The IWK's Clinical Nutrition Team helps by providing nutrition care, education, and counselling to IWK patients and their families while at IWK Health. Our dietitians are nutrition specialists within their teams and act as a resource to other health care professionals in the Health Centre, as well as other areas of the Maritimes. We work with Food Services to provide a healthy diet for patients, and provide on-the-job training for many dietetic interns through accredited internship programs.
How we help
Clinical Nutrition counsels inpatient and outpatient children, youth, and women in the Maritimes, helping them achieve a healthy and nutritious diet. We work closely with patients and families with specific nutritional needs as a result of their individual medical conditions. Our dietitians work closely with physicians, nurses, pharmacists, physiotherapists, speech therapists, and others to provide the best care possible for patients and their families. A few of the teams we work with include Endocrinology and Diabetes, Mental Health & Addictions, Gastroenterology, Gynaecology, and Prenatal Care.
Resources and Handouts
Nutrition for your Infant
Breastfeeding Basics - NS Public Health
Loving Care: Birth to 6 Months - NS Public Health
Feeding Your Baby By Bottle: Frequently Asked Questions
Infant Formula - What you Need to Know - NS Public Health
Constipation in Babies - English
Constipation in Babies - Arabic
Tip Sheets: Safely Preparing Infant Formula for your Baby
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Introducing Solids
- Loving Care: 6 to 12 Months - NS Public Health
- Guidelines for Feeding Your Baby 6 - 12 Months of Age
- Guidelines for Feeding Your Baby 6 - 12 Months of Age (Arabic)
- Transitioning to Table Foods
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Food Allergy Prevention - Infants
- Preventing Food Allergy
- Eat Early, Eat Often
- Early Introduction of Allergen: FAQs for Families
- Instructions for Home Feeding of Peanut Protein for Infants at Low Risk
Nutrition for your Toddler or Preschooler
Feeding Your Toddler 12-36 Months
Feeding Your Toddler 12-36 Months (Arabic)
Helping Your Picky Eater Using Division of Responsibility
Constipation in Toddlers in Diapers
Nutrition & Pregnancy
Protein for a Healthy Pregnancy
Nausea and Vomiting During Pregnancy
[In Arabic] Nausea and Vomiting During Pregnancy
Simple Meal Plan Ideas for Busy Families
Nutrition for Multiple Birth Pregnancy
Pregnancy & Diabetes
Planning for Pregnancy when you have Diabetes
Snack Ideas to Manage Blood Sugars During Pregnancy
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Pregnancy and Gestational Diabetes
- Nutrition Guidelines for Gestational Diabetes
- Troubleshooting High Blood Sugar Readings in Gestational Diabetes
- Sample Menu for Diabetes in Pregnancy
- Healthy Eating Plan for Diabetes in Pregnancy
- 7 Day Food and Blood Sugar Record
- Following Up with Gestational Diabetes
Diabetes in Children and Youth
Nutrition and Diabetes: The Basics
Nutrition and Diabetes: Snacks
Insulin to Carbohydrate Ratios
Baking & Carbohydrate Counting
Frequently Asked Nutrition Questions
Health & Wellness
Healthy Eating Programs through Community Health Teams (click "register now" to browse brochure or contact Wellness Navigator)
Managing Your Triglycerides (coming soon)
Iron in your Diet
Iron in your Diet (French)
Increasing Vegetable and Fruit Intake
Vegetarian Eating for All Ages
Healthy Meal & Snack Planning
Allergy Friendly Ideas for School
Meant 2 Prevent Kitchen - Youth Kitchen Skills and Nutrition Education
Cookspiration - Recipes and Meal Planning
Mealtime Challenges - Tips and Ideas
Picky Eaters: Commonly Asked Questions
10 Tips to Get Kids to Try New Foods
Encouraging Fruit and Vegetable Intake
Healthy Eating 101 - Community Health Teams Education Sessions (click "register now" or contact Wellness Navigator)
Body Positivity
How to have Conversations with your Child about Body Diversity
Words to use when Talking about Weight with Children
A Parent Guide for Confident Conversations about Weight with Children
Food Allergies
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Food Allergy Prevention - Infants
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See "Nutrition for your Infant" section
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Day to Day Management of Food Allergies
- Living Confidently with Food Allergy: A Guide for Parents and Families
- Reading Food Labels
- Avoiding Cross - Contamination
- Kitchen Tips and Recipes
- Dining Out
- Allergen Substitution Chart
- Food Allergen Precautionary Statements on Prepackaged Foods
- Food Allergen Labelling
- Allergy Friendly Ideas for School
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Common Food Allergens
- Information about common food allergies including milk, soy, egg, peanut, tree nut, wheat & triticale, fish, crustaceans & mollusks, sesame and mustard.
- Common Food Allergens
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Teens and Young Adults
- Teens and Young Adults
- Adults with Allergies
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Food Protein-Induced Enterocolitis Syndrome (FPIES)
- Food Protein-Induced Enterocolitis Syndrome (FPIES)
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Oral Allergy Syndrome (OAS)/Pollen Food Syndrome (PFS)
- Oral Allergy Syndrome (OAS)/Pollen Food Syndrome (PFS)
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Eosinophilic Esophagitis (EoE)
- Eosinophilic Esophagitis (EoE)
Celiac Disease
Getting Started on the Gluten-Free Diet
Getting Started on the Gluten-Free Diet (French)
Food Labelling: Guidelines for Gluten Free Diet
Helpful Apps, Websites and Books for Celiac Disease
Specialty Diets
Low Residue Diet (coming soon)
Nutrition While Taking Steroid Medications
Kidney Disease
Nutrition resources are available to IWK patients and families however they require one on one counselling with the Nephrology dietitian.
Neurology - Ketogenic Diet
Nutrition resources are available to IWK patients and families however they require one on one counselling with the Neurology dietitian.
Calorie Boosting Tips
These handouts are intended to be used for people who have a health condition which make it difficult for them to get enough calories.
Calorie Boosting Blended Beverages
[In Arabic] Calorie Boosting Blended Beverages
[In French] Boissons hypercaloriques Calorie Boosting Beverages
Calorie Boosting Tips for Infants 6-12 Months Eating Solid Foods
[In Arabic] Calorie Boosting Tips for Infants 6 to 12 Months who are Eating Solid Foods
Calorie Boosting Tips for Toddlers
[In Arabic] Calorie Boosting Tips for Toddlers
[In French] Conseils pour augmenter l’apport calorique des tout-petits
[In French] Régime hypercalorique High Calorie Diet
Constipation
Constipation in Babies (Arabic)
Constipation in Toddlers in Diapers
Food Records
Blank Recipes for Health Care Providers
Fortifying Human Milk - Blank Recipe for Health Care Providers
Making your Baby's Formula (Liquid Concentrate) - Blank Recipe for Health Care Providers
Making your Baby's Formula (Powder) - Blank Recipe for Health Care Providers
Preparing Formula for Children and Youth - Blank Recipe for Health Care Providers
Understanding Food Labels
Disordered Eating
Eating Disorders and Schools: A resource for educators and school support staff
Eating Disorders and Schools: A resource for educators and school support staff (French)
Accessing this Clinic, Program or Service
To receive counseling from one of our dietitians, a referral from a physician or other health professional is required.