Babies don’t come with instructions.
Every new parent, parent-to-be, or caregiver deserves the help and support they need to give newborns a strong start. CradleME is a free service that connects you with the right home-based or virtual support for you and your baby. We are a partnership between many programs created to help you and your baby thrive — see below to learn more about each of the resources available to you.
Sign up today to have a nurse, family visitor, or program specialist contact you with information about what their services can offer your family. Then, if you choose, you can set up a time to meet in your home, join a virtual session, or continue via phone. Below is a description of each service available to you on the CradleME request form.
Instructions (PDF)
CradleME Request Form (PDF)
Public Health Nurse Visits
Maine CDC Public Health Nurses are registered professional nurses who provide in-home or virtual health services for families. All prenatal and postpartum women and all newborns and infants up to 12 months of age may receive a visit from a Public Health Nurse. Whether it is to address any concerns you have with your pregnancy or birth, a nurse can answer your health-related questions about you or your baby. Our nurses are Certified Lactation Counselors. If you have questions about your health or your baby's health, you may request a nurse at any time by calling the CradleME number. For more information, visit the Public Health Nursing webpage.
Maine Families Visitors
Maine Families Visitors provide caring support and reliable information on the topics that matter to you. Whether it's how to soothe your crying baby, how to manage sleep (yours included!), or how to deal with the stresses of parenting, a Maine Families visitor can listen to your needs and concerns and empower you to make your own decisions about what is best for you and your baby. Every Maine Families Visitor is certified in the evidence-based program Parents As Teachers - because a parent is the most important teacher that a child will ever have. For more information, visit www.mainefamilies.org
Early Intervention for Me (Maine Department of Education)
Early Intervention for ME, Department of Education/Child Development Services
Early Intervention for ME partners with families and other caregivers of eligible infants and toddlers (birth to three) to embed evidence-based developmental strategies and learning supports into their daily routines and activities. All services are provided in the child's natural environment (i.e. home, childcare, or other community settings) with the option of meeting in-person or virtually. An Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP) is developed for each eligible child and offers a variety of supports and services through a team of professionals including, but not limited to, Special Education Teachers, Occupational Therapists, Physical Therapists, Speech-Language Pathologists, Social Workers, and a Registered Dietician. Early Intervention for ME also collaborates with families to identify any connect them with other community resources and/or programs to help meet the individualized needs of the child and/or family. This program is voluntary and free. Please visit Early Intervention for ME (sometimes called CDS Part C). For more information, visit the Child Developmental Services webpage.
Women, Infants, and Children (WIC)
The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants. and Children - better known as the WIC program - serves to safeguard the health of low-income pregnant, postpartum, and breastfeeding women, infants, and children up to age 5 who are at nutritional risk by providing nutritious foods to supplement diets, information on healthy eating including breastfeeding promotion and support, and referrals to health care. WIC is complete nutrition care. For more information, visit www.maine.gov/WIC
MaineMOM
MaineMOM Services provide you with support and treatment for your addiction, to support the health of you and your baby during pregnancy and through the first year after delivery. MaineMOM will connect you with a team of health care partners who will work with you to develop a treatment plan and connect you to other supports you might need during and after your pregnancy, including connection to other people who have experienced what you are going through. The MaineMOM team will make sure you and your baby have support beyond the first year of birth to continue in your recovery, including referrals to services that can help you care for your baby and continue your substance use treatment. For more information visit MaineMOM.org
Help Me Grow
Help Me Grow (HMG) Maine is a free information line linking families and professionals to information about child development, pregnancy, and community resources for all Maine children up to the age of eight years old. Free developmental screenings via the website or phone are also available! For more information visit Help Me Grow.
Plan of Safe Care
Through respectful, collaborative, strengths-based conversation, Maine’s Plan of Safe Care is created between a healthcare or social services provider, mother and/or other caregivers, identifying family strengths and needs, beneficial resources, and actions to best support substance exposed infants and families. A Plan of Safe Care often includes referrals to services or providing contact information to families for their own follow-up. For more information visit Plan of Safe Care.
Access Maine
Access Maine is an online resource guide with information to connect people living in Maine to public programs, services, and other resources that are available. For more information visit Access Maine.
211 Maine
211 Maine is a free, confidential program that helps people of all ages across Maine find local services. 211 Maine is based in Maine and available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Specialists are trained and friendly; they know we all need help sometimes. You can dial 211 or text your zip code to 898-211 to speak with a Maine-based specialists, or you can visit www.211maine.org.
