnancy.

The Pregnancy Weight Gain Calculator will help you determine the weight gain that will promote a healthy pregnancy.

Nausea and vomiting

Mild nausea and vomiting is a normal part of pregnancy. It usually starts around the sixth week of pregnancy and improves by the twelfth week. For some women it persists throughout pregnancy. While it can be very unpleasant, the good news is that mild nausea and vomiting is not harmful to you or your unborn child. There are many ways of easing your nausea and vomiting.

Here are some tips to help you feel better during pregnancy.

Is it safe to use cannabis for nausea and vomiting?

There has been an increasing belief that cannabis is natural, harmless and can relieve some of the symptoms of pregnancy, such as morning sickness, nausea and vomiting.

There is no known safe amount of cannabis use during pregnancy or breastfeeding. Cannabis reaches your baby during pregnancy and may cause harmful long-term effects on your child’s development. The safest approach is to not use cannabis.

Talk to your health care provider if you have severe nausea and vomiting or before taking any medications to help you cope.

Physical activity

Exercise is an important part of a healthy lifestyle and most pregnant women can and should exercise. Exercise provides many benefits such as:

Helping your body be strong and fit for labour and birth.
Helping you sleep better.
Helping you manage healthy weight gain.
Boosting your mood and your energy level.
Helping with constipation.
Reducing backache.
Reducing the likelihood of getting gestational diabetes.

Pregnant women should accumulate at least 150 minutes of moderate intensity physical activity each week. Speak to your health care provider if you have questions about exercising during pregnancy.

Alcohol, smoking and drugs

There are changes you can make to help you have a healthy pregnancy including stopping or reducing use of alcohol, cannabis, and drugs. This will help give your baby a safe and healthy start to life.

Find our more: Your guide to a healthy pregnancy Prenatal, Breastfeeding, and Parenting Services

Alcohol

Consuming alcohol during pregnancy can have serious effects on your baby.
No amount of alcohol is safe during pregnancy.

If you drink alcohol while pregnant it can enter the baby’s bloodstream and may lead to the development of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD), which can cause lifelong physical, mental, and behavioural disabilities for the child.

Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) can impact the baby in many ways:

Impair vision
Damage brain causing difficulty learning and remembering
Increase the risk of hearing loss
Damage the heart, kidneys, liver and other important organs
Cause bones to not form properly

If you need help with your alcohol use during pregnancy talk to your health care provider.

Tobacco

Quitting or reducing smoking is one of the best things you can do for yourself and your baby. Smoking and second-hand smoke, including vaping and e-cigarettes, are harmful to both you and your baby during and after pregnancy.

Smoking while pregnant can cause:

Miscarriage.
Early labour and birth.
Low birth weight baby.
Increased risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).
A child more likely to have asthma, behavioural problems, and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

Quitting smoking while you are pregnant is safe for both you and your baby. Talk to your health care provider for help.

More information on smoking and vaping.

Cannabis

Cannabis, also called marijuana, weed or pot, is the most commonly used recreational drug among pregnant women. Cannabis in all forms, whether smoked or vaped, eaten, applied as a cream, or taken as a pill, may affect your baby’s brain development and can result in learning and behavioural issues that last throughout their life.

There is no known safe amount of cannabis use when pregnant or breastfeeding.

Using cannabis in pregnancy is not safe because your baby:

Might not get enough oxygen to grow well.
Can be born too early, or too small.
Can have long term heart problems.
Can have mental health concerns throughout their life.
Can have withdrawal signs at birth, like problems sleeping.

Using cannabis in pregnancy can affect your child's:

Memory and learning.
Problem-solving skills.
Emotions and behaviour.
Ability to focus and pay attention.

Learn more through our free online prenatal classes.

What you need to know: cannabis, pregnancy and breastfeeding.
Thinking about using cannabis before or during pregnancy? Get the facts here.
Frequently asked question about cannabis use in pregnancy.

Opioids

Opioids refer to several drugs, including prescription opioids for pain control, such as hydromorphone and oxycodone, and unregulated drugs, such as heroin.

Opioid use during pregnancy can affect your health and the health of your baby. Opioids can alter your baby’s brain development and may lead to learning and behavioural problems that last throughout their life.

If you suddenly stop taking opiates during pregnancy, it may cause early labour or miscarriage. There are safe and effective treatments available to help women manage opioid use during pregnancy. Speak with your health care provider to learn more about your options.

Learn more about pregnancy and opioids and opioids and overdose prevention.

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