Some links on this page have been colour coded to make it easier to find the information you need:
There are excellent local and national services you can self-refer to which are covered below and numerous sources of detailed information covered in the answers below to topics patients often ask about. A good place to start is the NHS website which provides a well organised and simple overview covering most topics which will complement any service that you use. It is also worth looking at ” A healthy and safe pregnancy” which is focused around Tommy’s website.
From the NHS
Pregnancy Pregnancy – NHS
This includes
From Better Health NHS
Contains same / similar information to NHS website but with a focus on better health, so less information on medical conditions and more on good physical and mental wellbeing. Pregnancy – Start for Life – NHS
From Tommy’s
“The largest UK charity researching the causes and prevention of pregnancy complications, miscarriage, stillbirth and premature birth.”
Pregnancy information Pregnancy information | Tommy’s
This excellent website provides helpful information on how to have a healthy and safe pregnancy
There is significant local support for pregnancy. You are able to self-refer to any of the local hospitals for maternity care without needing to see your GP. In addition, you can get direct support from the local maternity team for any urgent help required or just simple advice. This is all explained below with other support.
Information on self-referral process from patient info and what to expect
Refer Yourself for NHS Antenatal Care NHS Antenatal Care Self Referral | Patient
Booking at Stoke Mandeville hospital or Wycombe or Aylesbury birth centres (Buckinghamshire Health Care Trust)
Booking at Wexham Park Hospital (Frimley Trust)
To be booked under the care of Wexham Park Hospital (Frimley Health Foundation trust) just fill in their form Your pregnancy
Booking Hillingdon Hospital
To be booked under the care of Hillingdon Park Hospital just fill in their form Self-refer to Maternity | The Hillingdon Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
From Sexual Health Buckinghamshire
Teenage pregnancies and young parents Teenage Pregnancy and Young Parents | Sexual Health Bucks
The NHS London Ambulance Service NHS Trust suggests around birth what should lead you to call 999
Advice if you are due to give birth Advice if you are due to give birth – London Ambulance Service NHS Trust
The NHS suggest what symptoms or signs might indicate an emergency requiring a call to 999 (even if unrelated to pregnancy)
When to call 999 When to call 999 – NHS
The NHS website suggests what to do if you might have Covid 19
Covid 19 Pregnancy and coronavirus (COVID-19) – NHS
From Tommy’s
This website provides more detailed information on when a pregnancy related condition is more serious, including when you should call 999/111 or your midwife. There is also a poster summary when to call your midwife.
If you need immediate care relating to your pregnancy
Following your self-referral to your chosen maternity unit, you will be given contact details for the maternity team. If you think you need immediate care as described in the question above call your maternity team. If you think you having an emergency as described above, call 999.
This is also explained further in the hospital links with the telephone numbers below:
For Patients booking at Stoke Mandeville hospital or Wycombe or Aylesbury birth centres (Buckinghamshire Health Care Trust)
I/My baby needs urgent care I/My baby needs urgent care – Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust – Birth Choices Website
For Patients booking at Wexham Park Hospital (Frimley Trust)
Who to call if I am concerned about myself or my baby? Concerns in pregnancy
For Patients booking Hillingdon Hospital
This service is open 24 hours a day for anyone 18 weeks and over for pregnancy related problems or advice Wards, clinics, visiting and contacts | The Hillingdon Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Some symptoms may appear minor and you may think a routine call (non-urgent) call to your midwife is fine. However some symptoms may require a call to 999/111 or an immediate call to your midwife. Tommy’s website explains when a more urgent response might be needed for some common pregnancy related symptoms.
From Tommy’s
This website provides more detailed information on when a condition is more serious, including when you should call 999/111 or your midwife immediately (urgently). There is also a poster summary when to call your midwife.
If you need simple advice (non-urgent) relating to your pregnancy you can contact your maternity team for simple advice on pregnancy related issues using the contact details below for your local hospital.
For Patients booking at Stoke Mandeville hospital or Wycombe or Aylesbury birth centres (Buckinghamshire Health Care Trust)
You can contact your midwife for simple advice What to do when I find out I’m pregnant – Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust – Birth Choices Website
For Patients booking at Wexham Park Hospital (Frimley Trust)
Who to call if I am concerned about myself or my baby? Concerns in pregnancy
For Patients booking Hillingdon Hospital
Our Maternity Triage department is a 24/7 service for people over 18 weeks of pregnancy Wards, clinics, visiting and contacts | The Hillingdon Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
For Patients booking at Stoke Mandeville hospital or Wycombe or Aylesbury birth centres (Buckinghamshire Health Care Trust)
Free Parent education (note you need to scroll to the bottom of the page to find the information on the courses and the link to book onto the courses) Care during your pregnancy – Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust – Birth Choices Website
For Patients booking at Wexham Park Hospital (Frimley Trust)
Parent education (Note: there is a charge for Buckinghamshire residents but free for East Berkshire residents) Register for free online parenting courses
For Patients booking Hillingdon Hospital
Want to book Parent education Antenatal classes | The Hillingdon Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
You can speak to your midwife initially about low mood. An example of midwife/ hospital support is given below but this applies to all hospitals.
For Patients booking at Stoke Mandeville hospital or Wycombe or Aylesbury birth centres (Buckinghamshire Health Care Trust)
Perinatal mental health Perinatal mental health – Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust – Birth Choices Website
From Buckinghamshire Mind
Your midwife can refer you to the perinatal support service
Perinatal support service Buckinghamshire Mind – Perinatal Support Service
From Buckinghamshire Mind
Your health visitor can refer you to the perinatal support service
Perinatal support service Buckinghamshire Mind – Perinatal Support Service
From Buckinghamshire Talking Therapies
“Postnatal wellbeing group: A 10-week structured group designed to help mothers struggling with depression and anxiety after birth” (scroll down page to see). Courses and groups – NHS Buckinghamshire Talking Therapies
Support from your health visiting team
For information and contact details for your local health visitor team, see under
This includes
For further local mental health support, see under
From Frimley Health Foundation trust (Wexham Park Hospital)
“About 25% of women will experience domestic abuse at some point in their lives. It can be physical, emotional, sexual, psychological or financial. Unfortunately, it is known that pregnancy can be a trigger for the start of abuse, or it can worsen existing abuse. Abuse in pregnancy can be harmful to the mother and the baby.
We can help you. You can speak to your midwife; they can give you the support you need.”
Ask us for help Ask us for help | Frimley Maternity Health and Care
NOTE: This is from the Frimley website but contact your midwife for support whichever hospital you are under.
For other support locally, see under
Every hospital will provide bereavement support, to support you at a very difficult time including:
From Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust
“Sadly, sometimes pregnancy does not go to plan. You may have experienced a miscarriage, ectopic pregnancy, termination or the death of your baby. We want to extend our sympathy to you and help you through this difficult time.” Bereavement support – Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust – Birth Choices Website
From Wexham Park Hospital (Frimley Trust)
“Although pregnancy and childbirth is safer now than ever before, not all pregnancies have the happy ending hoped for. It is always a very sad and difficult time when families are faced with unexpected loss and parents can be left feeling vulnerable, angry and confused.” Baby Loss
There is further support for bereavement locally, see under
Also see under the national support section for national helplines.
Support from your health visiting team
For information and contact details for your local health visitor team, see under
This includes
For further information and local support.
Similar services will be available from all local hospitals, an example is included below
From Buckinghamshire Health Care Trust
Infant feeding Infant feeding – Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust – Birth Choices Website
There is similar information on both the work and finance pages with local support if required, see under:
From Healthy Start NHS
If you’re more than 10 weeks pregnant or have a child under 4, you may be entitled to get help to buy healthy food and milk.
From Tommy’s
“The Tommy’s Midwives’ Helpline is a freephone line staffed by our specialist team of midwives, for anyone who needs advice, reassurance or support on any pregnancy or planning for pregnancy issue, including mental health. This is a non-urgent line, offering general support and advice. We will not be able to make local referrals for you.” Tommy’s Midwives | Tommy’s
There is particularly good national support for breast and bottle feeding, with detailed information particularly on breast feeding, in addition to the helplines.
From the National Breastfeeding Helpline
“The National Breastfeeding Helpline offers friendly, non-judgemental, independent, evidence based breastfeeding support and information to anyone in the UK who needs it. The helpline is provided by the Breastfeeding Network and the Association of Breastfeeding Mothers.”
National Breastfeeding Helpline National Breastfeeding Helpline – Helpline
From the Association of Breastfeeding Mothers
How to get breastfeeding support Get breastfeeding support – ABM
From La Leche League GB
Get Support Get Support – La Leche League GB
From NCT (the National Charity for Pregnancy, Birth and Early Parenthood.)
Support with breastfeeding or bottle feeding: our infant feeding line Support with breastfeeding or bottle feeding: our infant feeding line | NCT
From NCT (the National Charity for Pregnancy, Birth and Early Parenthood.)
Support with breastfeeding or bottle feeding: our infant feeding line Support with breastfeeding or bottle feeding: our infant feeding line | NCT
From Family lives
“Don’t forget you can chat to us online for support or call our helpline”
Advice about pregnancy and babies Pregnancy and baby advice – Family Lives
From NCT (the National Charity for Pregnancy, Birth and Early Parenthood.)
General enquiries for parents, members and volunteers. Contact us | NCT
Support for pre-school children and parents
For further information and national support also see under
From Tommy’s
“Our Tommy’s Midwives’ helpline is for people who have had any type of pregnancy loss, including miscarriage, stillbirth, ectopic pregnancy, molar pregnancy or termination for medical reasons.” Baby loss information and support | Tommy’s
From the Miscarriage Association
“The Miscarriage Association is here to provide support and information to anyone affected by miscarriage, ectopic pregnancy or molar pregnancy.”
Our support services Miscarriage and pregnancy loss support – The Miscarriage Association
From Sands
Helpline: “The Sands National Helpline provides a safe, confidential place for anyone who has been affected by the death of a baby. Whether your baby died long ago or recently, we are here for you”. Sands Helpline – 0808 164 3332 [email protected] | Sands – Saving babies’ lives. Supporting bereaved families.
Though not a helpline this is included as a popular App to support parents.
From Best Beginnings
“Our free multi-award-winning, interactive pregnancy and parenting app Baby Buddy has been created to support parents, co-parents and caregivers, and to back up frontline practitioners’ work and communication. Baby Buddy provides trusted, evidence-based information and self-care tools, based on the latest research and is NHS-approved.”
Baby Buddy app Baby Buddy app | Best Beginnings
From the NHS, Patient info and NICE
Pregnancy
From Start4life
Trusted NHS help and advice during pregnancy, birth and parenthood Start4Life
From NCT (the National Charity for Pregnancy, Birth and Early Parenthood.)
Pregnancy, birth and early parenthood The UK’s leading charity for parents | NCT
From Frimley Health Foundation trust (Wexham Park Hospital)
An excellent well organised resource with good information around pregnancy but note links to support smoking cessation does not include Buckinghamshire patients, see under self-referral section to local support for Buckinghamshire patients.
Maternity at Frimley Health and Care Maternity at Frimley Health and Care
From Buckinghamshire Health Care Trust
Mainly information on their service but some good leaflets
Birth choices website Homepage – Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust – Birth Choices Website
From Hillingdon Hospital
Maternity and midwifery Maternity | The Hillingdon Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
From the NHS
From Sexwise (produced by the Family Planning Association)
Simple well laid out advice
Planning a pregnancy Planning a pregnancy – Sexwise
From Patient info
From Frimley Health Foundation trust
Note links to support smoking cessation does not include Buckinghamshire patients, see at the bottom of this question for local support for Buckinghamshire patients.
Planning for pregnancy About Frimley Health and Care
From NICE
Pre-conception – advice and management Pre-conception – advice and management | Health topics A to Z | CKS | NICE
For local support for lifestyle changes with smoking and alcohol see under local support self-referral subsection.
From the NHS
From the NHS
From Patient info
Pregnancy (see under “Information on Newborn Baby Screening Tests”) Pregnancy | Planning, Labour and Complications | Patient
From NICE
Antenatal care – uncomplicated pregnancy Antenatal care – uncomplicated pregnancy | Health topics A to Z | CKS | NICE
From Frimley Health Foundation trust (Wexham Park Hospital)
Maternity at Frimley Health and Care Maternity at Frimley Health and Care
From Buckinghamshire Health Care Trust
Birth choices website Homepage – Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust – Birth Choices Website
From Hillingdon Hospital
Maternity and midwifery Maternity | The Hillingdon Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
From the NHS
Keeping well in pregnancy Keeping well in pregnancy – NHS
From Start4life
Pregnancy Pregnancy | Start4Life
From NCT (the National Charity for Pregnancy, Birth and Early Parenthood.)
Pregnancy Pregnancy | NCT
From BDA UK (Association of UK dietitians)
Pregnancy and diet Pregnancy and diet
From First Steps Nutrition Trust
Eating well in pregnancy Eating well in pregnancy — First Steps Nutrition Trust
From Patient info
Under the pregnancy section in patient info there are features on keeping healthy in pregnancy
From Frimley Health Foundation trust
Your pregnancy Your pregnancy
For local support with smoking and alcohol see under local support self-referral subsection.
From Fit for Travel (NHS Scotland and Public Health Scotland)
Advice for Pregnant Travellers Pregnant Travellers – Fit for Travel
From the NHS
Travelling in pregnancy Travelling in pregnancy – NHS
From the NHS
From Patient info
Under the pregnancy section in patient info there are features on Pregnancy Complications
From Frimley Health Foundation trust
Pregnancy complications Pregnancy complications
From NICE
From the Royal College of Psychiatrists
An excellent section, scroll down page and click on tab “ Before, during and after Pregnancy” for multiple articles around pregnancy Mental health problems and disorders | Royal College of Psychiatrists
Includes
Mental health in pregnancy Mental health in pregnancy | Royal College of Psychiatrists
From NICE
Depression – antenatal and postnatal Depression – antenatal and postnatal | Health topics A to Z | CKS | NICE
For local support for mental health see under local support self-referral subsection.
From the NHS
From the NHS, Patient info and NICE
Miscarriage
From The Miscarriage association
Information: Our information section helps you to make sense of what’s happening Information about miscarriage & pregnancy loss – The Miscarriage Association
From Patient info
Maternity Benefits Maternity Benefits. Pregnancy advice, maternity leave and pay | Patient
For local support following the loss of a baby see under local support self-referral subsection.
From Better Health NHS
Hospital bag checklist – what to pack for you and your baby Hospital bag checklist – Start for Life – NHS
From Frimley Health Foundation trust
Preparing your hospital bag Preparing your hospital bag
From the NHS and Patient info
Labour and birth
From NCT (the National Charity for Pregnancy, Birth and Early Parenthood)
Labour & birth Labour & birth | NCT
From Patient info
Under the pregnancy section in patient info there are features on labour(childbirth)
Pregnancy (see under “Information on labour (childbirth”) Pregnancy | Planning, Labour and Complications | Patient
From Frimley Health Foundation trust
Your labour and birth Your labour and birth
Further information on early years can be found under
Some important topics immediately after delivery are covered below:
From the NHS
From the NHS and NICE
Common breastfeeding problems
From Patient info
From Patient info and NICE
Mastitis and Breast Abscess
From NCT (the National Charity for Pregnancy, Birth and Early Parenthood.)
Feeding (breast and bottle feeding) Feeding | NCT
From La Leche League GB
Detailed and comprehensive information covering all aspects of breast feeding
Breast feeding information Get Support – La Leche League GB
From the Association of breast-feeding mothers
Information Library Information Library – ABM
From First Steps Nutrition Trust
Infants & new mums Infants & new mums — First Steps Nutrition Trust
From Buckinghamshire Health Care Trust
Infant feeding Infant feeding – Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust – Birth Choices Website
See under self-referral section for local support from Health Visitors and the support from national helplines
From the NHS
“This guide includes everything you need to know about caring for a baby.”
From Better Health NHS
Contains same / similar information to NHS website but with a focus on better health, so less information on medical conditions and more on good physical.
From NCT (the National Charity for Pregnancy, Birth and Early Parenthood.)
Baby & toddler Baby & toddler | NCT
From Start for Life
From Patient info
For further information and support see under Preschool .
See under local self-referral section for support from Health Visitors
From the NHS
After the birth After the birth – NHS
From NCT (the National Charity for Pregnancy, Birth and Early Parenthood.)
Life as a parent Life as a parent | NCT
From Patient info
Also see other sections for further information which may be relevant including contraception under
From the Royal College of Psychiatrists
An excellent section, click on tab “ Before, during and after Pregnancy” for multiple articles around pregnancy Mental health problems and disorders | Royal College of Psychiatrists
Includes
Postnatal depression – key facts Postnatal depression key facts | Royal College of Psychiatrists
From NICE
Depression – antenatal and postnatal Depression – antenatal and postnatal | Health topics A to Z | CKS | NICE
For local support for mental health see under local support self-referral subsection.
On the videos and podcasts page there are links to some relevant videos and podcasts covering the topic of pregnancy.