Advice for new parents

The following provide support from pregnancy up to your child turning 2:

• Guy’s and St Thomas’ Hospital pregnancy care and midwifery for what to expect during pregnancy, midwife and antenatal appointments, specialist clinics and antenatal classes
• King’s College Hospital pregnancy care and midwifery for information on a range of care subjects to support you during your pregnancy
• health visitors are registered nurses or midwives with a specialist qualification in public health who help give babies the best start in life
• registering the birth of your child 
• feeding your baby information
• if your child has special educational needs or a disability find local support on Southwark's SEND local offer
• Southwark parental mental health team can help if either you or a co-parent is suffering poor mental health
• early childhood speech, language and home learning to support children who have difficulties with communication
• school clubs and holiday childcare
• our Family Early Help team if you need extra support 
• Home-Start Southwark gives emotional and practical support to families having difficulties managing parenting
• Parents and Communities Together (PACT) aims to improve health and development of young children in Walworth and Camberwell
• Future Men provides courses for young, new and expectant dads
• Mind: Southwark Women's Forum is a monthly support group run by and for women with mental health challenges

You can also visit our children and family centres where you can:

• meet health visitors
• get breastfeeding support
• advice on parenting
• local childcare options
• access to speech therapists
• training
• advice on healthy eating and managing money

The following resources are available nationwide:

• Bliss provides support for families with premature or sick babies
• Sands supports families affected by pregnancy loss and the death of a baby
• Tommy’s provides information and support for anyone who has experienced the loss of a baby

The Motherhood Group delivers:

• events
• training
• counselling
• doula support 
• legal services
• national campaigns
• culturally sensitive programmes

Five X More empowers Black women to make informed maternal health choices and speak up for themselves throughout their pregnancies and after childbirth.

Mayah’s Legacy charity empowers and educates people affected by pregnancy loss with the tools they need to have their voices heard, which includes:

• downloadable books 
• webinars 
• conversations

Motivational Mums Club provides free mental health sessions to people who are or are planning to be pregnant, or are mums. They work with healthcare organisations to improve mental health services. They specialise in helping people from ethnic minorities, who’ve had near-death experiences, birth trauma and more.

Tommy’s: Specialist Support Helpline for Black and Black Mixed-Heritage women and people who give birth.

Maternal Neonatal and Maternal Voices Partnerships (MNVPs)

These NHS working groups include women, people who give birth and their families, commissioners and maternity service staff. They review and develop local maternity and neonatal care. They are led by an independent lay person who make sure residents who use maternity care are represented.

• Guy's and St Thomas’ Maternal Neonatal and Maternal Voices Partnerships
• King’s College Hospital Maternal Neonatal and Maternal Voices Partnerships

Birthrights champions the rights of women and people who give birth across the UK and offers advice.

Patient Advice and Liaison Services (PALS)

Patient Advice and Liaison Services (PALS) offer confidential advice, support and information on health. Contact local services:

• Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust, pals@gstt.nhs.uk
• King’s College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, kch-tr.PALS@nhs.net
• South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, pals@slam.nhs.uk

If you're pregnant, are a new mum or have a child under 4 and live in Southwark, you can get free vitamin D supplements.

If you’re pregnant supplements help you and your developing baby get enough vitamin D.

As your child grows up the extra vitamin D can reduce the risk of rickets (a condition where the legs bow). 

It can also reduce the risk of seizures and heart failure.

Take them for a year after giving birth. Give your child vitamin D drops until they reach the age of 4.