WINNIPEG, MB: January 31, 2023 – During one of the coldest, most difficult times of year, Women’s Health Clinic (WHC) Family Programs are seeing that our community is still struggling. People have increased need for food supports and are experiencing more anxiety or isolation due to inflation, loss of income, and loss of community programming and connection. Becoming a parent is a big shift in anybody’s life, but doing it during a pandemic has a completely different set of challenges. Connecting to community groups helps break isolation, build confidence, make friends, share knowledge and find other supports. Families are finding their way back to group programming with the lifting of restrictions and return to “normalcy”, but there are many families who haven’t had a chance to connect.
“Finding connection and support for the difficult experiences in pregnancy and parenting can make us all feel more confident and less alone in facing challenges.” Says Erin Bockstael, Manager of Family and Community programs at Women’s Health Clinic.
WHC offers free family and community programming at Ode’imin, formerly called the Birth Centre, as well as six different family sites across Winnipeg.
Families Connecting groups help pregnant people and new parents meet with other parents, families, and health professionals. Healthy snack, coupons for free milk, bus tokens, and childcare for older children are also available.
Coping With Change is a group where new parents can talk openly and honestly about the wide range of feelings one experiences after a baby joins their lives, and to learn that they are not alone.
Nobody’s Perfect is a group to support parents of children from birth to five. We invite you to meet other parents and share your experiences. Together with a trained group leader, participants will learn from one another and discover ways of positive parenting.
The Dragonfly Support Program supports people through the experience of pregnancy loss, infant loss, and babies born into the spirit world, providing counselling and resources for individuals and families affected. We are currently open for counselling individual and couple/family intake. We welcome formal and self-referrals. Drop-in group sessions occur on the first Saturday of each month.
Families and parents can find out more about any of these programs from our website, or by contacting mothersprogram@womenshealthclinic.org or calling 204-947-2422 ext 113.
