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Life Event - Having a Baby
Having a baby can be a very exciting and unpredictable time for all members of the family. The following links will provide you with information on how to look after yourself and your unborn child, your partner's role, choosing maternity care, your benefit entitlements, support and other information for parents to be.
Discovering You Are Pregnant
The first step should be to contact your GP for advice and information about antenatal care. You can also find general information about pregnancy including health issues, birth information and options and where to find support on the following websites:
- BBC - Having a Baby
- National Childbirth Trust
- NHS - Breastfeeding
- Search - Doctors & Surgeries
- NHS - Smoking & Pregnancy
Benefits & Services
The following are some of the benefits to which you may be entitled when pregnant.
- HMRC: Child Benefit - Child Benefit is paid for each child under 16. It can also be paid for children under 19, given certain conditions. Claim as soon as your child is born. If you delay, you may lose some benefit.
- DWP - Maternity Leave - If you are expecting a baby you may be able to get this from your employer.
- DWP - Statutory Maternity Pay (SMP)- You may be able to get this from your employer, if you meet certain criteria. It can be paid for up to 18 weeks.
- DWP - Statutory Paternity Pay (SPP) - You may be able to get this from your employer if your partner is pregnant.
- Maternity Allowance (MA) - This is a weekly benefit paid to pregnant women who are not entitled to SMP, and to the self-employed. It can be paid for up to 18 weeks.
- Sure Start Maternity Grant - This is a grant which you may be able to get from the Social Fund, if you meet certain criteria.
Support Groups
Sometimes pregnancy doesn't go as you would have hoped but there are various support groups that can help:
- BLISS
- Ectopic Pregnancy Trust
- Family Fund Trust
- Foundation for the Study of Infant Deaths
- Miscarriage Association UK
- SANDS - Stillbirth & Neonatal Death Society
Contraception
For advice on contraception and unwanted pregnancies the following organisations can offer advice and support: