Pregnancy is an exciting, but busy time.

Between the reading list of pregnancy books and the seemingly endless parenting blogs, sifting through information to find what鈥檚 right for you can be challenging and time consuming.

Interior Health wants to make getting information during your pregnancy a little bit easier with the launch of SmartMom. SmartMom is a free interactive prenatal education program delivered right to your phone via text messages. The program is tailored, providing information timed to your stage of pregnancy to ensure you get the right information at the right time.

鈥淥nly 32 per cent of women in Canada attend prenatal education classes, and we know that number decreases further for those in rural and remote communities,鈥� said Nancy Delgado, Interior Health鈥檚 SmartMom project manager. 鈥淏y offering SmartMom, we鈥檙e now able to offer consistent, evidence-based prenatal education to moms-to-be across the Interior Health region.鈥�

Text messages are intended for women having uncomplicated pregnancies. SmartMom is intended to complement prenatal advice and information provided by caregivers, not to replace it.

Moms-to-be receive text messages up to three times per week, with the option to choose the time and days that work best.

Messages will guide moms-to-be through their pregnancy and include topics to discuss with their caregivers, information and resources on how to have a healthy pregnancy, how the baby is developing, and tips on how to manage labour and delivery.

Information can also be customized to include resources about personal health concerns such as smoking cessation, reducing alcohol intake, and healthy eating and weight management.

SmartMom was developed in partnership with UBC-affiliated researchers (Optimal Birth BC), the B.C. Ministry of Health, Northern Health, First Nations Health Authority, and in consultation with pregnant women, new mothers, clinicians, and public health practitioners.

All information is current and has been developed from published peer-reviewed research, and is endorsed by The Society of Obstetricians and Gynecologists of Canada (SOGC).

Moms to be may enrol with SmartMom online or via text message.

Text message:

路 Text 鈥淚nterior鈥� to 12323

路 Reply 鈥淵es鈥� to enrol

路 View the terms of consent or call the toll-free number. Reply 鈥淎ccept鈥�

路 Enter gestational age

SmartMom Canada website:

路 Go to smartmomcanada.ca

路 Click 鈥淓nrol Now鈥� in the top right of the homepage

路 Create your profile

For more information, go to www.interiorhealth.ca, follow on Twitter @Interior_Health, or like IH on Facebook at www.facebook.com/InteriorHealth.

barb.brouwer@saobserver.net
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