Healthy eating is essential to keep you and your baby healthy during pregnancy. Visit Ready Steady Baby |Eating well in pregnancy for more information about healthy eating during pregnancy.
During pregnancy, some vitamins are important to take. This page will tell you more about them and how to get these vitamins for free!
You will get Free Healthy Start vitamins throughout your pregnancy from your Midwife. These supplements contain folic acid, vitamin D and vitamin C to support you and your growing baby.
Healthy Start vitamins
Healthy Start vitamins are suitable for vegetarians and free from wheat, fish, egg, and salt. Contain no colours, flavours or preservatives.
Not suitable for vegans due to the source of vitamin D.
For those who are taking 5 milligram of Folic Acid, your GP will prescribe this. The Healthy Start Vitamins can be taken at the same time.
Ask your midwife for more information.
Folic Acid
Healthy Start contains your recommended 400 micrograms of Folic Acid. Folic Acid will help your baby’s spine properly during pregnancy. Stops Neural tube defects such as Spina Bifida, which affects how the spine is formed. During pregnancy, you need more folic acid to support your baby’s development, which is hard to get from your diet alone.
Vitamin D
Healthy Start vitamins contains your recommended 10 micrograms of vitamin D.
Vitamin D helps our body absorb calcium to keep our bones and teeth healthy. Low vitamin D levels can cause • Seizures in babies after birth • Vitamin D deficiency can cause problems and pain in the bones. This will be rickets in children. Sources of vitamin D are limited. The best source of vitamin D is the sun and dietary sources are limited.
Vitamin C
Healthy Start vitamins contain 70 micrograms of vitamin C. • Vitamin C helps your body to absorb iron. • Boosts your immune system. • To help your body make collagen and protect your cells.https://www.nhsggc.scot/downloads/health-start/
Your Midwife will be there to support you throughout your pregnancy and will be happy to answer any questions.
We have collated a variety of useful resources that provide guidance and support for you and your baby.
Feeding Your Baby
Breastfeeding support in Greater Glasgow and Clyde.
Breastfeeding and your business
All businesses and organisations in Scotland open to the general public and who allow children, are under legal obligation to allow breast and bottle feeding. Read more about the law and find out how to become a breastfeeding friendly business.
Home-Start Glasgow South is a family support charity offering support that helps to give young children the best possible start in life.
Drop in Groups at Pollok library on Fridays – support from a BFN Volunteer will also be available at Home-Start Warm Place Pollokshaws on Fridays, and at the Warm place Castlemilk on Monday afternoon. For more info, go to
The UNICEF UK Baby Friendly Initiative has information regarding Baby Friendly Initiative Accreditation and Resources. As well as a safe guide to bottle feeding, responsive bottle feeding and infant formula Information please see links below:
[Links to follow]
Health and Wellbeing Information
Family
Child Smile
National toothbrushing programme available throughout Scotland, offered to all nursery aged children.
Every child is provided with a dental pack containing a toothbrush, a tube of toothpaste, and oral health messages on at least six occasions by five years of age.
Information on the Health Visiting Service, feeding your child, parental health and wellbeing, your child’s health and emotional wellbeing, Family Nurse Partnership and local information.
HENRY is a brilliant programme for parents, helping them to support a healthy, happy start for their children and lay the foundations for a brighter future.
Visit the website for further details regarding the programme, and watch out for groups and workshops in the South.
An online resource that provides information, advice and guidance about local services and groups to improve lifestyle, independence and health and wellbeing in the community.
Thrive Under 5 (TU5) is a project funded by Scottish Government monies and delivered by Health Improvement staff from NHSGCC. Through a whole systems approach to tackling child poverty in selected places, the programme aims to support children under the age of five to achieve a healthy weight.
Provide support to Dads to increase parenting skills and increase their confidence . Please see the website and Facebook page for full list of services and groups.
Supports women and girls in Govan and surrounding areas of Glasgow to become more confident, creative, employable and enterprising by providing workshops, training programmes.
Home-Start North is a family support charity offering support that helps to give young children the best possible start in life, and to help improve lives of families and children.
Home-Start Glasgow South is a family support charity offering support that helps to give young children the best possible start in life, and to help improve lives of families and children.
Lifelink can offer support to anyone who is struggling to cope with everyday stress or is feeling anxious or depressed. Issues such as debt, bereavement, addiction, self-harm/suicide and problems with relationships or family can all interfere with a persons’ quality and experience of life.
PANDAS offer support to families and their networks who may be suffering with perinatal mental illness, including prenatal (antenatal) and postnatal depression. They offer a variety of person centred support.
For over 25 years The Women’s Centre Glasgow has worked out of our Maryhill community hub to create a safe space for all women in Glasgow. We are here to support and empower our community by offering opportunities to strengthen women’s choices in life and social opportunities. We welcome women of all identities and are committed to fighting discrimination. We believe in the power of working together and aim to provide online and in-person services for mental and physical wellbeing which is accessible to everyone.
3D Drumchapel was established in 1997 to make a difference in the lives of children and families in Drumchapel by providing support, strengthening relationships and empowering families to make positive change.
All of our sessions services and support are FREE for families living in Drumchapel, Knightswood & Yoker.
Families can enjoy sharing stories, songs and rhymes with their little ones. Bookbug Sessions take place in libraries and community venues across Glasgow. Please see link for local venues and times for sessions.
Supports children and families to prevent families reaching crisis point, and to recover from trauma and harm. Please see website for full list of services.
Support for children from pre birth to 5 years . They have Early Years Practitioners who work directly with children and families to deliver Stay, Play and Learn sessions all over Glasgow.
In the South we have sessions at SWAMP as part of THRIVE Under 5.
Pollok on Friday mornings – for a place call Louise on 07375 044012
Govanhill on Fridays – call Joanne on 077854 55794
Gorbals on Monday afternoons – call Joanne on 077854 55794
Giggle ‘n’ Grow
Supporting early years, and children with literacy, music movement and play. Providing free activities such as Move dance grow, Family Fun Daysand Bookbug . For all activities please see website for groups in your area.
Support families with Children In the Govan area services include; Family Support, Play Therapy, Volunteering & Training Opportunities, as well as Adult Counselling and The Govan Pantry. See website link Facebook for full range of services.
Family support to help overcome a range of issues such as isolation, mental health difficulties, bereavement, family breakdown, addiction, physical ill-health, support to dads and more. Running weekly groups in South Glasgow.
Working with families and children in Castlemilk and across Glasgow, they specialise in fun play and learning . Please see website and Facebook page for full list of services.
SWAMP works with children, young people, and older people in the Greater Pollok area. They offer a range of services and groups for the local community serving all ages. See website for a full list of their services and groups.
For over 35 years, our charity has been working alongside communities in West and South West Scotland to address the impacts of poverty and inequality in the lives of children, young people, and families.
We believe in the potential within every individual to create positive change. Our Family Support and Flexible Childcare services help families at the early stages of their journey, building strong foundations for a brighter future.
Pollok based organisation who offer access to storytelling and creative opportunities for families. Including Imagine Lab sessions at their base in Pollok, which is a sensory storytelling sessions aged for 0-5 years. See website for list of all sessions.
If you are worried about money, then please speak to your Health Visitor or Family Nurse who’ll be happy to discuss any issues with you and can refer you to a relevant service.
Cost of Living Support
Below is a link to a comprehensive list of some recommended Government approved pathways that are available to you, for free, impartial and confidential money advice and support. Information on local support services for Glasgow City and other Scottish Local Authority areas can be found here.
Pantries are shops which provide low cost food in community hub setting, and also offer wrap-around support services within the local area.
In the South West of Glasgow, we have pantries in Pollok, Nitshill, Crookston, Cardonald, Kennishead, Govan, Castlemilk and Gorbals. All are listed in the directory below. Days and opening times vary.
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