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Baby's Best Chance: Parents' Handbook of Pregnancy and Baby Care

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Last updated: December 2, 2024

If you are about to become a parent, or just had a baby, this handbook is for you. Baby’s Best Chance is a reference guide for parents. Topics covered include pregnancy, birth and parenting a baby up to six months of age.

Your baby’s development is very important for your child’s future health and well-being. Baby’s Best Chance provides easy-to-read tips on having a healthy pregnancy and giving your baby a good start in life. It also provides you with information on how to take care of your own well-being.

The 2024 editions of Baby’s Best Chance and Toddler’s First Steps are now available and include additional information. Translated versions to come in 2025. Previous translated editions are still available below.

Read Baby’s Best Chance

You can download the complete hand book in English, Arabic, Chinese, Farsi, French, Punjabi,  Spanish or Tagalog. To read the guide by topic, see the links below:

Introduction 
English |Arabic | Chinese | Farsi| French | Punjabi | Spanish| Tagalog

Pregnancy

Birth

Life with your baby

Baby care

Baby development

Feeding your baby

Canada's Food Guide
See healthy eating recommendations for the whole family. English | Arabic | Chinese | Farsi | French | Punjabi | Spanish | Tagalog

Resources
Find key resources for parents. English | Arabic | | Chinese | Farsi | | French | Punjabi | Spanish | Tagalog

Print copies

Baby's Best Chance may be available in English through your health care provider or you may be able to find copies at your local library. A small number of copies are available for purchase from Crown Publishing. If you wish to make a purchase, please visit the Crown Publications website. If you have access to a computer, we encourage you to use the online version of this resource, as print copies are limited.

Print copies of Baby's Best Chance are also available in French from the Fédération des parents francophones de Colombie-Britannique. The book is also translated into Chinese, French, Punjabi and Spanish.

Related resources

Child Health Passport

The Child Health Passport helps you plan and keep track of all the routine health services available in British Columbia that can help promote your child’s healthy development. The Passport provides one central place for parents to record their child’s growth, illnesses, injuries, allergies, hospitalizations and vaccinations. There is also information on child safety and where to find other helpful parenting resources. Parents typically receive a Child Health Passport in their birth packs, or they can be obtained through the local public health units as part of immunization services.

Toddler’s First Steps: A Best Chance Guide to Parenting Your 6-36 Month–Old Child

As your child grows, there is another guide called Toddler’s First Steps: A Best Chance Guide to Parenting Your 6- to 36-Month-Old Child. This guide covers child development, healthy eating, health and well-being, parenting and safety for children. Ask your health care provider if a printed copy is available or read it online.

Safer Sleep for My Baby

This safer sleep resource can help you provide a safe sleep environment to reduce the risk of sleep related death in your child’s infancy. Safer Sleep For My Baby is provided by the Ministry of Health.