From swaddling to solid foods: Manitoba launches website to help parents find ‘trusted answers’

A new online resource for new and expecting parents has been launched in Manitoba.

Manitoba has launched a new website to help families navigate parenting from pregnancy and beyond.

“We know there is no manual for parenting, but today we are launching a resource that will make finding trusted answers just a little bit easier for Manitoba families,” said Manitoba Health Minister Uzoma Asagwara, announcing the new ‘Parenting in Manitoba’ website on Wednesday.

They said the website has more than 120 articles, reviewed by experts, with reliable practical information for parents from pregnancy right through the first five years of a child’s life.

“Parents can find guidance on everything from safe sleep (and) swaddling to starting solid foods and knowing when it’s time to see a doctor,” Asagwara said, noting the articles can be translated into more than 200 languages.

The site comes in response to a report released last year by the Manitoba Advocate for Children and Youth. It focused on sleep-related infant deaths, following up on an earlier report in 2020.

Among its recommendations, the report called for the government to create and publicly disseminate a centralized and accessible resource guide on safe sleep surfaces and provide public education messaging related to sleep-related infant death risks.

Those topics are among several highlighted in the new website.

Asagwara said the site was created by Manitoba’s population and public health services branch with leadership from medical officers of health, public health nurses and early childhood experts.

The new website came with a $23,344 price tag, which the province said covered web design, training for ongoing site support and maintenance, and final web modifications.

The new website can be viewed online.