Parenting

Supporting Your Family

Becoming a parent is a joyous but challenging identity to transition into. Here at The WOMB we want to support parents and caregivers to step into their new roles and family dynamics with confidence and a greater sense of self-worth. The WOMB offers classes, services and programs to help provide Community, Education, Support and Wellness for our growing families. The WOMB provides support for all families, and family membrs; from those who have just welcomed their first new addition, to those who are changing roles within established units, as well as individualized care for all. The WOMB takes a holistic approach to all members of the family and has offerings that tend to physical, mental, psychological, and emotional well-being. Explore educational classes and workshops, fitness and yoga classes, parenting groups and events as well as physical therapy for moms and their little ones. Our goal is to empower families, parents and children to trust themselves and to have access to care and kindness when needed.

Parenting Oriented Classes and Care

Breastfeeding & Infant Feeding

The WOMB’s lactation and infant feeding specialists can also support you virtually and/or in home or hospital room. They can assist you with establishing breastfeeding (or chest feeding) within the first few hours of your baby or babies’ life, assist you with the transition to alternative feeding methods (such as bottle feeding) and/or troubleshoot any feeding challenges that you may be experiencing. Phone, email and text support are included.

The WOMB can help with:

  • Prevention of common breastfeeding challenges
  • Induced Lactation support: Same-Sex Couples, Adopting Parents, and Surrogacy 
  • Introducing Solid Foods with Breastfeeding
  • Candida challenges
  • Infant Weight loss
  • “Fussy” babies/Frequent feeders
  • Nipple/breast pain
  • Maternal hormone disorders
  • Colic/reflux/gassiness
  • Caesarian birth: delays in milk production
  • Supplementation methods
  • Weaning
  • Transition to bottle feeding and other infant feeding challenges

Chiropractors are experts in reducing nervous system interference by keeping the spine properly aligned, and allowing clear messages to travel to and from the brain and throughout the body. 

The WOMB provides chiropractic care for families at all ages and stages.

In infants, the nervous system controls growth and development which is the optimal time to take care of it. When adjusting your newborn, your chiropractor will only use pressure equal to that which you would be comfortable using while pressing on your eye. The child is adjusted by hand and/or an adjustive device while either lying on a pillow or on you! It is simple, safe and effective – and is often done while sleeping – it is that gentle!

Some children’s conditions that improve through chiropractic care include:

  • Constipation
  • Ear infections
  • Colic
  • Asthma
  • Allergies
  • Headaches
  • Bed wetting

Child Minding

Here at The WOMB we want all our parents to be able to manage physical, mental and emotional self care without stress and anxiety. Child Minding is a service offered to parents who are booked for classes and sessions where we play with your littles so that you can take some much needed time for yourself. 

Book your Child Minding session with one of our Care Team Members when you book your session online.

Counselling and Coaching

The WOMB provides psychotherapy and counselling services combining various strategies and interventions that can assist you in understanding and overcoming challenges you may face in your mental wellness and as you transition into different stages of your life. Counselling can help with:

  • Birth trauma
  • Relationship stress
  • Parenting challenges
  • Separation / Divorce
  • Overwhelm and chaos
  • Couples therapy
  • Interrupting unhealthy patterns
  • Body image issues
  • Panic and anxiety attacks
  • Social anxiety and awkwardness

The WOMB understands that bringing a new baby into the family can be challenging no matter how much you have planned, anticipated or love your child. If these feelings of “baby blues” intensify or don’t go away after a few weeks you may be experiencing a Perinatal Mood or Anxiety Disorder. PMAD can interfere with your ability to take care of your child and yourself so getting the support and counselling from a therapist experienced in PMADs right away is important in returning to a healthier you and a more positive parenting experience.

Fitness and Yoga

Prioritizing your physical health can empower parents to be the best versions of themselves. Whether you are looking to acheive your fitness goals, get your heart rate up or just do something fun wih your little one in tow – The WOMB has something to explore!

Most WOMB Fitness Classes include baby, or have child minding services available during the class. Click on any of the classes marked in red and a video describing the class will open

FREE Workshops & Community Groups

The WOMB offers many FREE workshops to provide a space for families to come to connect over different themes relavent to them and their stage of life. The WOMB is currently offering the following workshops geared towards parents and families:

  • Baby & Me Connection Cafe
  • Breastfeeding/Infant Feeding Cafe
  • Nurturing Family Sleep
  • Infant and Pregnancy Loss Healing Circle

Osteopathy

Postpartum: Osteopathic treatments can help your body to accommodate for the transformations that your pregnant body is going through.  Osteopathy can treat low back pain, neck pain, morning sickness, heartburn, constipation, too frequent urination, sciatica, carpal tunnel syndrome and circulatory issues.

Infants: During life inside the womb and/or during the birth process, babies may experience prolonged compressed positions in the pelvis, the cord around their neck, or distress as a result of forceps, vacuum, or cesarean procedures. By gentle and thorough assessment and manual treatment, osteopathy in most cases can help alleviate those symptoms for your baby. Osteopathy can help if your baby presents with:

  • Colic, constipation, regurgitation (excessive spitting up)
  • Tongue tie, latching/feeding difficulties, mouth breathing
  • Torticollis, plagiocephaly (flat head), limited neck mobility
  • Sleeping disorders, confusing day and night sleeping
  • Ear, throat, and  nose concerns such as otitis/ ear infections

Occupational Therapy

Occupational Therapists (OTs) assess an infant or child’s development with a focus on their “occupations” such as playing, eating, sleeping and participating in child care.

The WOMB’s OTs will work with you and your child toward meeting your child’s developmental goals and milestones. As play is one of the main occupations for any child, your OT will use a fun, play-based approach to assess and interact with your child.  The OT will also coach you or another caregiver to feel confident in your ability to support your child in their own environment.

Parenting Classes

The WOMB provides many classes and workshops with the goal to educate, connect and empower parents as they journey through the beginning stages, through development and into incredible young people. 

The WOMB offers the following classes:

Click on any of the classes marked in red and a video describing the class will open

Pelvic Health Physiotherapy

The pelvic floor muscles are like any other skeletal muscle in the body and they need to be restored after childbirth – whether vaginally or by caesarean through specialization in pelvic floor rehabilitation. The WOMB’s pelvic health physiotherapists ensure that any bladder issues (“leaking with laughing”), connective tissue separation of your abdomen (“mummy tummy” or diastasis recti) and/or any lingering causes of pelvic or back pain, are all corrected for optimal physical function. 

Even though pelvic floor challenges are common, they are treatable and you should not have to live with them. Pelvic Health Physiotherapy can help you regain control, maximize function and recovery, and improve your well being. An internal examination is required to treat the pelvic floor.

Postnatal Doula Care

The role of the postnatal doula is a fluid role that adapts and changes with the changing needs of your family. Your doula will effectively coach you, the new parents to become the “experts” of your baby, while offering tools, education and support. This support is based upon your needs and desires as a family, guiding you without judgement. Our families have seen a tremendous impact and shared with us that these include…

  • Increased breastfeeding success
  • Enhanced parenting confidence
  • Improved family relationships
  • Faster healing with education in self-care after birth
  • Decreased in Postpartum Mood Anxiety Disorders
  • Increased father or partner’s confidence and involvement

Our goal is to increase your parenting confidence and provide you with the tools and skills to be on your own.

“There are no perfect parents, just perfect parenting intentions”.

Postpartum Anxiety Support Group

Although most people are familiar with the term ‘postpartum depression’, recent studies show that anxiety during the postpartum period is more common. In fact, anxiety disorders affect up to 1 in 5 pregnant and postpartum women, with rates estimated to be even greater since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Anxiety disorders not only impact postpartum women, but they can also impact infant health.
 
Cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT), is a short-term psychological treatment that focuses on shifting unhelpful thought patterns and enhancing behavioural skills in order to reduce symptoms of anxiety. CBT is considered a first-line psychological treatment for anxiety disorders because of the numerous research studies demonstrating its effectiveness.
 
There are unique advantages to offering psychotherapy in a group format, including the fact that participants can receive validation and support from other group members and feel less isolated. In-person groups (versus commonly held virtual therapy groups) have the added benefit of getting postpartum women out of the house, enhancing social connection, and increasing activity levels to further protect mood.
 
This is an 8 week closed group suitable for parents with babies 2 years and under. Adoptive parents are welcome. Young babies in arms are welcome to join. Please inquire at the front desk if childcare is needed. Payment subsidy are available upon request. Please inquire with our Care Team prior to registration.

Registered Massage Therapy

Postpartum massage can be as important and beneficial as massage during pregnancy. Unique postpartum benefits include regulating your hormones, reduced swelling, better sleep for you and your baby, and improved breastfeeding (chest feeding). More advanced therapy helps restore your body to its pre-pregnancy condition, speeds healing and assists with caesarean birth recovery through scar work.

Infants: Learn how to massage your child and provide them the benefits of touch. Research shows that infant massage has been beneficial in the following areas.

  • Gas, colic, and constipation
  • Enhanced development of the nervous system
  • Increases alertness/heightened awareness
  • Reduces stress hormones
  • Improves immune function
  • Releases oxytocin – the nurturing hormone

 

Sleep Supports, Consults & Education

The WOMB provides an alternative to traditional, separation-based sleep training methods, with a focus on strengthening your attachment, supporting the emotional well-being of both of you as parents and your children, and co-creating strategies with you that are customized to fit your family’s unique needs. The WOMB’s support is ideal for parents who would like to learn more about age-appropriate sleep behaviour and determine the WHY behind their baby’s sleep challenges. This attachment-centered approach is supportive of breastfeeding and bed-sharing families.

Begin Your Journey Today