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What is SmartMom?


SmartMom is a free prenatal education program that sends 3 current, evidence-based educational text messages per week to help guide women through each week of pregnancy. Messages are tailored to gestational age and include links to websites, phone numbers and videos on topics such as fetal growth and development, options for screening in pregnancy, and preparation for labour and delivery. SmartMom also suggests topics to discuss with care providers. Clients learn about SmartMom at their first prenatal visit, through local pregnancy outreach programs, through posters in the community and through social media.

The overall goal of the SmartMom program is to support women and their families to make evidence-informed choices for healthy pregnancy and childbirth. SmartMom is intended for women having uncomplicated pregnancies. Messages are meant to complement prenatal advice and information provided by maternity care providers, not to replace it.

SmartMom was developed by Optimal Birth BC in partnership with the BC Ministry of Health, the Northern Health Authority, the First Nations Health Authority, and Perinatal Services BC, and in consultation with pregnant women, new parents, practicing nurses, doctors, midwives and experts in maternal and child health. SmartMom is endorsed by The Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada (SOGC).

New parents can sign up for SmartParent to receive educational text messages for their baby�s first year of life.

Messages

For a complete, current and downloadable list of the messages, please visit the SmartMom Messages Folder.

Terms of Consent for Participants

To view the SmartMom Terms of Consent, please click here.

Enrollment Guide

  1. Encourage enrollment with one easy step at the first prenatal visit. Clients can text the keyword for their health authority (FRASER/INTERIOR/ISLAND/NORTHERN/VCH) to the phone number 12323 to enroll. The enrollment process can be finished at the visit or at a later time (a reminder text will be sent within 24 hours if enrollment is not completed). Remind clients to visit www.smartmomcanada.ca to customize their message schedule, add supplemental messages, and to complete the enrollment survey.

  2. Standard message and data rates may apply. Enrolling in SmartMom is free and SmartMom does not charge clients for the messages, but depending on a client's mobile phone plan, their mobile phone service provider (carrier - e.g. Bell, Rogers, Telus) may charge them to receive/send text messages or browse website links when not connected to WiFi.

  3. If clients do not have a phone and/or cellular service but would like to see the messages online, they can enroll at www.smartmomcanada.ca using an email address instead of a phone number. Note: messages will not be sent by email. Clients can sign in to the SmartMom website to view the messages online.

PHONE - via SMS

  1. Clients can text the health authority keyword: FRASER, INTERIOR, ISLAND, NORTHERN or VCH to 12323

  2. Text the word YES to confirm enrollment

  3. Read the Terms of Consent by clicking the link or call 1-855-871-BABY (2229) to listen to the Terms of Consent

  4. Text the word ACCEPT to accept the terms

  5. Text the # of weeks pregnant (e.g. 8 if eight weeks pregnant, 0 if unknown)

ONLINE - via the SmartMom website

  1. Clients can go to www.smartmomcanada.ca and click Enroll Now

  2. Read and accept the Terms of Consent

  3. Enter personal health number (optional)

  4. Click the Enroll Now button

  5. Complete profile, select any supplemental message streams, and click Save

  6. Customize the message schedule then click Finish Enrollment

  7. Reply START to the confirmation text message received

Surveys

Everyone who enrolls in SmartMom is invited to complete two optional online surveys to help evaluate and improve the program. The enrollment survey can be completed during program sign up. A reminder and a link for the survey will be sent three days after enrolling in the program. Near the end of pregnancy, participants will receive an invitation and link via text message to complete a follow-up survey. This will allow us to evaluate the program and analyse changes to participant knowledge, fear of childbirth scores, and Edinburgh Postpartum Depression Scale scores after completing the SmartMom program.

Resource Locator for Clients

All SmartMom clients can login to their SmartMom account to access a Resource Locator that links them to a webpage provided by their health authority:

Fraser Health Authority: http://www.fraserhealth.ca/pregnancy
Interior Health Authority: https://www.interiorhealth.ca/YourHealth/HavingABaby/Pages/default.aspx
Island Health Authority: https://www.islandhealth.ca/our-services/pregnancy-birth-services/right-start
Northern Health Authority: https://www.northernhealth.ca/health-information/pregnancy-and-baby
Vancouver Coastal Health Authority: http://www.vch.ca/public-health/pregnancy-parenting
Northwest Territories: https://www.nthssa.ca/en/services/birthing-services
Other: https://www.healthlinkbc.ca/pregnancy-parenting/pregnancy

Promotional Materials

Help us share SmartMom through your social media networks: share.smartmomcanada.ca.

Questions & Feedback

Please contact us or call us at 1-855-871-BABY (2229).