Kidora Parent Hub

Pregnancy Guide for Parents

Pregnancy can bring excitement, uncertainty and a long list of decisions. It is normal not to have everything organised immediately.

The most useful first steps are to contact NHS maternity services, review any medicines or health conditions with a qualified professional and use reliable pregnancy guidance rather than trying to follow every opinion online.

This guide provides a practical overview for expectant parents in the UK. It does not replace personalised advice from a midwife, GP, pharmacist, maternity unit or other healthcare professional.

How to Use This Guide

This page summarises linked UK guidance and practical planning information. It is not a diagnosis, treatment plan or substitute for your midwife, maternity unit, GP, pharmacist or specialist team.

Follow your individual maternity care plan and contact maternity services whenever you are worried. Call 999 for an immediate or life-threatening emergency.

Trusted UK Pregnancy Information

• NHS antenatal care and appointments
• NHS pregnancy vitamins and supplements
• NHS foods to avoid in pregnancy
• NHS medicines in pregnancy
• NHS vaccinations in pregnancy
• NHS guidance on baby movements
• NHS mental health in pregnancy
• GOV.UK pregnant employees’ rights

Finding Out You Are Pregnant

After a positive pregnancy test, practical first steps include:

• Contacting local NHS maternity services
• Starting or reviewing recommended pregnancy supplements
• Checking medicines with a pharmacist, GP or specialist
• Reducing or avoiding known pregnancy risks
• Writing down health questions and important dates

Use the NHS information for finding out you are pregnant as a starting point.

Refer Yourself for NHS Pregnancy Care

In many areas, expectant parents can contact the local maternity service directly without first seeing a GP.

Arrange care as soon as you know you are pregnant so the maternity team can plan the appropriate appointments, screening and support.

If you are unsure how maternity care works locally, contact your GP surgery or search for the maternity service linked to your local NHS trust or health board.

Your First Midwife Appointment

The first main appointment is often called the booking appointment and commonly takes place during early pregnancy.

The midwife may ask about:

• Previous pregnancies
• Medical conditions
• Current medicines
• Mental health
• Family medical history
• Smoking, alcohol and lifestyle
• Work and home circumstances
• Any additional support needs

You may also be offered blood tests, blood-pressure checks, urine testing and information about screening.

Keep Your Maternity Information Accessible

Maternity notes may be provided through an app, secure website, paper folder or a combination of formats.

They may contain:

• Appointment dates
• Test results
• Important medical information
• Maternity-unit contact numbers
• Personalised care information

Follow your maternity service’s advice about keeping this information available.

Antenatal Appointments

NHS antenatal care includes a schedule of appointments, checks, scans and optional screening tests.

The number and timing of appointments depend on factors such as:

• Whether this is a first pregnancy
• Personal medical history
• Previous pregnancies
• Whether more than one baby is expected
• Any additional monitoring needs

Use the NHS antenatal care and appointments guide for the current schedule.

Pregnancy Scans

Routine NHS care commonly includes:

• An earlier scan used for dating and initial checks
• A later screening scan that looks at the baby’s development

Additional scans may be offered when clinically appropriate.

Screening is a personal choice. Your maternity team should explain what is being offered, what the results may mean and what further options could follow.

Prepare Questions Before Appointments

It can be difficult to remember everything during an appointment.

Keep a short list covering topics such as:

• Symptoms
• Medicines
• Test results
• Food and supplements
• Work
• Exercise
• Mental wellbeing
• Birth choices

No reasonable pregnancy question is too small to ask.

Pregnancy Vitamins and Supplements

The NHS recommends specific supplements during pregnancy, including folic acid and vitamin D in defined circumstances and amounts.

Some people need a higher prescribed dose of folic acid because of their medical history, medicines or other risk factors.

Use the current NHS pregnancy vitamins and supplements guidance and speak to a midwife, GP or pharmacist when unsure.

Avoid Unsuitable Supplements

Do not assume that every multivitamin, herbal product or “natural” supplement is suitable during pregnancy.

Check the label and obtain professional advice before taking:

• High-dose vitamins
• Products containing vitamin A or retinol
• Herbal remedies
• Bodybuilding or weight-loss products
• Supplements bought from unverified sellers

Medicines During Pregnancy

The NHS advises checking any medicine with a doctor, pharmacist, midwife or another clinician involved in your care. This includes prescribed medicines, pharmacy products, herbal remedies and supplements.

Do not stop a prescribed medicine without speaking to the clinician responsible for it, because stopping may also create risks.

Use the current NHS medicines in pregnancy guidance and follow any individual advice provided by your maternity or specialist team.

Food and Drink During Pregnancy

A varied diet can support general health during pregnancy, but some foods and drinks require additional care.

Use the NHS foods to avoid in pregnancy guidance for current information.

Take extra care with:

• Food hygiene
• Cooking meat and eggs appropriately
• Unpasteurised products
• Certain fish
• Liver and products high in vitamin A
• Caffeine intake
• Alcohol

Alcohol and Smoking

Use current NHS advice about alcohol, smoking and vaping during pregnancy.

Support is available, and it is worth asking even if stopping has been difficult.

Speak to a midwife, GP, pharmacist or local stop-smoking service rather than trying to manage alone.

Exercise and Everyday Activity

Many people can continue suitable everyday activity during pregnancy, with adjustments as pregnancy progresses.

Consider:

• Current fitness level
• Comfort
• Balance
• Hydration
• Temperature
• Medical advice

Ask your maternity team before starting a demanding new routine or continuing an activity with a risk of falling, collision or overheating.

Common Pregnancy Changes

Pregnancy experiences vary widely.

Common changes can include:

• Tiredness
• Nausea
• Breast changes
• More frequent urination
• Heartburn
• Constipation
• Pelvic or back discomfort
• Changes in sleep

Do not assume every new symptom is “just pregnancy”. Contact your maternity service when worried or when symptoms are severe, sudden or unusual for you.

Pregnancy Sickness

Mild nausea can often be managed with small practical adjustments, but severe or persistent vomiting needs medical advice.

Contact a healthcare professional if you:

• Cannot keep fluids down
• Show signs of dehydration
• Are losing weight
• Feel very unwell
• Cannot manage normal daily activity

Mental Health During Pregnancy

Pregnancy does not always feel happy or straightforward.

Speak to a midwife or GP if you experience:

• Persistent low mood
• Severe anxiety
• Panic
• Intrusive thoughts
• Trauma symptoms
• Difficulty coping

Perinatal mental-health support may be available. Urgent help should be sought when there is an immediate risk of harm.

Relationships and Support

Pregnancy may affect routines, finances, work and relationships.

Useful discussions can include:

• Appointments
• Household responsibilities
• Childcare for older children
• Money
• Birth support
• Time after the baby arrives

If you do not feel safe at home, tell a healthcare professional privately. Maternity services can help connect you with appropriate support.

Baby Movements

Your maternity team will explain when movements may become noticeable and what changes to report.

The NHS advises getting to know your baby’s usual pattern rather than relying on one number that applies to every pregnancy.

If movements reduce, stop or change in a way that concerns you, contact your midwife or maternity unit immediately. Do not wait until the next day or the next routine appointment.

Read the current NHS baby-movement guidance.

Vaccinations During Pregnancy

The NHS recommends certain vaccinations during pregnancy to protect the pregnant person and baby.

Current recommendations can include:

• Seasonal flu vaccination
• Whooping cough vaccination
• RSV vaccination

Timing and eligibility can change, so use the current NHS vaccinations in pregnancy guidance and speak to your maternity service or GP surgery.

Dental Care

Tell the dental team that you are pregnant and ask about current NHS maternity dental arrangements where applicable.

Do not ignore pain, swelling, bleeding or suspected infection.

Travel During Pregnancy

Before travelling, consider:

• Stage of pregnancy
• Medical history
• Destination healthcare
• Travel insurance
• Airline or carrier rules
• Vaccinations
• Risk of infection

Seek professional advice before travel where there are medical concerns or destination-specific risks.

Working During Pregnancy

Pregnant employees have legal protections relating to health and safety, maternity leave, discrimination and time away for antenatal care.

Use the current GOV.UK guidance on pregnant employees’ rights.

Depending on the work, a workplace assessment may need to consider:

• Heavy lifting
• Long periods standing
• Night work
• Chemicals
• Infection exposure
• Heat
• Travel

Keep Employment Records

Keep copies of:

• Pregnancy notification
• Appointment evidence where required
• Risk assessments
• Workplace adjustments
• Maternity-leave communication
• Pay information

Planning Household Finances

Pregnancy can be a useful time to review:

• Maternity and paternity pay
• Shared Parental Leave
• Benefits and grants
• Childcare costs
• Emergency savings
• Regular subscriptions
• Baby purchases

Use official calculators and current government guidance because eligibility and payment amounts can change.

Do Not Buy Everything Immediately

It is easy to feel pressure to create a complete nursery early in pregnancy.

Begin with:

• A realistic essentials list
• Available storage space
• Expected season
• Transport needs
• Items that can safely be bought preloved
• Items better bought new because their history matters

Babies need less equipment than many product lists suggest.

Buying Baby Items Preloved

Many suitable baby items can be bought preloved, including:

• Clothing
• Books
• Simple toys
• Some nursery furniture
• Pushchairs with a known model and suitable condition

Safety-critical items require additional checks. Never allow price alone to determine whether an item is suitable.

Items Requiring Extra Caution

Use product-specific safety guidance for:

• Car seats
• Cots and mattresses
• Baby carriers
• Highchairs
• Electrical equipment
• Feeding equipment

Check official recalls, the exact model, instructions, condition, completeness and product history.

Preparing for Birth

Later in pregnancy, discuss:

• Where you may give birth
• Who you would like with you
• Pain-relief options
• Preferences for labour and birth
• Transport to the birth setting
• Care for older children
• What to pack

Birth preferences can be useful, but circumstances may change. Discuss priorities and alternatives with the maternity team.

Prepare Important Contact Details

Keep readily available:

• Maternity triage number
• Labour ward or birth-centre number
• Community midwife contact details
• Planned transport
• Emergency childcare contacts

Know When to Contact Maternity Services

Contact your maternity unit, midwife or other named pregnancy-care service promptly whenever you are concerned about your health or your baby. You do not need to wait for the next routine appointment.

Examples that should be discussed urgently include bleeding, severe or persistent pain, reduced or changed movements, possible waters breaking, severe headache or visual disturbance, breathing difficulty, fever, feeling seriously unwell or signs of labour earlier than expected.

This list is not a diagnostic checklist and is not exhaustive. Use the contact instructions in your maternity notes and follow the advice of the clinical team. Call 999 for an immediate or life-threatening emergency.

Trust Your Concern

You do not need to wait for a routine appointment when something feels wrong.

Explain:

• What has changed
• When it started
• Whether symptoms are getting worse
• Any effect on baby movements
• Any relevant medical history

Pregnancy and Kidora

Kidora is a UK-only marketplace where parents can buy and sell new and preloved baby and children’s items.

During pregnancy, families may find baby clothes, books, pushchairs, nursery furniture and other essentials. Compare the full paid-purchase cost, including delivery and the mandatory Buyer Protection fee shown before checkout.

Sellers pay no selling fees and keep 100% of the item sale price. Suitable items that are no longer needed can also be listed at £0 as FREE rather than being thrown away, which may help another local family. FREE listings are collection-only, are secured through Kidora checkout and do not include a Buyer Protection fee.

Kidora does not assess or certify product safety. Check the exact model, instructions, condition, completeness, product history and official recall status before buying, selling or using an item. Do not list recalled, damaged or otherwise unsafe products.

A Simple Pregnancy Checklist

• Contact local NHS maternity services
• Review supplements and medicines
• Attend antenatal appointments
• Keep maternity contact details accessible
• Use reliable food and vaccination guidance
• Discuss physical and mental-health concerns
• Learn when to contact maternity triage
• Check workplace and maternity rights
• Prepare gradually for birth and the newborn period
• Buy baby items selectively and safely

Frequently Asked Questions

Who should I contact after a positive pregnancy test?

Contact local NHS maternity services as soon as possible. In many areas you can refer yourself directly, while your GP surgery can help if the local process is unclear.

Should I stop prescribed medicine during pregnancy?

Do not stop or change prescribed medicine without speaking to the clinician responsible for your care. Untreated health conditions may also create risks.

How many antenatal appointments will I have?

The schedule depends on whether this is a first pregnancy and whether additional care is needed. Check the current NHS antenatal appointment guide and your personalised maternity plan.

When should I contact maternity services urgently?

Contact them promptly for severe, sudden or concerning symptoms, reduced baby movements, bleeding, possible waters breaking or whenever you are worried. Use emergency services for an immediate life-threatening emergency.

Can I buy baby items preloved during pregnancy?

Yes, many suitable clothes, books, toys and nursery items can be bought preloved. Safety-critical products require careful checks of their exact model, history, condition, instructions and recall status.