Planning a Family
FAMILY PLANNING
Our family planning clinics offer free, confidential advice and information about contraception and sexual health.
We provide a range of services including:
-
Confidential advice about contraception
-
The combined oral contraceptive pill
-
The Progestogen-only pill
-
Progestogen injections
-
Limited supplies of free condoms
-
Free emergency contraception
-
Confidential advice about STIs
-
Cervical screening
-
Unplanned pregnancy advice
-
Free pregnancy tests
-
Pre-conception advice and fertility awareness information
Please book an appointment (through reception or via our online services) with your GP to discuss any of the above in more detail.
-
Planning a Pregnancy – NHS Choices
-
Cervical Screening – NHS Choices
-
The Facts about Contraception – NHS Choices
PRECONCEPTION ADVICE
If you are planning to have a baby or you need to know more information about how to look after yourself and your unborn baby, please book an appointment with your GP.
We can provide you with all the information you need to know to have a happy and healthy pregnancy.
-
Before you try to get pregnant – NHS Choices
-
Everything you need to know about pregnancy – NHS Choices
-
Pregnancy Care Planner – NHS Choices
-
See how your baby will develop – NHS Choices
-
Work out your due date – NHS Choices Calulator tool
ANTENATAL CARE
Antenatal care is the care and help you receive from health professionals during the course of your pregnancy. It is important you take good care of your own health and that of your unborn baby during pregnancy.
As soon as you find out you are pregnant, you should get in touch with us to find out more information on the services and support that are available to you. You will need to self-refer yourself to ante-natal as soon as possible.
For more information, please visit the following websites.
-
Download the NHS Pregnancy Tracker for your Desktop, find out more here.
POST-NATAL CARE
Postnatal care extends for between 6-8 weeks after the birth of your baby. During this period, routine checks are carried out by the health visitor and you and your baby’s recovery is monitored.
During your postnatal care you will find out about feeding, potty training, illnesses, safety and more. You will be able to ask your health visitor questions and request advice.
-
Birth to 5 years old guide – NHS Choices
-
Breastfeeding Guide – NHS Choices
-
Information and support – NetMums
-
Support for new mum’s – NCT
YOUR PREGNANCY CARE PLAN - NHS
When you are trying to get pregnant/are pregnant, there is a lot to consider, some of these things are:
-
Healthy eating
-
Pregnancy care (also called antenatal care)
-
Decisions you need to make about labour and birth
-
Coping with common pregnancy problems
-
When pregnancy goes wrong
You can find out about all these and read about your baby's development in our week-by-week pregnancy content.
Before you get pregnant
There are things you can do to improve your chances of getting pregnant and having a healthy pregnancy.
Find out what can help when you're planning a pregnancy or trying to get pregnant
Pregnancy weeks 0 to 8
Three weeks after the first day of your last period, your fertilised egg moves slowly along the fallopian tube towards the womb.
Find out what happens when you're:
Pregnancy weeks 9, 10, 11, 12
By now the face is slowly forming, and the eyes are more obvious and have some colour in them. You might still be feeling tired and sick, but for many women this should clear up soon.
Find out what else happens in the third month of pregnancy when you're:
Read more about how much weight you'll put on in pregnancy.
Pregnancy weeks 13, 14, 15, 16
At 14 weeks, the baby is about 85mm long from head to bottom. If you have been feeling sick and tired, you'll probably start to feel better when you're around 13 or 14 weeks pregnant.
Find out what else is happening when you're:
Pregnancy weeks 17, 18, 19, 20
Your baby's body grows bigger so the head and body are more in proportion.
Find out what else is happening when you're:
Pregnancy weeks 21, 22, 23, 24
When you're 24 weeks pregnant, the baby has a chance of survival if they're born. Most babies born before this time can't live because their lungs and other vital organs aren't developed enough.
Find out what else is happening when you're:
Pregnancy weeks 25, 26, 27, 28
Your baby may begin to follow a pattern for waking and sleeping. Very often this is a different pattern from yours, so when you go to bed at night, the baby may wake up and start kicking.
Find out what else is happening when you're:
Pregnancy weeks 29, 30, 31, 32
By about 32 weeks the baby is usually lying with its head pointing downwards, ready for birth.
Find out what else is happening at:
Pregnancy weeks 33, 34, 35, 36
Your baby's bones are starting to harden now, even though the skull bones will stay soft and separated to make the journey through the birth canal easier.
Find out what else is happening when you're:
Pregnancy weeks 37, 38, 39, 40
The amniotic fluid now turns into waste, called meconium, in the baby's intestines, and the soft hair (lanugo) that covered your baby's body is now almost all gone.
Find out what else is happening at:
Pregnancy weeks 40 plus
Find out what to expect if you go overdue:
