Support During Pregnancy

Are you pregnant? Are you about to become a parent?

This is an important, exciting time in your life. It can also be a stressful time for many expectant parents. You’re not alone. There are supports to help you and your baby stay well.

If you have trouble meeting some basic needs, being pregnant can be especially difficult. Here are some examples of unmet needs you may have:

• a safe place to live
• access to healthy food
• help leaving an unhealthy relationship
• access to prenatal care
• counselling for mental health or addictions
• transportation to medical appointments

There are government and community supports focused on meeting these and other unmet needs you may have during your pregnancy.

Note: While many of the programs and services focus on providing help for women during pregnancy, there are supports available for both expectant and new parents. Click here to see more information for new parents.

Where to go for help

If you’re pregnant and you’re not sure where to turn or how to find out how to get help, these are the main channels for information and support:

1. The Department of Social Development: Click here to visit the website or call 1-833-733-7835 and speak with a screener about some of your financial and/or basic needs such as housing or food.
   • Do you need help reviewing your options? 
   • Social Development’s Expectant Parent and Birth Parent Services Program provides counselling with social workers about your options when you’re pregnant or have just had a baby. Explain that you are pregnant or have just had a baby and need help. 
   • Expectant Parent and Birth Parent Services can provide information about options related to pregnancy, support those considering adoption and/or are experiencing intimate partner or domestic violence, prenatal substance abuse, prenatal drug exposure, lack of external supports, lack of preparation, denial of pregnancy or the prior death of their child due to neglect or abuse.  
   • Engagement with the Expectant Parent is initiated and supported to help plan for a safe pregnancy and birth. 
2. Public Health New Brunswick: The Healthy Families, Healthy Babies Program provides prenatal and postnatal home visits with a nurse and a dietitian, and milk vouchers and prenatal vitamins. To see if you qualify, call your local Public Health Office. Click here for Horizon Health offices and here for Vitalité.
3. First Nations Health Centres: If you live in an Indigenous community, click here to find a health centre near you.
4. Department of Health: Click here to get information on topics such as pregnancy, infant feeding and COVID-19. See more below under “Help staying healthy.”
5. Family Resource Centres: Click here for the New Brunswick Association of Family Resource Centres and a list of all of the centres in the province and how to contact each. They offer free programs, including prenatal nutrition classes, support groups and other family-related services.
6. 211: Call this free, 24-hour hotline to find out how to access community, government and social supports in your area. Click here to visit the 211 website, enter your city and add a term in the search bar such as pregnancy.
7. Social Supports NB: Click here to learn about government and community programs and services.

A closer look at the programs, services and information to help you:

1. Help with staying healthy:

• Healthy Families, Healthy Babies Program: Prenatal and postnatal home visits with a public health nurse and a dietitian to help ensure you stay healthy. Provides milk vouchers and prenatal vitamins. To see if you qualify, call your local Public Health Office. Click here for Horizon Health offices and here for Vitalité.
• Prenatal Breastfeeding Class and other resources about feeding your baby: Click here for details about the class and click here for a list of breastfeeding resources in your area. Click here for a breastfeeding group on Facebook. Go here for a directory of breastfeeding-friendly places. Click here for info on breastfeeding and click here for details about feeding your baby with formula.
• Department of Health resources: Click here for information about having a healthy pregnancy.
• A New Life Manual: Click here to access and here to do an online course.
• Covid-19 vaccines, pregnancy breastfeeding: Click here.
• Government of Canada: Click here for general health tips for a healthy pregnancy.
• Pregnancy and alcohol: Click here for information.
• Sexual Health Clinics: Click here for details and here for a clinic list.
• First Nations health: Click here for more detail about services from Horizon Health and here from Vitalité.

2. Help with your finances:

• Prenatal Benefit Program: This financial aid helps pay for the added cost of food during pregnancy. It’s available for up to six months after the fourth month of pregnancy and the amount you receive is determined based on your income. To qualify, you must be: a resident of New Brunswick, show proof of pregnancy and have an net family income of less than $29,000 a year. If you receive this benefit, you can automatically continue getting financial assistance for food once your baby is born through the Postnatal Benefit Program. Click here for more information.
• Social Assistance Program: This financial support is for people who cannot afford basic living costs such as food, clothing, shelter, and other necessities. It can also help you access programs to transition to employment.

Note: To apply for either the Prenatal Benefit Program or Social Assistance, call the Department of Social Development at 1-833-733-7835. Click here to begin the application process online for Social Assistance.

• Health Card: A health card may be issued to low-income individuals who are not eligible for Social Assistance but have high medical costs and no private health plan. Click here for more details and scroll down to the section called “Health Card Only.”

3. Help with housing:

There are options available to help you, including housing programs for people on a low-income, homeless shelters, women’s shelters and home-like facilities for pregnant women.

• Call the 211 hotline or click here to visit the website and enter your city and click on the icon that describes your need such as housing, homelessness or another area of life with which you need help.
• Social Supports NB: Click here to find information on housing programs.

4. Help with transportation:

There are services available to help you get to appointments, buy groceries and other essentials.

• New Brunswick Community Transportation Service: This provincial network of non-profit organizations offers affordable, accessible transportation through volunteer drivers. For a list of local service providers, click here.
• Call the 211 hotline or click here to visit its website and enter your city and click on the icon for transportation.

5. Help with accessing food:

If you find you are stressed about putting food on the table, there are options.

• 211: Call the 211 hotline or click here to visit the website to find out about how to get food through food banks and other organizations.
• New Brunswick Food Depot Alimentaire: Click here to find a map and list of towns and cities with food banks across the province through the New Brunswick Association of Food Banks. Find your municipality to learn what food resources are available near you.
• Community Inclusion Networks: Click here to find a map of New Brunswick and then click on your region to find contact information for your area. These networks can provide information about food security.

6. Help with unhealthy relationships:

If you’re being abused, there are supports and services available. If you are in immediate danger, call 911.

• Transition houses, domestic violence outreach workers, second stage housing or crisis lines: Click here for a detailed list.
• Staying Safer (EVO) app: Click here for details on this free app that connects women in New Brunswick with services and other information about safety planning when they are leaving an unhealthy relationship or living in a violent one.
• Supports in Indigenous communities: Click here for a directory of services available to people who have experienced abuse.
• Click here for more information about how to leave an abusive relationship and where to get help with places to live and other needs.

7. Help with addictions and staying mentally well:

• Mental Health and Addiction Services: Contact your primary health provider or your local Addiction and Mental Health Services office. For the office in your region, click here and scroll down to find the map.
• 211: Call the 211 hotline or click here to visit its website. Enter your city and click on the icon for “Mental health and addictions” to find government and community based services.
• Bridge the gapp: This online resource puts guidance and support for mental health at your fingertips. Click here for more information.
• The Hope for Wellness Helpline: This 24-hour crisis line and online service offers counselling and crisis intervention to all Indigenous people across Canada at 1-855-242-3310. For more detail, click here.

Adoption

Adoption is an option for expectant parents. If you would like more information and/or have questions about the process to determine if this is right for you, call the Department of Social Development at 1-833-733-7835. Let the screener know you are pregnant and would like to talk to a social worker about your options. A social worker will contact you and schedule an appointment. They will provide unbiased counselling about best options for you during your pregnancy, including adoption. This pre-decision counselling covers discussion and support around five different areas, including:

1. medical options,
2. parenting your own child,
3. the other birth parent parenting your child,
4. developing a short-term care plan for your child, and
5. adoption.

Note: If you decide to terminate the pregnancy, you are referred to a Sexual Health Centre.