Additional resources are available to help you with finances, housing, infant feeding, peer suppport, social activities in your local council area. Go to your council website to discover these and more resources.
Portal: Getting Practical Help in After your baby is born
Babies are learning from adults as soon as they are born. At this age, your baby will love when you chat, play, sing and read to them, even when they are too young to understand everything.
Chat
Your baby starts trying to communicate with you from day one. You can practise communicating together to build your bond and help them develop. Your baby loves the sound of your voice, so little chats throughout the day will make them happy.
Play
Your baby starts exploring the world straightaway through movement, sights and sounds. Playing helps your baby get stronger, become more coordinated and learn new things.
Sing
Babies who are exposed to and engage in music, singing and rhyming regularly with parents and carers learn to speak more easily. They have more words to express themselves and are more confident and creative. Babies like hearing songs and rhymes over and over again.
Read
Reading to your baby has many benefits long before they can read or understand words. Your voice stimulates their brain and your voice is soothing to them.
What to expect at six months
Babies develop at different rates. However, understanding what is typical ccan help you identify speech and language problems early. By six months, children will usually:
Turn towards a sound/voice when they hear it.
Be startled by loud noises.
Watch your face when you talk to them.
Recognise your voice.
Smile and laugh when other people smile and laugh.
Make sounds to themselves, like cooing, gurgling and babbling.
Make noises, like coos and squeaks, to get your attention.
Have different cries for different needs. For example, one cry for hunger, another when they are tired.
When travelling by car it is essential to place your baby in a suitable baby car seat. You will need the car seat to take your newborn baby home from hospital, so it is worth taking the time to find a suitable car seat during pregnancy.Many parents also choose to carry their baby in a sling. The guidance in the link below shows how to do this safely.
Child benefit is a tax-free payment that is aimed at helping parents cope with the cost of bringing up children. You get Child Benefit if you’re responsible for one or more children under 16 (or under 20 if they stay in approved education or training). There’s no limit to how many children you can claim for.
Find out more and how to claim:
Some things to consider before you plan to fly with your new baby:
Immunisations:
Whilst airlines may accept babies older than seven days old for travel, be aware that newborn babies are still developing their immune system and so are at risk of picking up infectious diseases. If possible consider having your baby’s first immunisations administered before you travel.
In-flight cabin pressure changes and babies’ ears:
During take-offs and landings, changes in cabin pressure can briefly affect the middle ear pressure and trigger severe ear pain. To reduce the chances of your baby getting pain, encourage your baby to feed, or suck on a pacifier during take-offs and landings.
Before booking:
If you are traveling abroad, you will need a passport/visa for your baby. Check individual airline websites for specifications on travelling with an infant.
Following the arrival of your baby, the birth needs to be registered within 42 days (six weeks) at your local registry office. It is through this process that you will obtain a birth certificate.The registration should be done in the borough you gave birth in. You may register the birth in a different area if this is more convenient, however your details will need to be sent to the borough in which you gave birth in order for them to generate a valid birth certificate.The service is normally provided by appointment only, but this may vary from one area to the next. Please take the Personal Child Health Record (red book) and your baby’s NHS number with you, as the registrar may ask to see it.
The Personal Child Health Record Book (the red book)
The Personal Child Health Record, or the red book as it is often called because of its red cover, is the main record of your child’s health, growth and development from birth and through the early years.You will be given your baby’s red book either in hospital or by your health visitor. You may be given individual sheets to put in the red book, please keep these sheets safe until you are able to add them to the book.The red book provides guidance on screening tests, immunisation schedule, normal development and help and advice on looking after your child. Helpful tips on how to protect your child from passive smoking and how to tackle problems like constipation, crying, fever, fits, spots, rashes, sunburn and other common complaints are included.Keep the red book safe and take it to all baby appointments. For the best long-term outcome for your child, you, and the people involved in caring for your child, it is recommended that you write down every item of relevant information in this book.An electronic version of the red book is gradually being rolled out across the UK. You can see your child’s NHS records, and read important guidance from the NHS and other sources. In time, the eRedbook becomes a virtual keepsake that contains not only health information (such as immunisations and screening results) but also photos, notes and other information about your child.Find out more and to register for it:
The best way to keep you and your baby safe from some serious diseases is to get vaccinated. It is important to make sure you and your baby have your vaccinations on time to protect against these diseases.The first vaccinations your baby will need are given at 8 weeks, 12 weeks and 16 weeks. Some babies may need a BCG vaccination earlier than this – speak to your midwife, GP or health visitor to find out if your baby needs a BCG.To find out more information on vaccinations you can visit your local GP, speak to your health visitor or Children’s Centre.
Do you have an appointment for a vaccination?
Please make sure you keep it
Vaccinations protect against serious illnesses now and in the future, so it’s really important to keep up to date with jabs for you and your family.This is particular important if you are pregnant or have small children.You should attend your appointments as normal, as long as you don’t have symptoms of COVID-19 and you are not self-isolating. Read the frequently asked questions below, or speak to your GP or health visitor if you are still unsure.
New parent vaccinations
Video credit: NHS Suffolk and North East Essex Local Maternity System.
Additional resources are available to help you with finances, housing, infant feeding, peer suppport, social activities in your local council area. Go to your council website to discover these and more resources.
Child benefit is a tax-free payment that is aimed at helping parents cope with the cost of bringing up children. You get Child Benefit if you’re responsible for one or more children under 16 (or under 20 if they stay in approved education or training). There’s no limit to how many children you can claim for.
Find out more and how to claim:
The best way to keep you and your baby safe from some serious diseases is to get vaccinated. It is important to make sure you and your baby have your vaccinations on time to protect against these diseases.
The first vaccinations your baby will need are given at 8 weeks, 12 weeks and 16 weeks. Some babies may need a BCG vaccination earlier than this – speak to your midwife, GP or health visitor to find out if your baby needs a BCG.
To find out more information on vaccinations you can visit your local GP, speak to your health visitor or Children’s Centre.
