What does the program do? 
Healthy Start for Me and My Baby promotes the health and wellbeing of pregnant women with learning difficulties, during pregnancy and childbirth.

Who is it for?
Pregnant women with learning difficulties.

Who runs the program?
Midwives and other pregnancy care workers through antenatal care facilities.

How is the program run?
An individual booklet is given to pregnant women with learning difficulties, to be utilised in consultation with their health practitioners, at home and/or in the clinic.

How long does the program take?
For the duration of the pregnancy, and a short period after childbirth.

About the program

Who developed this program?
Healthy Start for Me and My Baby has been developed by the Healthy Start Team in collaboration with an expert panel of midwives and other health practitioners. Its development has been funded by the Australian Government under the Early Childhood - Invest to Grow component of the Stronger Families and Communities Strategy.

Why was this program developed?
Healthy Start for Me and My Baby was developed to provide accessible and useful information about pregnancy, antenatal care and childbirth to pregnant women with learning difficulties. It was also developed to promote informed choice and participation in health care, and facilitate more effective consultations between pregnant women with learning difficulties and their health care providers.

What does the program cover? 
Healthy Start for Me and My Baby is an information booklet that covers the topics: Changes in you and your baby; Pregnancy care; Caring for you and your baby; Things that can make you and your baby sick; Labour and birth; Going home. The final section is an interactive record where the pregnant mother may record antenatal appointment details, record answers to questions, write down any questions they may wish to ask, and document any observed physical (or other) changes in themselves.

Does it work?
The development of Healthy Start for Me and My Baby was based on a review of current literature covering best practice principles of health promotion, information needs of pregnant women, and educational materials for people with learning difficulties. Development also involved extensive consultation with expert midwife practitioners and critical review by an expert panel (including academic, clinical and community midwives, and self advocacy).

During 2006-2007 a multi-site pilot of Healthy Start for Me and My Baby was conducted in NSW, VIC and SA. Data was collected from 27 pregnant women with learning difficulties, and their antenatal care providers. The results of the pilot indicated that both the pregnant women and their antenatal care providers found the booklet to be a unique, accessible, and useful resource.

What training is available?
No formal training is required by the practitioners that utilise and implement Healthy Start for Me and My Baby with their clients; however an introductory Guide for Practitioners is also available. Healthy Start for Me and My Baby is designed to complement existing initiatives and services, and current practice.

How can I access this program?
In 2008, two hundred reference copies of Healthy Start for Me and My Baby were distributed to maternity hospitals across Australia. 

Healthy Start for Me and My Baby is now available for purchase (cost-recovery) through the Australian Family and Disability Studies Research Collaboration.  

What materials are provided?
Parent booklets are available in packs of 5 and include user friendly information, colour photographs, and worksheets. The Guide for Practitioners is available separately.

Order forms can be downloaded here