Maternity
Start For Life
Start for life provides trusted NHS help and advice to parents and carers, on the key topics of breastfeeding, introducing solid foods, the home learning environment and parent-infant relationships see links below:
96% of subscribers say they would recommend the Start for Life emails to new parents
Features of the Start for Life email programme include:
- Different email programmes for mums, dads, partners and carers with tailored information for each.
- Emails can be translated into a range of different languages.
- Pregnancy emails contain information on baby’s development, changes in a woman’s body, plus tips and advice on labour and birth, finding antenatal classes, what foods to eat (and avoid) during pregnancy, exercising safely and bonding with baby.
Post birth emails include advice on baby’s development, breast and bottle feeding, coping with tiredness, introducing solid foods and looking after mental wellbeing and more.
Postnatal Support Group
This group is for mothers to connect with other mothers for support. The group provides information, support and tools to make you feel like you again.
Telephone: 01635 760310
Email: office@home-startwb.co.uk
Family Central Hub
Telephone: 07584 271 355
Email: Jo.herbert1@westberks.gov.uk
Local Maternity Services
Planning your Pregnancy
If you’re planning on getting pregnant, you can improve your chances of conceiving and having a successful pregnancy.
Postnatal Care
Breastfeeding support at the Family Hubs
The West Berkshire Family Hubs are hosting new support groups to help mothers with breastfeeding. The Family Hubs are offering face to face support and also virtual support via Zoom.
Face to face support
Calcot – Thursday 1:30pm, Newbury – Thursday 10am Thatcham – call the hub between 09:30 and 3:30 to arrange a face to face appointment.
The Croft, Hungerford – Bumps babes and beyond Tuesday 09:00-10:30. Lambourn Wednesday 09:00-10:30. Lambourn British Legion. (From June 2021) Baby group, including Breastfeeding support.
Hungerford Family Centre – 01488 682628
Booking is essential please book online: booking.westberks.gov.uk
Due to COVID restrictions we are unable to offer drop in sessions.
Virtual support via zoom
1st and 3rd Mondays of the month at 2pm. Please contact us for login details. 1:1 appointments are also available at all Hubs by arrangement.
- Central Family Hub Thatcham – 01635 865318
- West Family Hub Newbury – 01635 31143
- East Family Hub Calcot – 0118 945 6157
- Or call Jo Roberts 07500 951 014 for more information Joanne.Roberts@westberks.gov.uk
Antenatal Course – Central Family Hub
The Central Family Hub is hosting a new support group to help parents to find support in the local area, meet a midwife and get tips on how to feed your baby and look after your own health and wellbeing.
The sessions will run via Zoom from 18:00–19:30 on Tuesday evenings for 3 weeks. The sessions are starting on Tuesday 6th July 2021.
Please see the poster below for further information and contact Jo Herbert if you are interested.
West Berkshire Community Breastfeeding Support
Breast Feeding Drop in’s in West Berkshire – we welcome fully or partly breast feeding mothers. Referrals can be made antenatally and postnatally from your midwife or health visitor, or call us directly yourself.
Telephone: 0118 945 6157
Email: joanne.roberts@westberks.gov.uk
Website: www.directory.westberks.gov.uk
Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust Maternity App
In response to requests for a single source of reliable and accessible clinically validated information on pregnancy and early parenthood, Royal Berkshire Foundation Trust has launched a new ‘Mum and Baby’ app.
The app is available for download now on the Google Play.
Royal Berks - Maternity Information
A library of information leaflets on pregnancy, tests and scans, labour and childbirth and more.
Antenatal Care
Further information
Whatever you want to know about getting pregnant, being pregnant or caring for your new baby, you should find it here – NHS Choices – Your Pregnancy & Baby Guide