Smart Start for Babies

Smart Start for Babies is a free weekly prenatal nutrition program for low-income pregnant individuals who face challenging life situations and are less than 30 weeks pregnant.

Challenges may include, but are not limited to, low income, limited support, mental health, teenage pregnancy, new to Canada and difficulty accessing healthy food.

Smart Start for Babies is offered on different days of the week and in different areas of London and Middlesex. The 1 ½ - 2-hour group sessions are led by Public Health Nurses and Registered Dietitians. We have many different groups including a group for young adults, as well as a group for Arabic speaking newcomers.

Registration

To register and for more information, please fill out the online form:

Call the Health Unit: 519-663-5317 (Monday to Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.)
Email: smartstart@mlhu.on.ca

Referral

If you are a health care provider or community partner referring someone to the program, please complete the Community Partner Referral Form:

Community Partner Referral Form (Online)

If you are unable to use the Checkmarket link, please call the Health Unit: 519-663-5317 (Monday to Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.)

Topics covered:

healthy eating

meal preparation
food safety
healthy lifestyles
making healthy choices

pregnancy changes
fetal development
healthy relationships
labour and birth
postpartum and newborn care
breastfeeding
community supports and resources

Each session offers

group healthy snack – participants help with food preparation and clean up
health teaching
group skill building activities
grocery store vouchers
bus tickets for city of London participants
free prenatal vitamins and free vitamin D for breastfed babies

Date of creation: February 22, 2013
Last modified on: August 20, 2024