PLASP and EarlyON would like to share the below information and resources for parents-to-be and families with young children, provided by the Region of Peel:

The Peel Public Health response to COVID-19 continues as we manage wave 5 of the pandemic as well as the vaccination program in Peel. As such, we remain unable to resume our paused Peel Public Health services for families in Peel (e.g., our Baby Feeding Support Clinics, Breastfeeding Companions Peer Support Program, and Home Visiting in the Healthy Babies Healthy Children Program).

We have maintained a small team of Public Health Nurses, who are offering a modified version of our Healthy Babies Healthy Children program. We appreciate your referrals and all HBHC Screening Tools received from our hospital partners. Our Public Health Nurses are completing telephone assessments, providing health teaching and making referrals for at-risk Peel families. We have also maintained our Family Health Contact Centre for all families. To speak with a Public Health Nurse, call 905-799-7700 (or 905-584-2216 in Caledon) for infant feeding support, as well as information and advice about any family health issue.

There are many opportunities for COVID-19 vaccination across Peel. All eligible children and adults are encouraged to get fully vaccinated as soon as possible. Information and clinic booking links can be found at https://www.peelregion.ca/coronavirus/vaccine/

We are not offering in-person prenatal classes, but we do have an online prenatal program that parents-to-be can attend from the comfort of home. They can email prenatalhealthmatters@peelregion.ca to register.

• For prenatal programming in the community, including Healthy Start and Teen Prenatal Supper Club, clients can contact healthystart@bridgewaycentre.ca or 905-822-1114 ext. 243.
• Early On Centres also offer supports for new parents as well as some prenatal programs.     

For advice and support on infant feeding, Peel Families with newborns and young children can access:

Telephone Support

• Telehealth Ontario at 1-866-797-0000.
• To speak with a Public Health Nurse, Peel families can call us at 905-799-7700 (or 905-584-2216 in Caledon)
• Clients may also follow-up with their family doctor or midwife.

Online Support - to help new parents feed their babies, our websites have videos and other resources, such as:

• Latching
• Hand expressing breast milk
• Safe formula preparation
• Paced bottle feeding
• In addition to advice about infant feeding, our website can help with health education on pregnancy, baby’s first year, caring for newborns as well as toddlers and preschoolers.

In-Person Infant Feeding Support

• The Doctor's Breastfeeding Clinic (10 Gillingham Drive, Unit 201, Brampton): In-person appointments are available, free with health card. Call in advance for an appointment at 289-233-1957.
• International Breastfeeding Centre (Newman Clinic): Online and in-person appointments available for a fee. Online free resources are available. Call in advance for an appointment at 416-498-0002 ext. 221.
• Private Lactation Consultants: To hire and pay for a Lactation Consultant, visit the Canadian Lactation Consultants Association.

We know how difficult the pandemic has been for families with newborns and young children. The Region of Peel will continue to keep you informed when additional public health services to support Peel families are made available.