Your families named Health Visitor will contact you by letter or phone to complete an Antenatal assessment either at home or virtually between 28 and 32 weeks of your pregnancy. We welcome Fathers/partners at all contacts.
The health visitor will ask you about your feelings about the pregnancy, your health and will discuss your unborn baby’s health and development.
This contact will enable us to get to know you and your family and it is also a chance for you to ask any questions you may have or to discuss any worries and concerns.
Online antenatal course
Would you like to know more about your journey to parenthood? Our online antenatal course 'Understanding pregnancy, labour, birth and your baby' is a great place to get started.
The Solihull Approach antenatal online course has been developed by registered midwives and will give you practical information about pregnancy and birth, whilst at the same time introducing you to your baby.
It explains how and why those around your baby are so important, whether you are the mother, father, partner, grandparent or birth partner. It integrates the traditional information given on an antenatal course with a new approach to starting a relationship with your baby before your baby even makes an appearance!
If you would like to register to complete the course or for more information, please call the Salford Early Help Team on 0161 686 7229.
Whether you're breast or bottle feeding, here is some handy information to help you. See the feeding your baby section of the Salford Royal website. Breastfeeding in Salford is another great resource.
You can also read about Vitamin D, and the Healthy Start Programme and why it is important and who needs to take supplements.
Healthy Start gives you and your family the best start in life.
Maternal mental ill health can seem a complex and daunting prospect but it is far more common than you may think with every 1 in 10 new mothers experiencing some form of depression or anxiety.
Research is now showing that parental depression and anxiety can have a long term impact on a child’s emotional wellbeing, however the good news is that these affects can be overcome with good support. Don’t forget that you can always talk to your health visitor about how you are feeling. If your child is under 1 year, your health visitor will be able to offer additional listening visits to help support you and your baby.
Emotional health and wellbeing for mothers
Emotional health and wellbeing for fathers
Being a new dad can be a roller-coaster of emotions. Some men say that seeing their baby being born was the most fantastic thing in their life whilst others may say it was the worse experience ever!
Download the understanding your emotional health and wellbeing factsheet for fathers (Adobe PDF format) from the IHV
Everybody is different and will react to parenthood in many different ways. If you are ever concerned about your own mental health or that of your partner contact your 0-19 team. For useful and practical information for dads why not download the dadpad app - a must have for new dads.
Dad Matters in Salford exists to support dads to have the best possible relationship with their children. We work closely with other professionals within Salford to better support dads in the first 1001 days of their parenting journey.
It is normal for a baby to cry, but how do you cope when the crying never seems to stop?
You can talk to a friend, your health visitor or GP, or contact the Cry-sis helpline on 08451 228 669, open 9am to 10pm, seven days a week. You'll be charged for your call.
Cry-sis can put you in touch with other parents who have been in the same situation.
ICON is a programme aimed at helping parents and carers with young babies to cope with infant crying. Read the ICON leaflet (Adobe PDF format).
As well as putting baby down to sleep on their back, how else can you encourage safer sleep?
Immunisations and vaccinations