Resources for New Parents

Free Online Books

Coping with Depression During Pregnancy and Following the Birth: A Cognitive-Behaviour Therapy Based Self-Management Guide for Women - Michelle Haring et al. (2011).
www.tinyurl.com/latwpde
A free, downloadable CBT-based self-help workbook for women who are experiencing depression during pregnancy or the postpartum. Provides information about depression and teaches effective coping skills. Also includes tips on talking with your healthcare professional about your symptoms and information for friends and family.

Coping with Anxiety During Pregnancy and Following the Birth: A Cognitive-Behaviour Therapy Based Self-Management Guide for Women and Health Care Providers - Michelle Haring et al. (2013).
www.tinyurl.com/mebnchd
A free, downloadable CBT-based self-help workbook for women who are experiencing anxiety during pregnancy or the postpartum. Provides information about different types of anxiety and teaches effective coping skills. Also includes tips on talking with your healthcare professional about your symptoms and information for friends and family.

The Pregnancy and Postpartum Anxiety Workbook: Practical Skills to Help You Overcome Anxiety, Worry, Panic Attacks, Obsessions and Compulsions- Kevin Gyoerkoe & Pamela Wiegartz (2009).

Websites

AnxietyCanada Online Resources
For Moms To Be
http://anxietycanada.com/general/moms-to-be
For New Moms
http://anxietycanada.com/general/new-moms
An excellent website with information about anxiety in general as well as detailed descriptions of self-management techniques. The website includes a specific section for parents including personal stories of women with perinatal anxiety as well as some specific information about the types of anxiety most commonly experienced during pregnancy and the postpartum. Also includes information for friends and family.

Reproductive Mental Health Program, BC Womens’ Hospital
https://reproductivementalhealth.ca/
The BC Reproductive Mental Health Program is the specialty mental health program for the entire province. The program provides and information and support for women through many stages of the reproductive life cycle, from pre-conception planning for women with a prior history of mental health difficulties, through pregnancy and the postpartum. This program also offers support related to infertility, pregnancy loss, and premenstrual dysmorphic disorder. This excellent website includes information about program services as well as information and fact sheets on topics like the “baby blues”, and postpartum depression and anxiety, postpartum psychosis, post-traumatic stress disorder, and treatment options during pregnancy and the postpartum. It provides information about different types of anxiety problems often experienced during pregnancy and the postpartum, including panic attacks, obsessions and compulsions and excessive worry. The website also provides links to the Coping with Depression and Coping with Anxiety self-help guides mentioned above. Women who are interested in accessing assessment and treatment services through the program require a physician referral. All services are offered through their locations at BC Womens Hospital in Vancouver. After assessment, treatment options are discussed, including, if desired and appropriate, advice and support around use of medication during pregnancy and lactation. Some limited counselling services are also provided, including individual and group therapy provided by counsellors and social workers. Some couples counselling may also be available. Women referred to the clinic followed by program staff for up to one year following the birth of the baby.

Postpartum Support International
www.postpartum.net
A good website for expecting and new mothers with information about depression and different types of anxiety. The “Get The Facts” and “Friends & Family” sections include very helpful information, other online resources, and some videos. Please see the Pacific Postpartum Support Society below for local resources.

Pacific Postpartum Support Society
www.postpartum.org
This organization provides a variety of services to new mothers, including telephone support by trained “coaches” to help you to develop better self-care CBT skills, weekly women’s support groups, and community-based mother and baby talks. They also offer partner education sessions and telephone support. The website provides some basic information about the experience of postpartum depression and anxiety, brief descriptions of coping skills, written resources and links to other helpful websites.

Canadian Psychological Association Fact Sheet on Perinatal Anxiety
https://www.cpa.ca/docs/File/Publications/FactSheets/PsychologyWorksFactSheet_
PerinatalAnxiety.pdf

Center for Perinatal Excellence
www.cope.org.au
A great website based in Australia that includes a wealth of information about emotional wellness in pregnancy and the postpartum, including content on topics such as anxiety and mood problems in pregnancy and the postpartum. It also includes information on other topics such as managing expectations in pregnancy, dealing with body image issues, getting enough sleep, coping with an unsettled baby, bonding with your baby, managing other people’s advice and more. Also includes information for friends and family.

The Period of Purple Crying
www.purplecrying.info
This website provides information about the period of “purple crying” – the period from about 2 weeks to 3-4 months of age when the baby may cry for an extended period of time and be difficult to soothe. Information about the period of “purple crying” is usually provided to moms in BC as part of their postpartum information package.

Healthy Families BC Website – New Parents Section
https://www.healthyfamiliesbc.ca/home/articles/topic/new-parents
This website contains a wealth of information for new parents, including written information as well as videos.

Baby’s Best Chance: Parents Handbook of Pregnancy and Baby Care
https://www.health.gov.bc.ca/library/publications/year/2017/BabysBestChance-Sept2017.pdf
This document provides information about topics such as breastfeeding, baby care, baby safety and baby development. Some of the information from this handbook is available on Healthy Families BC website.

BounceBack
www.bouncebackbc.ca
This program, offered through the Canadian Mental Health Association – BC Division offers free CBT-based supported self-help for people with mild to moderate low mood and/or anxiety. Participants are generally referred by their family physicians and receive a few sessions (4-6) of telephone coaching as they work through a variety of workbooks provided via mail or accessed online. Workbooks cover topics like Doing Things that Boost How You Feel, Changing Extreme & Unhelpful Thinking, Being Assertive, and more. Appointment times are flexible. One of the workbooks, "Enjoy Your Baby", deals with some of the challenges of new parenthood. People can also self-refer to the program and complete the program online without coaching support if that is their preference or they do not have a family physician.

At the North Shore Stress and Anxiety Clinic, we recommend high quality resources for our clients and families that are based on the best, up-to-date, scientific research available.