North York General Hospital Shares Unfiltered Truth on Becoming a Parent in New Book

Becoming a parent can be one of life’s most rewarding experiences. But for first timers, it’s also rife with a ton of unexpected surprises before and well after childbirth. To help soon-to-be parents and caregivers prepare for the next chapter, North York General Hospital, one of the busiest birthing centres in Ontario, has teamed with creative agency Courage to launch What No One Tells You When You’re Expecting, an eye-opening 150-page book written from the personal experiences of real parents. 

Starting October 11th, 2023, you can download the digital copy of the book here for free. Printed copies will also be available here.

“After coming back from mat leave, Cindy and I constantly talked about all the things we completely didn’t expect,” said Domenique Raso, creative director at Courage. “When it comes to babies, you often hear about all the good stuff, but not about the real stuff. So the idea of asking real parents to help us write a book outlining everything no one told them felt like a natural fit for the birthing centre.” 

Culled from hundreds of submissions from diverse families across North America and accompanied by gorgeous artwork from illustrator Emilie Muszczak, What No One Tells You When You’re Expecting features over 100 insights that offer a real, unfiltered look into parenthood, including revelations like: 

• “I had no idea the epidural would make me sooooo itchy.” 
• “I didn't expect my nipples to crack and bleed from breastfeeding.”
• “I didn't expect the pain and bleeding for days after giving birth.”

The collection also covers important topics like mental health, sex and relationships, and, of course, pooping. Additionally, these insights are coupled with expert advice from NYGH doctors and midwives to help break down the science behind people's experiences while opening up discussions some have found taboo until now.

“We immediately loved this idea because it felt like a modern, true-to-life take on the classic pregnancy books we’ve come to know,” said Ya Shan Waley, chief marketing and communications officer at North York General Foundation. “As a hospital that delivers thousands of babies each year,  we understand what new parents are experiencing, and that understanding trickles down to the outstanding care we give them. This book is another way we are caring for our community by helping to normalise the birthing process, all in celebration of our plans to revitalise our Birthing Centre.”

The book’s launch is further supported by digital OOH across the Greater Toronto Area, paid social media, a launch video, and guerilla postings around Toronto. The campaign is in support of NYGH's $32 million fundraising effort to modernize their Birthing Centre into a space that matches their renowned care.