Infant Feeding Clinics and Supports

Local service providers and community members can support breastfeeding in different ways. Professional support, trained peer support, and encouraging family and community members can all help you in your breastfeeding journey. See below for local supports.

Get support from a Public Health Nurse for: 

  • Infant feeding (breastfeeding, chestfeeding, formula feeding, starting solids) 

  • Growth and development

When you contact us, please leave a message and a Public Health Nurse will call you back.
We also offer in-person home visits for those who are eligible.

Contact us: 

  • call: 1-888-221-2133, Ext. 3575  

The Huron Perth Healthcare Alliance (HPHA) Maternal Child Unit provides 24/7 over-the-phone breastfeeding and infant feeding support from nursing staff.

Call 519-272-8232  or toll-free 1-888-275-1102 ext. 8232 at any time to speak with a nurse. 

Breastfeeding and infant feeding support is also enhanced for families during their hospital stay.

For details on what to expect, visit  Huron Perth Healthcare Alliance - Maternal Child Program.

Huron Perth Public Health is not offering in-person prenatal classes at this time. However, we do offer a free online prenatal course for Huron and Perth county residents. If you live in another county, we encourage you to contact your local health unit to learn about prenatal education in your region. 

The eLearning prenatal class includes information on: 

  • why breastfeeding is so important for you, your baby and your family 
  • how to latch and position your baby 
  • benefits of skin-to-skin contact 
  • ensuring you have a great milk supply and your baby is getting enough 
  • recognizing when your baby is hungry 

and more! 

See our prenatal education page for more information about the eLearning program. 

If your primary care provider (doctor or nurse practitioner) is part of a Family Health Team, contact them to ask about breastfeeding supports they may offer. 

Don't have a primary care provider?

If you or someone you know is currently without a family doctor, support is available. Contact the Unattached Care Clinic (Huron Perth & Area Ontario Health Team) for information.

Huron Perth Newborn Care Clinic – Stratford Midwives office, 386 Cambria St, Stratford, ON
The Huron Perth Newborn Care Clinic provides support for newborns and families, including breastfeeding assistance and follow-up care.

By appointment only – no drop-in service is available.

How to access the clinic:

  • Contact your family doctor, nurse practitioner, or primary healthcare provider to request a referral
  • For general breastfeeding support, families can also contact Huron Perth Public Health (HPPH) to request a referral: 1-888-221-2133, Ext. 3575 or hbhcintake@hpph.ca

Once a referral is received, the clinic team will contact you directly to schedule an appointment.

Who can be seen:

  • Infants up to 10 days of age
  • Infants who may need a bilirubin check (must be referred by a physician or nurse practitioner)

Note:

  • If you are unsure whether your baby needs to be seen, speak with your healthcare provider or contact HPPH for guidance at 1-888-221-2133, Ext. 3575 or hbhcintake@hpph.ca

Stratford Family Health Team
The Breastfeeding Clinic offers free appointments for families living in Huron and Perth who have questions or concerns about feeding their baby in the first three months. Support is available for latch concerns, pain with feeding, poor weight gain, combo feeding, and other infant feeding questions. No referral is needed, and services are provided by a Registered Nurse. Contact Stratford Family Health Team at 519-271-7172, Ext. 2 for an appointment.

If you are looking for community recommendations or want to learn more about others’ experiences, peer-to-peer Facebook groups and local parenting forums can be great resources.

Talking with someone who has breastfeeding experience can be helpful:  

La Leche League Stratford

Free in-person peer support, facilitated by a leader. Meets weekly. Check out the Facebook page for details: LLLC - Stratford Ontario | Facebook 

Mothers Initiating Lactation Knowledge and Support (MILKS) 

Mothers Initiating Lactation Knowledge and Support (MILKS) is a private Facebook group supported by La Leche League Stratford. It provides support, encouragement and links to community breastfeeding and parenting resources for breastfeeding families in Huron and Perth counties. 

Health811 

With Health811 (formerly Telehealth/Health Connect Ontario) you can connect with a registered nurse 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for free, secure and confidential health advice, including breastfeeding support. 

Call 8-1-1 , or toll-free TTY: 1-866-797-0007 

Chat online

Fee-based lactation support 
Fee-based lactation support are independent, profit-based practitioners, and we do not endorse or recommend one practitioner over another. Every family’s needs are unique, and we strongly encourage you to research each provider to find the right fit for you. 

In-person prenatal education
Stratford Family Health Team
The Breastfeeding Clinic offers free appointments for families living in Huron and Perth who have questions or concerns about feeding their baby in the first three months. Support is available for latch concerns, pain with feeding, poor weight gain, combo feeding, and other infant feeding questions. No referral is needed, and services are provided by a Registered Nurse. Contact Stratford Family Health Team at 519-271-7172 ext. 2 for an appointment.

Online prenatal education 
Huron Perth Public Health offers online prenatal education (eLearning). 

The free program is available for residents of Huron and Perth counties who are planning a pregnancy, are pregnant or have a new baby. It consists of recorded modules that you can view at your own pace.  

HPPH does not offer in-person prenatal classes If you live in another county, we encourage you to contact your local health unit to learn about prenatal education in your region.  

The eLearning program covers several topics, including breastfeeding, specifically:  

  • why breastfeeding is important for you, your baby and your family  
  • how to latch and position your baby  
  • benefits of skin-to-skin contact  
  • ensuring your baby is getting enough milk 
  • recognizing when your baby is hungry  

and more!  

See our prenatal education page for more information about the eLearning program.  

For healthcare providers

Infant feeding education ideally begins before conception and continues during pregnancy when an expectant family is gathering information, has time for questions, and is open to new learning. 

As a healthcare provider, you can identify gaps in a family's knowledge about infant feeding, and ensure the family has the information they need to inform their unique infant-feeding plan. 

Resources for healthcare providers

Drugs and Lactation Database | LactMed® - NCBI Bookshelf (nih.gov) 

InfantRisk Center (will accept calls from Canadian residents) 

Mother to Baby: Information about Medications in Pregnancy and Lactation | The Organization of Teratology Information Specialists (*Please note the 1-800 number is not available to provide consults to Canadian residents.) 

Do you consider yourself a breastfeeding champion within your organization? 

Do you want to keep in the loop with support and conversations about breastfeeding within the community? 

Please reach out to askhpph@hpph.ca. 

Contact Us

Huron Perth Public Health

Huron Office
77722B London Road, RR #5, Clinton, ON
N0M 1L0

Perth Office
653 West Gore St., Stratford ON N5A 1L4
Toll-free 1-888-221-2133
askhpph@hpph.ca