Prenatal & Postpartum Resources

Hello, and Welcome! I’ve created this page to encompass things that I wish I had known about earlier and utilized more. The below is not meant to be an all-encompassing list, but is based off of things I either personally use(d) myself, or that have come highly recommended to me by clients or colleagues.

Breastfeeding Resources

Within the list of “Top 5 Things They Don’t Tell You Is Really Really Hard” is breastfeeding. Reach out for help if you are having pain, trouble with supply, latching, or emotionally when it comes to breastfeeding. I personally visited The Alex at 11 days postpartum and the doctor’s were incredibly helpful and supportive.

1. Well Fed (previously The Alex)

2. La Leche League

3. Alberta Health

Your One Stop Shop for Everything Postpartum Care

• Moss Postpartum House - 1614 8th Ave NW
  Moss boasts a roster of ALL of the following: Chiropractor, Acupuncture, Naturopathic Doctor, Mental Health, Pelvic Health Physical Therapy, Osteopathy/Craniosacral Therapy, Massage Therapy, Birth & Postpartum Doulas,

Chiro, Acupuncture, Massage

1. Dr. For Moms: Offering chiropractic, acupuncture, massage, as well as additional services. Childcare is FREE while you attend your appointment - it's not uncommon to walk in and see the front desk staff carrying babies, plus they have a full play area that is in plain view of all the treatment rooms for toddlers or older children.

2. Holistic Institute of Health & Fertility: HIHF offers acupuncture, massage (with all the great pregnancy shaped pillows you need), yoga services, and chiropractic.

Counselling Services

Pregnancy and postpartum depression or anxiety are nothing to be ashamed of and the sooner you reach out for the help the faster you can get on the path to feeling better. Saying that, it is HARD to ask for help. By seeking help you are showing immense strength and bravery. You don’t have to weather this alone.

Depression and anxiety can also affect your partner, and becoming parents for the first or fifth time adds a whole new layer to your relationship as a couple - seeking couples therapy can be immensely helpful when navigating new seasons.

Below are some resources whether you’re looking for yourself as mom, for your partner, or to go together as a couple. In addition to seeking counselling discuss your concerns with your family doctor as well.

1. Birth Narratives: Shannon Kane specializes in mental health including PTSD, parenting support, depression, anxiety, birth trauma, and prenatal and postpartum depression and anxiety. Offers individual sessions for mom, or for mom & her partner.

2. Kindred: Erin Hinton specializes in relationship counselling with services for expecting parents, moms, dads, and couples.

3. The Essence of You: Jen Reddish specializes in body image, pre-natal, postpartum, and motherhood. Offers individual therapy, group therapy, and workshops.

4. Riley Park Maternity Clinic: I believe you need to be a patient and planning to deliver at the Foothills Hospital to attend this clinic, (please correct me if I’m wrong!) but it comes highly recommended by a mom of three who saw the therapist on staff after the birth of her third child. It was then that she learned she had suffered PPD with all three of her children, but never found the resources until her after her third child.

Crisis Childcare: Children’s Cottage Society

“When families are in crisis and parents have nowhere to turn, the Children's Cottage Crisis Nursery, offers a 24/7, 365 day safe haven where children can take a break from stressful situations, and are given nurturing care while their parents receive the help they need.”

“The Crisis Nursery provides 72 hours of loving care to children under age 8 while their parents resolve their issues. Confidential, supportive, non-judgmental.” - Children’s Cottage Society

If you are a parent of a child under 8 years of age, call the Crisis Nursery at 403-233-2273.

Meditation Apps

I found myself on the hunt for meditation apps in particular to ease my pregnancy induced insomnia, and these are the two apps I used. There are many benefits to meditation aside from just sleep, particularly during pregnancy and beyond into motherhood - so dig around the apps and see what resonates with your day.

1. Headspace: Headspace has a HUGE library of meditation topics, and within the "Health" category the ones I found particularly useful were: Pregnancy, Sleep, and Anxiety (pretty much sums it up right there!).

2. Expectful: Expecful is a much smaller library, but covers all the mom & mom-to-be bases with three topics: Preparing to Conceive, Pregnancy, and Motherhood. I listened to this one A LOT during my almost full week of being overdue.

Manual Therapy & Physiotherapy

Between pregnancy, postpartum, and just being human, these two individuals have put me back together multiple times, and I highly recommend them both.

1. Gina Perrault, Restorative Sports Therapy: Physiotherapist

2. David Swagar, Most Physical Preparation: Manual Therapist

Pelvic Health Physiotherapists

Please note this is not a complete list of Pelvic Health Physiotherapists. This list ONLY represents PTs whom myself or clients have personally seen and recommend. If you visit someone not on this list and they are someone you’d recommend to other women, please email me here so I can add to them to the list. The more resources the better:)

Pediatric Sleep Consultant

One of the greatest gifts you can receive as a new family is the gift of sleep. When our daughter was old enough, and big enough (4 months and 13lbs) we worked with a sleep coach. The changes within a week of working with her were life changing, and I firmly believe she set us up for great sleep habits for life from that point forward. Bumps in the road came - learning to roll over, teething, sickness - but the habits and foundation we formed brought us back to proper sleeping once those things pass. We worked with the same coach when my son was born, somehow he was an even worse sleeper than his sister. And again, sleep coaching saved me, and granted me eventual sleep again.

Reach out to Samantha Snoddon, Bonne Nuit Sleep Consulting, for a free consultation.