Help expectant families learn about the Early Head Start (EHS) program, eligibility requirements, and how to apply. Explore the resources below to find answers to common questions around how to have a healthy pregnancy. Share the importance of mental health, safety, nutrition, and infant care with new and expectant families.
About Early Head Start
Explore eligibility and program information and hear from enrolled teen parents about the benefits of EHS.
- Applying for the Head Start Program: Pregnant women and expectant families must meet certain criteria to be eligible for EHS services. Learn the requirements and how to apply.
- What Other Teen Parents Want You to Know about Early Head Start: This podcast features teen parents talking to other teens about getting involved in the program. Use it to spark conversations with teens in your community about how your program can help them.
Health and Safety During Pregnancy
A healthy baby begins with a healthy pregnancy. Share these resources with expectant women and families so they can connect with comprehensive prenatal care, including prenatal nutrition education, oral health care, and mental health supports.
- Office on Women's Health (OWH): Pregnancy: Discover what you can do before, during, and after pregnancy to give your baby a healthy start with this series of tip sheets.
- Find more pregnancy health tip sheets from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
- Women, Infants and Children (WIC) Eligibility Requirements: Use the WIC Prescreening Tool and other resources to help families know if they are eligible for food assistance through WIC.
- Taking Care of Your Mental Health During Pregnancy: Pregnancy brings a mix of feelings, and not all of them are good. Share this article about the importance of mental health for expectant women.
- Nutrition Tips for a Healthy Pregnancy: Explore information on food safety and nutritional needs during pregnancy.
- STI (Sexually Transmitted Infection) and Pregnancy: Get the facts from CDC about sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) and pregnancy, and how to avoid infection.
- Taking Care of Your Oral Health When You Are Pregnant: Find tips for practicing good oral hygiene, eating healthy foods, and getting oral health care that will help keep you and your baby healthy.
- Text4Baby: Receive supportive text messages every week through this free app, timed to the due date or baby's date of birth.
- Seat Belt Recommendations for Drivers and Passengers: Explore this resource to make sure you know how to position your seat and wear a seat belt to maximize your safety and the safety of your unborn child.
Caring for an Infant
Caring for a new baby is a learning experience for families, even if they already have other children. Each baby is unique. Share these resources with expectant families so they can plan how to welcome and care for their new arrival.
Breastfeeding
- The Decision to Breastfeed: In this OWH video, moms explain why they made the decision to breastfeed.
- Is My Baby Getting Enough Milk?: A pediatrician answers this common question in a short video from OWH.
- How Lifestyle Affects Breast Milk: Smoking, Drugs, and Alcohol: This information can help mothers to better understand the consequences of smoking, using drugs, and drinking alcohol during pregnancy.
- WIC Breastfeeding Support for Parents: Explore everything parents need to know about breastfeeding in easy-to-understand modules and videos.
- Your Guide to Breastfeeding: Share this comprehensive guide about the importance of breastfeeding with expectant families.
Health and Safety
- After the Baby Arrives: Review health, safety, and child development fact sheets from the CDC.
- A Healthy Smile for Your Baby: Parents can use these tips to protect baby's teeth and gums, and their own.
- Lead Poisoning Prevention: Explore the basics of lead, its effects on young children, and how to prevent exposure and poisoning.
- Responsive Feeding: Discover a collection of video and print resources for setting children up for a lifetime of healthy eating.
- Building a Foundation for Healthy Active Living: These printable infographics support healthy feeding habits for infants and toddlers.
- Safe to Sleep® Campaign Materials: Find a variety of materials to help share safe infant sleep messages.
- Protect Your Child with Vaccines: Learn more about the importance of vaccinating children.
- Keeping Children Safe in Vehicles: Families can use these flip charts to learn how to keep their child safe in a motor vehicle.
Last Updated: July 25, 2024