Pregnancy & After Birth Resources
Pregnancy Resources
General Support
Baby's Best Chance is a reference guide of easy-to-read tips for parents that covers pregnancy & birth and parenting up to 6 months of age. Available in several languages.
Smithers Crisis Pregnancy Care Center is in Smithers. They provide a safe, confidential, and compassionate place for any woman who thinks she may be pregnant. Their services are free and include pregnancy tests, non-judgemental options, counseling, maternity care closet, post-abortion counseling, sexual education, and community referrals.
Smithers Community Health provides public health services for pregnant and new moms.
Some services: Smartmom Prenatal Program, breastfeeding info & support, Immunization program, postpartum services.
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Smithers Pregnancy Outreach Center, in a confidential and informal setting, provides education and support to women, families, adoptive and foster parents during pregnancy, birth, and postpartum up to one year. Their team includes support workers, a nutritionist, and a Registered Nurse. They assist with a wide range of topics, including physical and emotional health, birth, breastfeeding, nutrition, fetal and infant development, baby care, self-care, and healthy relationships.
Dze Ḻ K’ant Friendship Centre Smithers is an organization guided by Aboriginal values that operates several programs including CAP-C, pregnancy and early childhood programming throughout the Northwest, Prenatal Nutritional Program (CPNP) and Aboriginal Head Start (AHS), Housing assistance, etc.
Medical Care
Local Family Doctors in Smithers: A list of the local family doctors. Please note which ones are accepting new patients.
Smithers:
Amy Stokes 250-846-9265 (h) 778-210-0902 (c)
Anne Jarry CD (DONA) 250-643-9647 (c)
Nathalie Brassard 250-846-9029 (h) 778-210-1591 (c)
Melanie Manfre 647-567-7481 (c)
Bronwyn Young 250-643-2635 (c)
Judi Calhoun CD (DONA) 250-877-2813 (c)
Kelsey Chamberlin CD (DONA) 250-877-7099 (c)
Ally Dick 514-346-0514 (c)
HOUSTON
Heather Moorehead 250-845-0005(h)
Bulkley Valley Midwives: Registered Midwives providing pregnancy, birth and postpartum care to the community of Smithers & surrounding area. Home or hospital birth, covered by MSP.
Bobbie Adkins (250) 877-2726
Dental Care for Pregnant Moms & Babies:
General oral and dental health
After Birth Resources
Breastfeeding Resources
Smithers Lactation Consultant available through Dr Smith's office, you can call directly without a doctor referral.
Breastfeeding Getting Started and Early Breastfeeding are PDFs information sheets that covers breastfeeding basics.
Also, you can call and get personal help with a lactation consultant who is very helpful, see phone numbers to the right of the page
http://www.bcwomens.ca/our-services/labour-birth-post-birth-care/breastfeeding-clinic
Breastfeeding Hunger Cues and Breast Milk Storage are additional PDF information sheets to help in those early days if you are breastfeeding.
La Leche League Breastfeeding PDF and Kelly Mom Website provide more detailed information about common breastfeeding issues.
Craniosacral & Osteopathic Treatment for Infants
Aspire Message (Marieka Zimmerman), helps with latch difficulties, sleep disturbances, colic, reflux, irritability, poor sleeping, tongue tie, and plagiocephaly (misshapen skull), etc.
Rhonda Hicks helps with tongue-tie, trauma from birth, etc.
Community Services & Supports
Smithers Community Health provides public health services for pregnant and new moms.
Some services: Smartmom Prenatal Program, breastfeeding info & support, Immunization program, postpartum services.
https://www.northernhealth.ca/health-information/pregnancy-and-baby
Smithers Pregnancy Outreach Center, in a confidential and informal setting, provides education and support to women, families, adoptive and foster parents during pregnancy, birth, and postpartum up to one year. Our team includes support workers, a nutritionist, and a Registered Nurse. We assist with a wide range of topics, including physical and emotional health, birth, breastfeeding, nutrition, fetal and infant development, baby care, self-care, and healthy relationships. Also offers weekly drop-in groups, cooking skills, resources and referrals.
Smithers:
Kaila Greenlees CD (DONA) 778-669-0221
Melanie Manfre 647-567-7481
Ally Dick 514-346-0514 (c)
Kelsey Chamberlin CD (DONA) 250-877-7099 (c)
Ministry of Child & Family Development offers a wide range of programs and services to children, youth, parents, families, people with special needs, and those fighting addictions.
Strong Start BC is a FREE drop-in interactive play opportunity for you and your children from birth to 5 years of age. Qualified early childhood educators lead activities to help children get ready for success in kindergarten. Families have the opportunity to meet with other parents and children in this fun and enjoyable atmosphere.
Passage Transition House - 24 hour Emergency Shelter offers a safe and supportive emergency residential and drop-in service in the Bulkley Valley for women and children experiencing domestic violence, abuse, and/or crises in their lives.
The Bulkley Valley Child Development Centre Society offers family-centered health and social services to support the growth and development of our children, youth and families in the communities from Vanderhoof to Atlin. Special programs offered such as Infant Development Program to help with any developmental needs from birth to age 3. Toy Lending Library, Affordable Child Care Benefit, Training, Education, Child Care Referrals, Support to Child Care Providers
Smithers Community Services Association offers a Family Support Program -The main goal is to support parents, foster parents and other primary caregivers to address behavioural concerns in ways that preserve and enrich the caregiver-child/youth relationship. This is done through emotional support, as well as exploration, discussion and practice of developmentally supportive resources. The Family Support Program provides one-to-one and group support, and also works to link caregivers to other supportive services in the community.
Referrals are made through the Ministry of Children and Family Development (MCFD) and Child and Youth Mental Health (CYMH).
Financial Support
Canada Benefits You can find which benefits or programs you may be eligible for after completing a brief questionnaire. The Benefits Finder may suggest benefits from federal, provincial or territorial governments.
Child and Family Benefits Calculator You can use this calculator to see what child and family benefits you may be able to get and how much your payments may be
Myself Serve BC Learn what income resources may be available to you, apply for income assistance, and access your eligibility after completing an online questionnaire.
Mental Health
Quick overview- Am I suffering from baby blues or postpartum depression?
Postpartum Depression Self-Care Program is a guide for both women and health professionals to help empower women struggling with postpartum depression and anxiety to make positive changes in their experience.
Postpartum Depression & Anxiety Info Sheet is an information pamphlet to better understand this challenge that some new moms experience and help you through the challenge.
Guide to coping with depression during pregnancy and post-birth is a cognitive behaviour therapy-based self-management workbook contributed to HeretoHelp by BC Reproductive Mental Health Program of BC Mental Health and Substance Use Services to help meet the needs of women with depression during their pregnancies and after birth.
Local Thrift Stores
New To You Thrift Store is in Smithers. They have a good selection of second-hand baby and kid clothing, as well as shoes, blankets, occasionally furniture, books, etc.
St James Anglican Thrift Store is run by the Anglican Church and is located behind Safeway next to the Anglican Church. Opening hours are: Tuesday 1:00 - 3:30 p.m., Wednesday 10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. and Saturday 12 noon - 3:00 p.m.