PREPARED BY: Healthy Families
DATE: 2025-02-06
SUBJECT: Results From the 2024 Building Blocks for Better Babies (BBBB) Program Evaluation
BACKGROUND/PURPOSE
Healthy pregnancies are essential for optimal growth and development. Under the Ontario Public Health Standards, the board of health is required to collaborate with local stakeholders to develop and implement public health interventions that support healthy growth and development among target and priority populations (2021). One local intervention that supports healthy pregnancies is the Building Blocks for Better Babies (BBBB) program.
The Windsor-Essex County Health Unit (WECHU) supports the University of Windsor (UoW) with the implementation of their Building Blocks for Better Babies (BBBB) program. This program is designed to support prenatal individuals facing various challenges, including newcomers, those living in low-income situations, and those experiencing mental health concerns. The primary objective of BBBB is to enhance the health outcomes of prenatal and postpartum individuals and infants in Windsor-Essex County by providing nutrition support and health education. The program's key objectives are to encourage and support breastfeeding, promote nutrition and food skills, foster healthy growth and development, and support maternal and infant mental health. BBBB offers weekly classes, both in-person and virtual, covering topics such as food and nutrition, labor and delivery, parenting preparation, parental mental health, breastfeeding, and infant and child development. Additionally, BBBB provides free prenatal multivitamins, Vitamin D for breastfed babies, and weekly food vouchers to participants facing financial barriers. The program is taught by the BBBB dietitians and nurses from the WECHU Healthy Families department offering expert, evidence-based care.
DISCUSSION/EVALUATION
To evaluate the impact of the BBBB program on individuals, a comprehensive survey was conducted among program participants. The survey targeted prenatal individuals facing various challenges, including newcomers, those living in low-income situations, and those experiencing mental health concerns. The survey consisted of five questions designed to measure the impact of the BBBB program on healthy pregnancy and parenting behaviors and to identify the most helpful services provided by BBBB. Participants were recruited from those attending BBBB sessions between September 24 to October 4, 2024. The survey was administered both in paper-based form and virtually via LimeSurvey. All completed paper surveys were entered into the virtual survey, and responses were downloaded into Microsoft Excel for analysis. Quantitative data were summarized and graphically represented, while qualitative data were analyzed thematically. Ethical considerations included informed consent and ensuring the confidentiality of participants' responses.
The survey had a response rate of 83.6%. A total of 128 BBBB participants received the survey, and 107 surveys were completed.
Survey Results:
Benefits of Attending the BBBB Program:
The survey results indicated the following benefits and behaviour changes because of attending the BBBB program:
- 89% said they are better able to give their family healthy foods.
- 91% reported taking prenatal vitamins more regularly during pregnancy.
- 93% felt more prepared for labour and delivery.
- 90% felt more capable of parenting their children.
- 85% felt more confident in breastfeeding their baby.
- 89% felt more prepared to introduce solid foods to their baby.
- 87% said they are better able to engage in self-care when feeling stressed, sad and anxious.
Most Helpful Services:
According to the survey respondents, the following services were identified as the most helpful:
- Food Vouchers: 72% of respondents indicated that free food vouchers were highly beneficial.
- Health Education Classes on Newborn Care: 70% of respondents found the education provided about caring for their baby to be particularly valuable
- Breastfeeding Education and Support: 64% of respondents valued the breastfeeding education and support offered by the program.
- Distribution of Free Vitamins: 53% of respondents appreciated the provision of free vitamins.
- Consultations with Dietitians and Nurses: 50% of respondents highlighted the importance of consultations with dietitians and nurses.
An overwhelming majority (94.3%) of respondents indicated that the BBBB program had a positive impact on their lives. Qualitative feedback highlighted several key themes: enhanced knowledge about healthy pregnancy and preparation for parenting, improved preparedness for labor and delivery, a sense of connection with other parents and professionals, mental health support, and appreciation for the donations provided, such as food vouchers and vitamins.
FUTURE OPPORTUNITIES
The evaluation of the BBBB program demonstrates its significant positive impact on participants. Moving forward, the program aims to expand its reach and enhance its services to better support prenatal individuals facing various challenges. Future plans include:
- Expanding Outreach: Increasing awareness and accessibility of the BBBB program to reach more prenatal individuals in the community.
- Enhanced Virtual Support: Developing more comprehensive virtual resources to accommodate participants who cannot attend in-person sessions.
- Enhancing curriculum and supports: Integrating additional activities that bolster maternal and infant mental health and parenting into the BBBB curriculum.
- Multilingual Support: Healthy Families designated multilingual nurses (e.g., Arabic, Spanish, and French) will rotate in teaching BBBB classes, thereby promoting diversity and inclusion while enhancing support for participants whose first language is not English.
- Strengthening Partnerships: Enhancing the collaboration between the UOW and the WECHU to provide additional resources and support for participants.
- Continuous Evaluation: Implementing ongoing evaluation and feedback mechanisms to continuously improve the program and address the evolving needs of participants.
The positive feedback highlights the program's effectiveness in creating a supportive community and delivering vital resources to its participants. By leveraging these achievements and pursuing future initiatives, BBBB, with the support of the WECHU, is committed to continuing its impactful work in the lives of prenatal individuals and their families.