It's recommended you take folic acid as soon as you start trying for a baby (ideally for 3 months before) and during the first 12 weeks of pregnancy. This will help your baby's brain and spine to develop normally.

You can take folic acid after 12 weeks too. It helps make blood cells. Your doctor or midwife may recommend that you keep taking folic acid throughout pregnancy if you are anaemic or at risk of anaemia.

You'll usually take 400 micrograms a day. Your doctor may advise you to take a higher dose of folic acid (usually 5 mg) if you have a higher chance of having a baby with a neural tube defect (a problem with the brain and/or spine, such as spina bifida).

Your chance of having a baby with a neural tube defect may be higher if:

• you have previously had a pregnancy affected by a neural tube defect

• you or the baby's biological father have a neural tube defect

• you or the baby's biological father have a family history of neural tube defects

• you have diabetes

• you're very overweight

• you have sickle cell disease

• you're taking certain epilepsy medicines

• you're taking antiretroviral medicines for HIV

Most foods and drinks are safe to have during pregnancy. But there are some things you should be careful with or avoid.

https://www.nhs.uk/pregnancy/keeping-well/foods-to-avoid/

A healthy diet is an important part of a healthy lifestyle at any time but is especially vital if you're pregnant or planning a pregnancy. Eating healthily during pregnancy will help your baby to develop and grow.

You do not need to go on a special diet, but it's important to eat a variety of different foods every day to get the right balance of nutrients that you and your baby need. 

It's best to get vitamins and minerals from the foods you eat, but when you're pregnant you need to take a folic acid supplement as well, to make sure you get everything you need.

https://www.nhs.uk/pregnancy/keeping-well/have-a-healthy-diet/

We recommend you avoid ibuprofen and see a doctor if you need stronger pain relief.

https://www.medicinesinpregnancy.org/leaflets-a-z/paracetamol/

Bumps (Best Use of Medicines in Pregnancy) has been designed to provide freely available, reliable, evidenced-based and accurate information about the use of medicines in pregnancy.

Our aim is to help women make decisions regarding use of medicines in pregnancy that are best for both mother and baby.

For women who experience problems—such as bladder or bowel leakage, or pelvic organ prolapse—pelvic floor muscle exercises should be practised up to six times a day.

For many women, the first time that they hear about pelvic floor exercises is during, or soon after, their first pregnancy. This is an excellent time to start a pelvic floor exercise programme and is completely safe to do at any stage of pregnancy.

Squeezy empowers you to take control of your pelvic health. Designed by chartered physiotherapists you can be confident that your pelvic floor is in safe hands.

https://squeezyapp.com

The Lullaby Trust raises awareness of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), provides expert advice on safer sleep for babies and offers emotional support for bereaved families

Before 10+6 w - Booking with community midwife at home

11-14 w - Scan, screening and routine blood tests offered in antenatal clinic

16 w - Midwife

20 w - Anomaly scan in antenatal clinic

25 w (1st pregnancy) - Midwife

28 w - Midwife and routine blood tests

31 w (1st pregnancy) - Midwife

34 w - Midwife

36 w - Midwife - birth discussion at home

38 w - Midwife

40 w - Midwife

41 w- Midwife

You may be offered additional appointments with an obstetrician if needed.

https://cks.nice.org.uk/topics/antenatal-care-uncomplicated-pregnancy/management/antenatal-care-uncomplicated-pregnancy/

You'll have a number of antenatal appointments during your pregnancy, and you'll see a midwife or sometimes an obstetrician (doctor specialising in pregnancy).

They'll check the health of you and your baby, give you useful information (for example, about a healthy pregnancy diet or antenatal screening) and answer any questions.

Pregnant employees have the right to paid time off for antenatal care.

This page lists the appointments you'll be offered and when you should have them. 

Penderi midwives Team: 07971592205

Bay Birth Centre: 01639 862117

Neath Port Talbot Birth Centre: 01639 862103

Antenatal clinic: 01792 285395

Antenatal Day assessment (9-5 mon-fri): 01792 285214

Antenatal assessment (24hr service): 01792 286111

Singleton Hospital Main Switchboard: 01792 205666

We have six rooms plus a birthing pool. We're open 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Midwives are on hand in our home-from-home unit to guide and support you through labour and birth.

Our experience tells us that families benefit from time together, so we encourage partners to stay in one of our double rooms.

Just a quarter of first-time mums and 8% of women who have birthed before are likely to need transferring to Singleton Hospital around the time of birth. 

The majority of women that are transferred are for non-urgent, non life-threatening reasons.  Transfer time is around one hour.

https://sbuhb.nhs.wales/hospitals/a-z-services/maternity-services/maternity-services-folder/npthbirth/

Swansea Bay UHB is re-introducing its Home Birth Service from 21st October.

More info coming soon…

https://sbuhb.nhs.wales/hospitals/a-z-services/maternity-services/home-births-and-npt-birth-centre-update-september-2024/

The articles and blog posts on this website are focused on providing evidence-based and midwifery-rooted information about pregnancy and childbirth options, in order to help women and families make the decisions that are right for them.

Whichever stage you’re at, there is a digital pack for you. These are complete programmes with 6+ hours of workshops broken into bitesize chunks, digital downloads and tons of extras. You have access for 12 months (3 years for the Early Years Pack) so you can watch, absorb the information and practice the techniques. Or binge watch to power up your knowledge in a few hours!

A space for families to discuss breastfeeding issues and support each other through their feeding journeys.

If you're struggling in pregnancy, or after having a new baby – we're here for you.