COVID vaccine when pregnant, planning a family or breastfeeding
Gov.uk COVID-19 Vaccination: a guide on pregnancy and breastfeeding
There are many services available to support you throughout your pregnancy which are detailed below:
Free courses
Online parenting courses from the Solihull Approach
You can access free online courses on understanding pregnancy, labour, birth and your baby for mums, dads, grandparents, friends and relations. Written by registered midwives and NHS professionals. Visit our parenting courses page for more details.
Healthy Cornwall provides advice and guidance to the public on general health and wellbeing topics such as support with healthy eating, weight management, physical activity, stopping smoking, and healthy pregnancy. Take a look at their supporting you to have a healthy pregnancy leaflet for more information.
Short films and guides
A baby's brain will develop depending on the positive and negative influences it gets in the first few months. This video demonstrates how this happens in a simple way.
The following short film is on parent and baby bonding. It was produced by Tameside Attachment Service and is called 'getting it right from the start'.
The Association for Infant Mental Health produces lots of videos around getting to know your baby and bonding, starting in pregnancy.
Baby Watching: Making sense of your baby
The Institute of Health Visiting has produced the Baby Watching: Making sense of your baby guide to help you getting to know their sleep and wake states. It will also help you understand your baby.
General information
What you'll need for your baby
Healthy Start
Are you pregnant or have children under the age of four? You could qualify if you're on benefits, or if you're pregnant and under 18. With Healthy Start, you get free vouchers every week to spend on milk, plain fresh and frozen fruit and vegetables, and infant formula milk. You can also get free vitamins.
Parental health and wellbeing
Child and adolescent mental health services
Cornwall Perinatal Mental Health Team
Healthy Cornwall
Support with healthy eating, weight management, physical activity, stopping smoking, healthy pregnancy
I need help now, mental health support in Cornwall
Live Well
Advice, tips and tools to help you make the best choices about your health and wellbeing
Man Down
Supporting men's health
Medicines in pregnancy
Most medicines taken during pregnancy cross the placenta and reach the baby. Before taking any medicine when you're pregnant, including painkillers, check with your pharmacist, midwife or GP that it's suitable.
NHS pregnancy guide - the baby blues
Parenting in same sex relationships
Sex and intimacy – parent tips
We are with you - support with drug and alcohol use
Useful Apps
Handi app
The HANDi Paediatric app gives up to date advice about common childhood illnesses and how to treat them. It’s now available to download for free onto any Apple or Android smartphone or tablet. The app contains information about when and how to ask for help, along with what to expect when your child is being assessed.
Baby Check app
Features 19 simple checks that parents can do if their baby is showing signs of illness. Each check tests for a different symptom and when completed, a score is calculated that tells parents or carers how ill their baby is. The app then lets parents know whether their baby needs to see a doctor or health professional
DadPad
Is the essential guide for new dads. Take a look at the website, or you can download the appl for Apple or Android devices.
Websites to support young parents
Services we work with closely to support you
Midwifery
24 hour maternity triage line for Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly
This service is for all maternity related calls from women, birthing people and their families. It manned by midwives and is available 24 hours a day. If you have concerns please call. Please view the short film below for more information.
