Parenting resource is a real one-stop shop

This resource is for every stage of parenting, says Helen O’Callaghan.

A one-stop shop with reliable information they can trust and understand —– this is what came back when the HSE surveyed 4,000 parents ahead of creating a website and book-based resource for mums and dads at different stages of early parenthood.

The HSE launched mychild.ie last month — it comprises a new pregnancy, baby and toddler website, as well as books: My Pregnancy, My Child: 0 to 2 Years and My Child: 2 to 5 Years.

“Parents and parents-to-be get lots of asked-for and unasked-for advice from a range of sources.

"Many parents access information on their phones, so a website was important, but they also wanted a book they could pick up, flick through and put down,” says Karen Heavey, Midlands coordinator of Triple P Positive Parenting Programme with HSE Health Promotion.

Parents who participated in the research during development of mychild.ie represented different stages of parenthood (first-time pregnant, second child) and came from a variety of locations country-wide.

Their situations also varied and included parents transitioning from homelessness, asylum seekers, teenage and young parents, as well as those from the Traveller community.

“Those who were pregnant wanted to know how to support a healthy pregnancy, how to give their baby the best start and what they needed to avoid eating or doing,” says Heavey.

For parents of the zero to twos, sleep was a pressing topic, as were food, weaning and behaviour.

Child safety came up — how could parents make a home play-safe. Parents also wanted to know what support services are available.

Play and bonding came up, along with health advice like immunisation and illness.

“It’s very day-to-day with the 0-2s. It could be tantrums, fruit and veg questions or naps and how to phase them out,” says Heavey, adding that there’s lots in the 0-2 book about parents’ self-care, parental guilt and knowing you’re doing the best job for your family.

As the child grows, parents hopefully adjust to feeding/sleep routines, says Heavey.

“They commonly ask about behaviour, speech and language, or it could be a new sibling — what happens when a new baby joins the family.”

The free resources are full of expert advice.

My Pregnancy will be given to parents during ante-natal visits, while PHNs will give out the other two books.