Newborn care hotline expands across Alberta as demand grows
Primary Care Alberta, the province’s new agency for family medicine that spun off from Alberta Health Services, is expanding a popular support line for new parents. The province-wide launch follows its successful pilot in Edmonton and Calgary.
The New Parent and Newborn Line is now available 24 hours a day, seven days a week across Alberta. By calling 1-833-805-BABY, parents and caregivers can speak directly with registered nurses who specialize in postpartum and newborn care.
“There is now a single, easy-to-access phone number for new parents across the province to get expert advice on newborn care,” said Health Minister Adriana LaGrange. “It makes it simpler to find the support they need during those critical early days.”
Nurses on the line provide guidance on a range of topics, including baby care, breastfeeding, and the health of both mother and child. The line is intended to support parents during the baby’s first two months, a time when many are navigating unfamiliar and stressful challenges and questions.
Patricia Chambers, executive lead of Patient Navigation and System Integration with Primary Care Alberta, says the line offers more than just information. “Health Link 811 nurses offer that advice with compassion, as they know what it’s like to have a new baby at home,” she said.
The expanded service builds on existing programs like Calgary’s Early Start Parent Information Line and Edmonton’s Healthy Beginnings, which together received about 2,000 calls per month. With the new line in place, access to support is now standardized for families across Alberta.
“Offering virtual health services empowers Albertans to seek out their own appropriate care options without having to go to the emergency department or their primary care provider,” said Kimberley Simmonds, CEO of Primary Care Alberta. “Our goal is to ensure that Albertans have access to the right care, at the right place, at the right time.”
Parents who forget the hotline number can also call Health Link at 811 to be connected.
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