Information for new parents and parents-to-be

These information sources provide health care advice and all you need to know about pregnancy, birth and looking after yourself and your baby, from finding out if you are pregnant to antenatal care and your baby's development.

If you have any concerns during your pregnancy or just after you have your baby, you should talk to your midwife or GP.  After two weeks from birth and onwards, your should speak to your Health visitor or GP if you have any problems.  

Pregnancy and caring for my baby

Baby Buddy app is a free multi award winning mobile phone app for parents and parents-to-be with personalised content approved by doctors and midwives that spans from pregnancy right through to the first six months after birth.

The features of Baby Buddy include daily, personalised notifications, the ability to find local services, set goals and appointments, search parenting and pregnancy terminology, find answers to questions and save questions to ask your healthcare professional at your next appointment.

If you use the app when you are pregnant, then use 'Bump Buddy' - helping you with pregnancy development. This is produced by a charity called Best Beginnings, which is dedicated to giving every baby the healthiest possible start in life.

Start4Life gives trusted NHS help and advice on all aspects of pregnancy. You can sign up to Start 4 Life weekly emails about pregnancy from NHS experts.

Feeding my baby and what to eat when pregnant

The Start4Life website has lots of advice on healthy eating during pregnancy, and advice on feeding your baby from birth to 5 years old. This includes recipes and meal ideas for your baby. For more information on breastfeeding support, local and national, visit the breastfeeding section on our breastfeeding webpages.

If you are out and about with your baby, and you need to stop and breastfeed, it isn't always easy to find somewhere convenient. You should be welcome to feed in public anywhere (your right to do so is protected by law). The Breastfeeding Welcome Scheme can help you to look up breastfeeding welcome venues by postcode or place.

If you are pregnant or have a child under four years old you could get Healthy Start vouchers to help buy basic food and receive free vitamins for you and your child. This is a means tested scheme.

Sleep for babies

Babies need a lot of sleep during the first few months of their lives so it is important to ensure they are sleeping as safely as possible. For more information on safer sleep for your baby, please see the following resources:

• The Baby Sleep Info Source (BASIS) website provides information for:
  •  parents who wish to make informed choices about infant sleep and night-time care
  • health practitioners who wish to share evidence-based information with parents about infant sleep
• The Lullaby Trust provides specialist support for bereaved families, promotes expert advice on safer baby sleep and raises awareness on sudden infant death (also referred to as 'cot death')

Smoking in pregnancy

If you or your partner smoke, your baby will be exposed to second hand smoke, which harms their health in a number of ways including increasing the risk of sudden infant death.

It is important to try to limit their exposure to second hand smoke and there are a number of steps you can take to do this including:

• going outside to smoke
• wearing a jacket
• washing your hands afterwards

It is important to note that it is illegal to smoke in a vehicle with children present.

If you or your partner smokes in pregnancy and would like support in quitting, please speak to your midwife. Most GP practices and pharmacies also offer services on stopping smoking, during or after your baby’s birth.

Drugs and alcohol during pregnancy

Speak to your midwife or GP, if you would like help with your drug and alcohol intake. You can also contact Change, Grow, Live our substance misuse treatment service or visit the CGL website for advice and guidance. 

Mental health and wellbeing

The charity Best Beginnings has developed some Mental Health support videos.

Pregnancy in Mind is delivered by the NSPCC. Parents-to-be who would like to access this support or find out more can contact Pregnancy in Mind by calling 01793 683100 or emailing swciregionalhub@NSPCC.org.uk. 

Shine provide post-natal support for women experiencing poor mental health in Swindon. They can be accessed by emailing Lauraine.cheesman@yahoo.co.uk.

Bonding with your baby

As part of their Baby Friendly Initiative, Unicef has developed a parent’s guide to developing good relationships with your baby, ‘Building a Happy Baby’.

Bereavement

The Lullaby Trust provides specialist support for bereaved families, promotes expert advice on safer baby sleep and raises awareness on sudden infant death (also referred to as 'cot death').

We’re Baby Friendly!  

Children’s services have Baby Friendly Initiative (BFI) accreditation. BFI is an international programme developed by UNICEF/World Health Organisation, which enables public services to provide better support to families with feeding and developing close loving relationships.  

This is done through setting quality standards, staff training and audits for a local area.  

External assessors ascertain if an area meets the BFI standards in order to be accredited.