Believe me when I say that you are not the only one laying awake at night on search engines, looking for answers to your many questions about pregnancy and parenthood! I would be horrified if anyone saw my search history over the last six years about pregnancy side effects and toddler illnesses and behaviour!
I hope that this page can highlight some amazing companies, charities, reading materials and products to help support you alongside your own health care professionals (not to replace their advice). Some of these resources have been recommended to me, some I have used myself and are very close to my heart. None of these resources are ever intended to replace medical care and advice, don’t ever wait if something is bothering you!
YouTube birth video links
| “Settling down and having children” | Hospital birth video |
| “Oliver’s hospital birth” | Hospital birth video |
| “Mariah’s painless birth” | Hospital birth video (good birth breathing example) |
| “Gentle cesarean birth” | Calm and gentle c-section video |
Mental Health Support
| Mind | Fighting for mental health. For support. For respect. For you. |
| Mental Health Foundation | Good mental health for all |
| Samaritans | Waiting for your call |
| NHS (mental health) | Where to get urgent mental health support |
| Shout | The UK’s free, confidential and 24/7 mental health text service |
Conception
| NHS (conception) | Information on conception |
| Healthline | 17 natural ways to boost fertility |
| Tommy’s | 12 things when planning pregnancy |
Pregnancy
| NHS (pregnancy) | The NHS have the most up to date information about most pregnancy related questions including what is currently recommended and not recommended to eat and drink |
| Kicks Count | Empowering mums-to-be with knowledge & confidence. PLEASE look at this link! |
| BabyCentre | Pregnancy, baby and toddler health |
| AIMS | Association for Improvements in the Maternity Services – for a better birth (AMAZING resource!) |
| Dr Sara Wickham | Information, inspiration and illumination for midwives, birth folk, women and families |
| Birthrights | Protecting human rights in childbirth |
| National Maternity Voices | A team of women and their families, commissioners and providers (midwives and doctors) working together to review and contribute to the development of local maternity care |
| Midwife Thinking | Interesting blogs on all things pregnancy and birth! |
| National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) | Resources and guidelines for up to date guidelines on pregnancy, childbirth and post partum care |
| Spinning Babies | Spinning Babies® is a unique approach to birth created by midwife, Gail Tully |
Premature births and poorly babies
| Bliss | For babies born premature or sick |
| Graham’s Foundation | Support for every path along the journey of prematurity |
| National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) | NICE guidelines for preterm labour and childbirth |
Maternal Mental Health
| PATH | Mental health support during pregnancy |
| Better Help (Depression) | Depression and pregnancy: signs to look for and how to get help |
| Better Help (Anxiety) | Anxiety during pregnancy: causes and coping mechanisms |
| Parents 1st UK | The difference peer support can make |
| Maternal Mental Health Alliance | Reaching and listening to all women |
Pregnancy & Baby Loss
| Antenatal Results & Choices | We know antenatal results can sometimes be challenging. We’re here to help |
| Tommy’s | Together for every baby (pregnancy loss support for miscarriage, ectopic & molar pregnancies) |
| Miscarriage Association | The knowledge to help (pregnancy loss support for miscarriage, ectopic & molar pregnancies) |
| The Lullaby Trust | Safer sleep for babies, support for families (includes bereavement support) |
| The Ectopic Pregnancy Trust | Supporting people who have experienced an early pregnancy complication and the health care professionals who care for them |
| Saying Goodbye | Providing comprehensive information, advice, support and much more to anyone who has suffered the loss of a baby, at any stage of pregnancy, at birth or in infancy |
| Saying Goodbye | by Zoe Clark-Coates (Book Recommendation) |
| The Baby Loss Guide | by Zoe Clark-Coates (Book Recommendation) |
| Aching Arms | The charity bringing comfort after pregnancy and baby loss |
| Daddys with Angels | We are here to support you during your loss |
| Petals | The baby loss counselling charity |
Pregnancy & Parenting After Loss
| Pregnancy After Loss | by Zoe Clark-Coates (Book Recommendation) |
| JOEL The Complete Package | Supporting families through pregnancy and parenting after baby loss |
| Pregnancy Relaxations | We provide pregnancy relaxation sessions for anyone from the moment they receive that positive test to the moment they give birth in the hope that some mindfulness and relaxation can be found during difficult and vulnerable times |
Exercise
| Mama Being | Workouts appropriate for each trimester during pregnancy and from 6 weeks post natal |
| Fiit | Fiit offer very gentle workouts available from 6 weeks post partum to improve pelvic floor and abdominal muscles |
Weaning (Also see Allergy Support)
| Wean in 15 | Joe Wicks guide to weaning babies from 6 months |
| Baby Led Kitchen | Baby led weaning recipes with allergy safe recipes |
| What Mummy Makes | Rebecca Wilson’s weaning and children’s recipes |
Domestic violence and abuse
| Refuge | The freephone, 24-hour national domestic abuse helpline |
| Rising Sun | Domestic violence and abuse service |
| Women’s Aid | Until women and children are safe |
| Domestic Abuse One Stop Shop | Supporting services in Kent and Medway |
| Oasis | Domestic abuse service |
Breastfeeding
| NHS (Breatfeeding help & support) | Information on Health Visitor support and drop-in centres |
| La Leche League (UK) | Mother-to-mother support for breastfeeding (UK) |
| La Leche League (Kent) | Mother-to-mother support for breastfeeding (Kent) |
| National Breastfeeding Helpline | Independent, confidential, mother-centred, non-judgmental breastfeeding support and information |
| Specialist Infant Feeding Service | Information on how to get referred to specialist services for breastfeeding |
| Moat Breastfeeding Services | Recommended breastfeeding support group |
Reflux
| The Baby Reflux Lady | Help your baby find reflux relief |
| NHS (Infant reflux) | Reflux in babies |
| Sammy Berry Tongue Tie Specialist | The most amazing lady, please get in contact for any tongue tie or feeding queries! |
Tongue Tie
| Sammy Berry Tongue Tie Specialist | The most amazing lady, please get in contact for any tongue tie or feeding queries! |
| Association of Tongue-Tie Practitioners | Invaluable information and support for tongue tie |
Allergy Support
| Allergy UK | Thirty years of supporting people living with allergy |
| My Allergy Kitchen | Supporting families with food allergies |
| The Allergy-Free Baby & Toddler Cookbook | 100 delicious recipes free from dairy, eggs, peanuts, tree nuts, soya, gluten, sesame and shellfish (Book recommendation) |
| The Allergy-Free Family Cookbook | 100 delicious recipes free from dairy, eggs, peanuts, tree nuts, soya, gluten, sesame and shellfish (Book recommendation) |
Sleep
| Vickie Sleep Consultant | Professionally trained and certified gentle sleep consultant |
| Sylvia Emokpae Sleep Nanny | Empowering families to regain balance |
| Just Chill Baby Sleeping | Passionate about demystifying sleep information and empowering parents to become their child’s sleep expert |
| The Gentle Sleep Book | Offers gentle, no-tears, sleep solutions for exhausted parents of newborns to five-year-olds |
Fourth Trimester and Parenting
| S-OS Parenting | Reading material: The fourth trimester (AKA why your newborn baby is only happy in your arms) |
| Born to Move | Laying the foundation for healthy, confident children in Kent |
| The Fourth Trimester by Kimberly Ann-Johnson | Book recommendation |
| MyHummy | White noise bear (follow safe sleep guides when using anything in or near a baby’s cot) |
| Mini first aid | Award winning first aid classes across the UK |
Family Photography
| Graham Bewley Photography | Creating Timeless, Elegant works of Art |
| The Life Narrator (Hannah) | Let’s go for an adventure … for all the family! |
| Kent Life Photography | Kimberley Watkins covering from, to beyond |
| Claire Roads Photography | Natural, relaxed and meaningful in-home photography |
| Rebecca Austin Photography | Capturing life, naturally |