Finding Help
Helpful Advice for New Parents
If you're pregnant, have just given birth or have a toddler or two to contend with then there are many sources you can turn to for help and advice. There's been an explosion in the amount of websites and books dedicated to caring for babies and children, and these can provide a useful resource. Let UKTV Style help you sort through the sheer volume of information out there.
Baby Clinic
Your midwife or health visitor are a great first point of call for help and advice. Your health visitor is available to deal with questions about your baby's health and development and a visit to the baby clinic can be the highlight of your day in those first few months! Not only is it a chance to reassure yourself that your baby is gaining weight and developing well, but it can also be a good social outing and a chance to chat to other parents.
Books, Books and More Books...
There's been a massive growth in the publishing of books aimed at parents and parents-to-be. That adds up to a lot of good advice but also a potential minefield of conflicting information. There are so many approaches to parenting and you can bet your bottom dollar that each one will have a stack of associated books. So, you can go for strict routine รก la Contented Little Baby Book, The Baby Whisperer's more softly, softly approach or read up on the joys of attachment parenting (and a whole host of others too numerous to mention). Each approach has its merits and most of the books will have some useful advice but it is important to find a way which suits the temperament of both you and your baby. So, this may not mean taking any one approach wholesale, but cherry-picking bits from each. And remember, children are all individual, so manage your expectations accordingly and don't expect miracle results on day one as most of the books promise!
Get Online
The web can be a very good resource for those in need of information and support and there are some great sites out there. BabyCentre is a comprehensive, up-to-date resource with information from pre-conception to toddler-hood. The community area of the site is very well used and you will always be able to find a sympathetic ear to offload your problems to, share your happiness or just listen to the rants of a sleep-deprived parent! The site is very much from a UK perspective so users may find the information more relevant and resonant than a lot of the American baby sites. The BBC Parenting zone is also worth a look as are iVillage and Handbag.com.
The Cow & Gate site contains masses of useful advice and information covering pregnancy, tips on feeding (including recipes!) and info on your baby's development. Cow & Gate also offer a telephone service, where you can speak to someone from a team made up of mums, midwives and healthcare professionals, who are supported by dieticians and nutritionists. So, as you can imagine, there is a whole wealth of knowledge and experience at your fingertips. They are available to chat about whatever you want - you don't even need a question! Call them on 08457 623 623 or check out the website for more information.
In addition to this, Cow and Gate have also launched Neighbourhood Mums, a fantastic new online network for mums across the UK. Whether you'd like to hear from other mums in your area, at the same stage of pregnancy or parenthood as you, or who have similar interests, it's a great service giving you the chance to share experiences and support each other, while making friends along the way. Find out more on the Cow & Gate website.
Your midwife or health visitor are a great first point of call for help and advice. Your health visitor is available to deal with questions about your baby's health and development and a visit to the baby clinic can be the highlight of your day in those first few months! Not only is it a chance to reassure yourself that your baby is gaining weight and developing well, but it can also be a good social outing and a chance to chat to other parents.
Books, Books and More Books...
There's been a massive growth in the publishing of books aimed at parents and parents-to-be. That adds up to a lot of good advice but also a potential minefield of conflicting information. There are so many approaches to parenting and you can bet your bottom dollar that each one will have a stack of associated books. So, you can go for strict routine รก la Contented Little Baby Book, The Baby Whisperer's more softly, softly approach or read up on the joys of attachment parenting (and a whole host of others too numerous to mention). Each approach has its merits and most of the books will have some useful advice but it is important to find a way which suits the temperament of both you and your baby. So, this may not mean taking any one approach wholesale, but cherry-picking bits from each. And remember, children are all individual, so manage your expectations accordingly and don't expect miracle results on day one as most of the books promise!
Get Online
The web can be a very good resource for those in need of information and support and there are some great sites out there. BabyCentre is a comprehensive, up-to-date resource with information from pre-conception to toddler-hood. The community area of the site is very well used and you will always be able to find a sympathetic ear to offload your problems to, share your happiness or just listen to the rants of a sleep-deprived parent! The site is very much from a UK perspective so users may find the information more relevant and resonant than a lot of the American baby sites. The BBC Parenting zone is also worth a look as are iVillage and Handbag.com.
The Cow & Gate site contains masses of useful advice and information covering pregnancy, tips on feeding (including recipes!) and info on your baby's development. Cow & Gate also offer a telephone service, where you can speak to someone from a team made up of mums, midwives and healthcare professionals, who are supported by dieticians and nutritionists. So, as you can imagine, there is a whole wealth of knowledge and experience at your fingertips. They are available to chat about whatever you want - you don't even need a question! Call them on 08457 623 623 or check out the website for more information.
In addition to this, Cow and Gate have also launched Neighbourhood Mums, a fantastic new online network for mums across the UK. Whether you'd like to hear from other mums in your area, at the same stage of pregnancy or parenthood as you, or who have similar interests, it's a great service giving you the chance to share experiences and support each other, while making friends along the way. Find out more on the Cow & Gate website.
