You and your pregnancy (antenatal)

Becoming a parent can be exciting and challenging.

Learning about caring for a baby before they arrive can help you feel more prepared and confident.

Read more on preparation for birth and beyond

Your health visitor can give you information about feeding your baby and help you make choices that are right for you and your family.

We can talk about responsive feeding and how babies tell us when they are hungry.

Find out more about feeding your baby

Knowing how to keep your baby safe while they sleep is very important.

Find simple advice about:

• where your baby should sleep
• sleeping safely day and night
• reducing the risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS)

Find out more about safe sleep

Pregnancy can bring lots of different feelings. Some days may feel exciting and others may feel worrying or overwhelming.

Looking after yourself is an important part of looking after your baby.

Read more on wellbeing information and support

Babies start learning before they are born.

Talking, singing and responding to your baby can help build a strong and loving relationship. These early connections help your baby feel safe, loved and ready to learn.

Find out more about bonding with your baby

There are lots of local services, groups and activities for parents, carers and families in Leeds.

Find family support near you

Health visitors are nurses or midwives with extra training who support families from pregnancy until your child starts school.

We deliver the Healthy Child Programme, a universal service offered to all families.

We work with all families and know that every family is different.

Our role is to listen, answer questions and support you with any concerns you may have.

We are not here to judge you. We want to help you make informed choices that are right for you and your family.

We know life can be busy.

If you need to change or cancel your appointment, please contact the Single Point of Access (SPA) as soon as you can. We will be happy to arrange another time that works for you.

Your antenatal contact is an important part of getting ready for your baby’s arrival. It helps you learn about the support available from our team and provides information on topics such as feeding your baby, safe sleep, emotional wellbeing, and building a positive relationship with your baby from the very beginning.

Keeping your appointment, or rearranging it if you cannot attend, helps make sure you receive the right information and support at the right time during your pregnancy.

Contact SPA on 0113 843 5683

Once your baby is born, a member of the 0 to 19 Service will contact you to arrange a new birth visit, usually when your baby is around 10 to 14 days old.

As part of the Healthy Child Programme, all families are offered a series of health and development reviews from pregnancy until their child starts school.

These reviews provide an opportunity to talk about your child’s development, family wellbeing and any questions or concerns you may have along the way.

You can also access information, advice and local support between appointments through the 0 to 19 information hub.

We want to make sure our information is useful, easy to understand and gives families what they need.

If you have any ideas about:

• Information you would like to see
• Things that were helpful
• Things that could be improved
• Problems using this page

Please tell us by completing our feedback form.

Your feedback helps us improve our information for families.