Hamilton-Based Resources
Learning About Pregnancy, Birth, and Postpartum
Pregnancyinfo.ca: An evidence-based website with credible and up-to-date information about topics related to pregnancy and childbirth. It is updated by the Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada, Canada’s leading authority on sexual and reproductive health.
Provincial Council for Maternal and Child Health (PCMCH): Has resources to support patients, families and healthcare providers during the COVID-19 pandemic including webinars on a range of COVID-19-related subjects and tools that will support decision-making around vaccination for pregnant or lactating individuals, as well as children and youth with complex care needs. They also have resources and guidelines for reproductive and newborn health.
Online Prenatal Program: This program is free to Hamilton residents. It can be done at your own pace, using a computer or mobile device. The interactive program covers pregnancy, birth, breastfeeding, and newborn care and includes videos, activities, audio, and closed captioning options.
Housing Supports
The Hub: Provides individuals with access to harm reduction supplies, clothing and hygiene supplies, food supports, housing supports, and more. The Hub is open everyday from 5-9PM.
Emma’s Place: Provides women and non-binary people with access to overnight beds everyday from 9PM-9AM, including access to harm reduction supplies, snacks and beverages, and more.
Willow’s Place: Provides women who are experiencing homelessness with access to food supports, laundry and shower facilities, a safe place to rest, opportunities to engage in social activities, and more.
Mental Health and Justice Program: Provides housing support services to individuals ages 16+ who have serious mental health issues, are residing within Hamilton, and are involved in the criminal justice system.
YWCA's Women's Housing Services: Offers multiple resources for women who are experiencing homelessness, are in need of temporary housing, and/or are escaping domestic violence.
Food Supports
List of Hamilton-Based Food Banks and Community Food Programs: This is a list of services that offer free or low-cost food to individuals and families in need on an on-going, seasonal, and emergency basis.
Emergency Infant and Toddler Food Bank: Provides families in need with an emergency supply of infant formula, baby food, and diapers.
Stacey’s Place Food Bank: Provides vulnerable youth ages 13-29 years old with food supports, clothing, baby and hygiene products, and more.
Mental Health Supports
McMaster’s COVID-19 Uncertainty, Anxiety and Stress Tool: This tool focuses on providing mental health resources, information, and advice on how to deal with the stress of living in a pandemic.
Anxiety Canada: This is a non-profit organisation that helps raise awareness and provides science-based resources and treatment for anxiety. Their tools include group therapy sessions, online courses, podcasts, anxiety apps, and videos.
The Wellness Society’s Coronavirus Anxiety Workbook: This is a free workbook that has fillable worksheets and practice tools for anxiety surrounding the pandemic.
BounceBack: This is a tool that helps individuals ages 15 years and older manage low mood, mild to moderate depression, anxiety, stress, and worry. You will also get access to tools that will support you on your path to mental wellness.
MindBeacon: Offers free therapist guided cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT) to Ontario residents coping with stress, anxiety, depression, and more. Its personalised programs are set up by an individual therapist for your specific needs.
Crisis Outreach and Support Team (COAST): Offers help to those experiencing a mental health and/or addiction crisis. Services include support workers, a 24-hour crisis hotline, a Mobile Crisis Rapid Response Team, and a nurse practitioner.
Connect Mental Health and Addiction Outpatient Programs: This is an online connection service for psychiatric referrals to 17 different outpatient mental health and addiction programs associated with St. Joseph’s Healthcare Hamilton.
Hamilton Postpartum - Peer Support Group: This is a peer support group run by registered midwives that provides individuals struggling with symptoms of perinatal mood disorders with a safe, non-judgemental atmosphere.
Family Resources During COVID-19: This list provides resources for youth, families, and caregivers to help support them and their mental health throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.
Domestic Violence Supports
List of Hamilton-Based Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Supports: This list provides contact information for a variety of Hamilton services and support programs for victims and survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault.
The VEGA (Violence, Evidence, Guidance, and Action) Project: Provides evidence-based support and services to recognize and respond to family violence specifically related to child maltreatment, intimate partner violence, and children’s exposure to intimate partner violence.
Supports for Newcomers and Refugees
Refuge: Hamilton Centre for Newcomer Health (HCNH): Provides newcomers and refugees with primary care, speciality services, and mental health supports, including pre- and post-natal care, well-baby care, maternal health services, and more.
YWCA Hamilton’s Join Program: This is an immigration and settlement program designed specifically for women, youth and 2SLGBTQ+ newcomers. Resources include everything from employment counselling and job search support to accessing child care and safe spaces.
Supports for Indigenous Peoples
Indigenous Call Centre: Connects Indigenous residents in Hamilton to food supports, housing supports, legal supports, mental health supports, emergency benefits, and more.
Niwasa EarlyON Child and Family Centre: Provides children and families with access to resources, programs, and qualified professionals, including a public health nurse who can provide information and support on pregnancy, breastfeeding, family health, and more.
Native Women’s Centre Emergency Outreach Program: Provides emergency food, clothing, and household supplies to Indigenous individuals living in the Hamilton area who are experiencing homelessness or are at risk of homelessness.
Supports for Pregnant Individuals
The MotHERS Program: This is a list of resources in the Hamilton region for individuals who are currently pregnant or planning on having a baby. Services include midwife contacts, prenatal classes, nutrition programs, postpartum care, and more.
The Canadian Perinatal Mental Health Collaborative (CPMHC): Provides a platform for current news, services, and information for pregnant women. Resources include mental health support services, virtual therapy, postpartum support services, and more.
Welcome Baby Prenatal Nutrition Program: Offers weekly free groups where you can talk to a Registered Dietitian and Registered Nurse about pregnancy, labour and birth, managing stress, eating well, cooking healthy food, breastfeeding, and community supports. Join the program while you’re pregnant, and access grocery gift cards, bus tickets, and gift cards for prenatal vitamins
Birth Mark: Connects pregnant people and parents with doulas that can provide them with one-on-one prenatal, birth, and postpartum support.
Healthy Babies, Healthy Children Home Visiting Program: Provides home visits by Public Health Nurses and home visitors. They visit pregnant individuals and parents with children from birth until school entry.
Health Connections: Talk to a Public Health Nurse or Public Health Dietitian about pregnancy, birth, breastfeeding, nutrition, perinatal mental health, parenting, and safety. Call 905-546-3550, 8:30 am – 4:30 pm, Monday-Friday. Translation available over the phone. Follow Healthy Families Hamilton on Facebook to learn more.
Supports for Young Pregnant Individuals
Young Parent Resource Tool: A list of Hamilton-based resources targeted towards young parents.
Regina’s Place: Provides support and 15 furnished transitional housing apartments with on-site programming and support staff to young mothers. Also offers supportive programs to those in transitional housing.
Young Parent Program: Provides compassionate care for pregnant and parenting youth and their children through a range of youth-friendly services and supports in a welcoming and safe environment.
Grace Haven: Community-based supports for pregnant adolescents/women and young (under 21) single parents. Includes prenatal education, postnatal education, nutritional education, counselling and support, parental relief, on-site high school classes, and more.
Nurse Family Partnership Home Visiting Program: This program has Public Health Nurses visit low-income individuals in their homes during their first pregnancy and for the first two years of their children’s lives.
Pregnancy Loss Supports
Pregnancy After Loss Support (PALS): Community support resource for women experiencing pregnancy after loss. PALS seeks to help expectant mothers celebrate their current pregnancy while still nurturing and honouring the grief over the loss of their deceased child.
Pregnancy and Infant Loss Network: Offers a variety of free peer-support services to parents and family members who have been affected by pregnancy or infant loss. Their support services are offered over the phone and online, and are available to residents of Ontario.
Breastfeeding Supports
Hamilton Public Health Breastfeeding Services & Supports: Breastfeeding may not always be easy. If you have questions about breastfeeding, or need help with breastfeeding, check this list of supports.
La Leche League: A registered charity that provides mother-to-mother/parent-to-parent/peer support for pregnant women, new parents, and beyond. They are parents who have breastfed or chestfed their own children and now volunteer to support others.
Need Help Finding a Doctor?
Hamilton Doctors: This is a list of contacts for physicians in the Hamilton, Ancaster, Burlington, and Dundas regions for those who do not have a family doctor or cannot access them easily.
Primary Health Care Clinic: Provides primary care, mental health support, and addictions support to individuals who are 16 years of age or older, don’t have a family doctor, and are experiencing homelessness.
Additional Resources
Community Resources for the City of Hamilton: This list provides contact information for various community resources in Hamilton, including housing supports, mental health supports, children and youth supports, and more.