• Sunlight

• Vitamin D drops (Please speak to your pharmacist for more information)

• Special bonding time with parents which continues with skin to skin

• Helps with healthy sleeping patterns

• Relief of gas, constipation and colic discomfort

• Enhanced muscle tone and improve circulation

• Body Awareness

• Lower stress

• Enhanced physical and neurological development

Click here to see our 'Infant Feeding' padlet for lots more information about infant feeding.

These classes will cover:

• Exercising safely in pregnancy

• The role of the pelvic floor muscles and how to do pelvic floor exercises

• Bladder and bowel symptoms you may experience during pregnancy and post birth

• Perineal tears and how to reduce it

• What to expect after birth 

• Getting back to yourself and having sex post birth

Four (4) Sessions in Person: Hillingdon Hospital (Saturday), Colham Manor Children Centre (Monday) and/or Yeading Children Centre (Fridays).

Partners or Birth Partners are welcome to attend.

Three (3) sessions on Mondays from 18:00 - 20:00hrs. This is Online via Microsoft Teams.

Our virtual sessions are available to access from the comfort of your home or abroad. It is interactive, parents are encouraged to ask any questions. Partners and birth partners are also welcomed to attend.

Monthly face to face session on Saturday from 10:00am - 17:00 (including breaks). Venue: Hillingdon Hospital

Partners or Birth Partners are welcome to attend.

(Places are depending on availability)

We also accommodate parents with special requirements such as language barriers, learning needs and more.

For more information please click on the link 'Your bump and beyond' antenatal classes | The Hillingdon Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and complete the online form.

- Have a warm bath or shower or

- Use a warm compress on both breasts

Opening times: 08:00am - 15:30hrs

Walk in Service (No appointment is required)

Please call 01895279838 or

E-mail: thh.maternityimmunisations@nhs.net

Opening times: 08:00am - 15:30hrs

Walk in Service (No appointment is required)

Please call 01895279838 or

E-mail: thh.maternityimmunisations@nhs.net

This webinar is for expectant parents receiving antenatal care from:

• The Hillingdon Hospital NHS Foundation Trust

• Chelsea and Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation Trust

• London North West University Healthcare NHS Trust

• Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust

  
  

Who want to learn more about contraception after pregnancy and what is available from their maternity service after baby is born.

Fertility can return as early as Day 21, and it is recommended a minimum of 12 months between the birth of a baby and becoming pregnant again. Maternity services can now offer contraception before discharge, so it is important to think about your future contraception plans whilst you are pregnant. To help you get your choice of contraception, please inform your midwife or doctor of your choice by 36 weeks.

The webinar discuss all methods:

• Combined hormonal contraception

• Progestogen only contraception

• Long-acting reversible contraception (Cu-IUDs (Non-hormonal), LNG - IUDs (hormonal), Implants and injections.

• Barrier methods (condoms)

• Lactational Amenorrhea Method (LAM)

• Sterilisation

Please contact contact 01895279054 if you have any concerns including:

• If you are leaking fluid, heavy clear wet discharge or know that your waters have released

• Experiencing spotting or bleeding

• Constant vomiting

• Painful urination

• Persistent severe headache

• Swelling in feet, face, hands or legs

• Blurred vision (seeing spots)

• Contractions or cramps

• Severe itching especially on hands, feet

• Experiencing sharp continuing abdominal pain

• Pelvic pain

• If you are concerned about your baby movements. Movements has slowed down or pattern changes.

• Have a high temperature

We hope you find these resources helpful. If you notice any broken links or inaccurate information please e-mail thh.welcomingourbaby@nhs.net

Thank you.

• Parent support Hub

• Cost of living hub

• Health and Wellbeing Hub

We help support mothers and their partners from a ethnic families who have recently used or are currently using maternity services in the UK.

- Massage and relaxation techniques

- Water: Bath/ Shower or birthing pool

- TENS machine

- Gas and air (Entonox)

- Pethidine, Meptid and Diamorphine

- Epidural/ Spinal

You will be given contact numbers for Maty Triage, Community Midwives office in case you do not receive a visit by 06:00pm the day after you were discharged.

You may be asked to visit the Community Midwife at the children centres or hospital postnatal clinics within 10 days after discharge from hospital. (Not everyday)

If you will not be going to the same address after discharge, please let your midwives on the postnatal ward know and provide the full address.

Arrangements can be made for you to receive a visit by a community midwife either from the hospital team covering that catchment area or by community midwives team from a hospital nearest to the address you will be discharged to.

• Parents will need to register baby birth before claiming child benefit

• Feeding regularly

• Having wet and dirty nappies

• Normal colour skin for your baby

• Not too hot or cold to touch

• Regular breathing patterns

• Very Sleepy or Floppy

• High Pitched Cry

• Fast Breathing or a change in their breathing pattern

• Rash which does not fade

In a small number of cases jaundice can be a sign of an underlying health condition. If your baby is being monitored at home for jaundice it is important to contact your Midwife or Transitional Care Unit or Maty Triage urgently if their condition gets worse e.g

• if baby becomes reluctant to feed

• and more sleepy

• Day 1-2: Wet 1-2 and 1 or more dirty nappies

• Day 3-4: Wet 3-4 and 2 or more dirty nappies

• Day 6 onwards: Wet 6 or more and 2 or more dirty nappies

• Baby urine should be pale and not dark brown

• After your baby has passed initial meconium and changing stools, your baby should be passing yellowy stools every day.

• At each postnatal contact the healthcare professional will ask you how your baby feeding is going. You can use this opportunity to allow them to watch a feed or ask them any feeding related questions you may have.

If your nipples are sore during a breastfeed please ask a healthcare professional to check that your baby is correctly attached.

If you have a red, hot and painful area on your breast or you feel unwell you may have a problem. Don't stop feeding as you need to keep milk flowing.

Headaches accompanied by one or more of the following symptoms are not normal. Visual disturbances nausea and vomiting.

It is important to report the following to Maty Triage

• Sudden heavy blood loss or large clots bigger than a two pence piece.

• Fever

• Raised temperature

• Shivering

• Abdominal pain and/ or

• Offensive smelling vaginal loss

  
  

  As these are signs of possible infection.

  
  

  If you have any symptoms of urine infection such as

• Burning

• Stinging or

• Needing to pass urine more frequently it is important to discuss with your midwife or GP

It is normal to have some ankle and foot swelling for a short period in the days following birth from extra circulating fluid in the body.

• Elevating your legs using a foot stool when sitting down or

• Putting a pillow under your feet when you are sleeping may help to reduce swelling

However if you have:

• Swelling or pain in your calves

• Shortness of breath or

• Chest Pain

• If you have been given blood thinning medicines it is important to complete the course

• If you experience any of the above signs or symptoms call triage or go to the nearest Walk In Centre. Carry any medicines that you have been taking or was given on discharge including blood thinning medications.

• Urine leakage

• Back Ache

• Heavy Feeling between the vaginal and anus

• If you leak faeces this is not normal and you must contact a health professional

• You can help yourself by doing pelvic floor exercises to help strengthen the muscles around the bladder, vagina and anus.

• Aim to build up to eight repeats, three times a day and continue this, as a part of your daily routine.

• Always put your baby to sleep on their back (Never on tummy or side)

• Pillows, Cot bumpers, toys and anything that could potentially suffocate your baby should not be in the cot

• Place your baby with their feet touching the foot of the cot

• Bed clothes firmly tucked under a firm fitting mattress and no higher than baby shoulders

• The safest place for your baby to sleep for the first 6 months is in a separate crib or cot in a room with you.

• Do not sleep with a baby on a sofa or armchair as this greatly increases the risk of Sudden Infant Deaths

• A baby should never be left alone in an adult bed

• It is particularly dangerous for your baby to sleep in your bed if you and/or your partner are:

  - A smoker

  - Have been drinking alcohol

  - Take medication or drugs that make you drowsy and feel very tired

  - If your baby was premature or a low birth weight less than 2.5kg or 5.5lbs

• If you decide to share a bed please ensure

  - You avoid the use of soft or bulky bedding such as quilts, pillows and duvets as this increase the chance of SIDS

• Make sure your baby cannot fall out of the bed or become trapped between the mattress and the wall

• The chance of a baby dying of SIDS is higher if baby get too hot. The correct room temperature for your baby is 16 to 20 degrees Celsius

• Use lightweight bedding or lightweight well-fitting baby sleeping bag

• As a rough guide for temperature - baby should have one more layer than you would wear or sleep under.

• Check on your baby regularly if your baby feel hot or damp at the back of their neck remove one layer

• If your baby is unwell it will need less layers (Do not add more layers)

• Rough handling of a baby or child, especially shaking is dangerous and can cause serious injuries possibly even death

• Infant crying is normal and it will stop - Comfort methods can sometimes soothe the baby

• Know that its ok to walk away if you have checked your baby is safe

• Never shake or hurt a baby

• Baby should never be exposed to cigarette smoke

• You should ensure that nobody smokes anywhere in your home even when you smoke out of the back door or out of the window 80% of cigarette smoke comes back into the house

• Smoking around a baby or child:

  - Doubles their risk of meningitis

  - Can cause asthma and respiratory infections

  - It increases the risk of your child being admitted to hospital

• If you as the parents are smokers you should consider stop smoking. For more information SMOKEFREE Protect your family visit www.nhs.uk/smokefree

• Be vigilant to common risks to babies and young children including lyme cords which can cause strangulation suffocation for example from nappy sacks, things in the cot such as bumpers and toys, pets, medications left lying around and washing pods (as they can look like sweets)

• Ideally do not have babies in a car seats for longer than 30 mins at a time

• If on a long journey take regular breaks

• Many unplanned pregnancies happen in the first months after childbirth so it is good to be prepared.

• Please be aware that you can still get pregnant while breastfeeding you baby.

• Think about it and speak to your GP or local sexual health clinic

• If you want to have contraception before you leave hospital please speak to the midwife caring for you during the first week after childbirth

• Up to 8 - 10 mothers/birthing people get what is often called the baby blues which are thought to be due to sudden hormonal and chemical changes that takes place in the body after giving birth. Symptoms include

  - Feeling emotional

  - Irrational

  - Bursting into tears for no apparent reason

  - Feeling irritable or touchy

  - Feeling anxious or depressed

• All of these symptoms are normal and usually only last a few days. If your symptoms last longer or start later you could have postnatal depression. This can start anytime in the first year after giving birth and is a common problem affecting more than one in every 10 women. It can also affect partners too. It is normal not to enjoy being a parent all of the time

• It is important to seek help as soon as possible if you think you might be depressed. With the right support which can include self- help strategies and therapy most people make a full recovery.

• Signs that you or someone you know might be depressed include a persistent feeling of sadness and low mood, lack of enjoyment and loss of interest in the wider world, a lack of energy and feeling tired all of the time or trouble sleeping at night, difficulty bonding with your baby and frightening thoughts for example about hurting your baby.

• Many women don't realise that they have postnatal depression because it can develop gradually. If you think you might be depressed please contact your midwife or GP about local support groups.

• If you think that your partner may be depressed encourage them to seek help from GP, CNWL Talk Therapies

• Inform your GP that you have had a baby so they can register them as a patient and book your six to eight week GP check up appointment for you and baby

Thank you for taking the time to read this. If you have any questions about anything you have read please discuss them with your midwife or e-mail

thh.welcomingourbaby@nhs.net

• Tummy upsets

• Chest, urinary and ear infections

• Allergies

• Diabetes

• Obesity

• Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS)

  
  

Mothers who breastfeed have reduced rates of:

• Breast cancer

• Ovarian cancer

• Osteoporosis in later life

• Cardiovascular disease

Midwives, Maternity Support Workers and Breastfeeding Volunteers will be able to support you with learning to feed your baby.

You can read information and advice about how to breastfeed on the NHS website or go to Infant feeding (padlet.com) for more information.

Infant Feeding Support Available:

• Our infant feeding team is available on the postnatal ward from Monday to Friday: 01895 279723

• National Breastfeeding Helpline: 0300 100 0212

• Drop in Sessions at Children Centres

• Health Visitor - Duty Line: 01895 891302;

  09:00am-05:00pm Mon – Friday (closed Weekends and Bank Holidays)

CONTACT US: 07394 609388

Arabic

Bengali

Chinese

English

French

Hebrew

Latvian

Lithuanian

Polish

Portuguese

Punjabi

Romanian

Somali

Urdu

Welsh

• 01st July 2026 at Hillingdon Hospital

• 21st October 2026 at Hillingdon Hospital

  
  

To express interest and for more information please text 07929797647 your full name, NHS number and your preferred date to attend. Partner/Birth partner is also welcome to attend.

Opening times: 08:00am - 15:30hrs

Walk in Service (No appointment is required)

Please call 01895279838 or

E-mail: thh.maternityimmunisations@nhs.net

• Maternity Notes​

• Comfortable front opening nightdresses, big T-shirts or pyjamas

• Socks​ and Slippers

• Dressing gown/ Night gown ​

• Loose fitting underwear​

• Maternity pads​ (Full pack)

• Toiletries for personal hygiene​ including lip balm

• Comfortable bras and breast pads​

• Food, Snacks, Drinks​

• Handheld fan​ and spray bottle

• Phone and charger

• Books, iPad and or games

• Comfortable pillow​ (with waterproof covering)

• Flannels

• Clothes and shoes for going home​

• Any medications prescribed or kits provided during pregnancy please bring with you when in labour.

• Vests x5

• Baby Grows x5

• Hats x5

• Nappies: New-born Size 0 and 1 (Half pack of each)​

• Baby Blankets​ or shawl

• Cotton pads ​

• Muslin cloth

• Going home clothes and blanket for baby

• Car seat

A guide to the UK immigration and asylum system

- Scroll down to North West London antenatal videos

Lothian Sexual Health invites you to view these videos:

Contraception after childbirth

(Available in: Polish, Urdu, Punjabi and Mandarin)

Intrauterine Conception (COIL)