The UK’s
#1
antenatal, parenting courses and support for pregnancy, birth, and early parenthood. Infant Feeding Line call 0300 330 0700. Monitored weekdays 9-5.
Did you know? NCT members get 15% off selected NCT postnatal courses this summer. Members can share this discount with friends and family too, so everyone can benefit from NCT’s trusted courses
You did it! We’re so happy to announce that
@NHSEngland
has announced funding for postnatal check-ups for new mothers.
This is a big step forward in getting mothers the mental health support they may need, and we’re so proud of everyone who has helped the campaign 💚
#HiddenHalf
Good to hear that an initial early-years trial backed by
@earlychildhood
can help health visitors in their work supporting parent-child relationships. HVs found it 'beneficial' to their practice, so news a second stage will follow is welcome.
Last year,
@earlychildhood
funded a trial of an observational tool which helps health visitors to interpret baby behaviour and support parent-child interactions. Today, we're delighted to share the evaluation results, which are overwhelmingly positive.
We were delighted to attend an engagement event hosted by the Duchess of Cambridge today, focusing on the value of peer support for new parents’ mental health.
@KensingtonRoyal
Watch the Royal Foundation carol concert today at 7.45pm on ITV1 and ITVX. Sammi, Belinda, Katrina, Laurène and Tracy from our NCT community were invited by
@KensingtonRoyal
@Earlychildhood
in recognition of their work for parents and babies, capturing some memories on camera.
We want all new mums to have a full appointment for their six week postnatal check including a supportive conversation about their mental health. You can help us make this change:
#HiddenHalf
We are incredibly excited to see the launch of the Royal Foundation Centre for Early Childhood, believing in the vital importance of the very early years for healthier, happier lives.
#BigChangeStartsSmall
Read our response here 1/3
Today I’m proud to be launching The Royal Foundation Centre for Early Childhood — let’s embrace this golden opportunity to create a happier, more mentally healthy and more nurturing society.
Thank you Health Minister
@NadineDorries
for announcing that the government is hoping to ensure that a six-week
#mentalhealth
check is funded in the GP contract. And for sharing your experience too. Let’s get postnatal mental illness out of hiding!
#HiddenHalf
#everyonesbusiness
AMAZING NEWS! Yesterday, Health Minister
@cj_dinenage
told parliament “we must ensure that we’re supportive of new mothers’ health needs.”
Huge thanks to MP
@Vicky4Chelmsford
for raising this issue and we are delighted that the government is supporting the
#HiddenHalf
campaign.
We’re very sad to have shared with our NCT community today that our friend and colleague, Dr Heather Trickey, has passed away.
During her 17 years with us, Heather was a Research Manager, Breastfeeding Counsellor and Trustee, alongside her research role at Cardiff University 1/4
Help us get postnatal mental illness out of hiding. We're demanding dedicated postnatal check-ups so all new mums can get the mental health support they need. Email your MP and help us make this change.
#mentalhealth
#EveryonesBusiness
@Netmums
#HiddenHalf
@piersmorgan
🙄 You know nothing about baby-BONDing
@piersmorgan
. We know a real dad when we see one! Loving the dad pics - keep them coming 💪! From NCT, with love
Tomorrow we’ll be in Parliament speaking up for all new mums’ mental health.
We’re at a pivotal moment for the
#HiddenHalf
campaign and we need your support now more than ever. Join the campaign today:
#EveryonesBusiness
@MMHAlliance
1 in 4 mums suffer from a maternal mental health issue - most in silence due to stigma. So our Antenatal Teacher Val Willcox is shouting about
#MaternalMentalHealth
this week, and YOU can join us. Share your own
#ShoutieSelfie
& help spread this message.
#MaternalMentalHealthWeek
We strongly support the call in this report for specialist HVs to ensure parents experiencing mental health issues around their baby's birth are identified & cared for promptly & appropriately. Timely treatment can prevent a devastating impact on struggling families.
@MMHAlliance
Over the last year, thousands of you have called on MPs to give new mums’ better mental health checks. Last week parliament debated
#HiddenHalf
and put maternal mental health firmly on the governments’ agenda.
Together, we will get post-natal mental illness out of hiding...
A Rainbow Baby is a baby born after the loss of another baby, which can happen at any stage of pregnancy. Our friends
@SandsUK
, and
@tommys
, provide support during pregnancy loss. We’re joining them in celebrating
#RainbowBabyDay
today, for all the miracle babies out there. 🌈
Congratulations to NCT’s Senior Policy Advisor,
@elizabethduff2
, for winning a
@MidwiferyForum
Consumer Group Trailblazer Award for outstanding achievement and commitment in the maternity and midwifery services. The award was presented by
@SueMacMidwife
. Very well deserved!👏💚
This
#MaternalMentalHealthAwarenessWeek
is about the power and importance of connection.
We all know that pregnancy, childbirth and the first months and years of a child’s life can be hugely demanding.
#dispatches
asks what’s in a formula milk? Our friends at
@1stepsnutrition
provide detailed evidence-based information on different formula milks. But with a simple message - any 'first infant milk' is suitable throughout the first year
#infantformula
"Lots of women and dads have come to us and said - thank goodness you are doing this and here is my story”
Fantastic to hear NCT’s
@elizabethduff2
in parliament today talking about our
#HiddenHalf
campaign and supporting parents to improve outcomes for children.
#first1000days
1/3 Eye-opening findings from
@PregnantScrewed
today shows discrimination against pregnant employees is rife in the workplace. Prospective parents are being targeted and pushed out the door by employers, managers and colleagues for deciding to start or grow their family.
Postnatal care & support remains an area of great concern,
@CareQualityComm
has found. Our Senior Policy Adviser
@elizabethduff2
says: “The proportion of women who said they saw or spoke to a midwife as much as they wanted during the postnatal period declined to 61% in 2021.
On the 1st birthday of the 1st babies born in lockdown, we're supporting the call for emergency funding to address the
#babyblindspot
.
#WhatAboutUs
is asking the govt for catch-up funding for the 600,000 babies born in lockdown.
@RishiSunak
#NCTCharity
We're looking forward to welcoming our
#HiddenHalf
champions tomorrow for a special campaign workshop and we can't wait to hear their ideas.
Have you written to your MP to bring the hidden half out of hiding?
Help us get postnatal mental illness out of hiding. We're demanding better postnatal check-ups so all new mothers can get the mental health support they need. Email your MP today and help us to make change
#HiddenHalf
“Anyone can suffer from postnatal depression, regardless of gender... I will not stop until all parents are supported.”
@MarkWilliamsFMH
, Fathers Reaching Out
#PNDAW18
Significantly lower anxiety and depression scores have been found amongst women supported by our Parents in Mind peer support programme, research shows.
"Peer support made what I was going through seem a lot more normal" said service user Lauren Fox, pictured.
If you have any questions or concerns about feeding your baby, NCT’s infant feeding line is open everyday from 8am to midnight, including bank holidays. Just call 0300 330 0700. 💚
How does feeding your baby make you feel? This week we’re joining forces with
@BBCSheffield
to find out the experiences of mothers who breast fed, used a bottle or combined the two: 👶 📻
We’re blasting off tomorrow to celebrate the incredible people who make up our charity
#NCTStars
. See you at the
@spacecentre
in Leicester for launch!
A network of 15 organisations, including
@BfN_UK
, today issued a joint statement calling on new govt to invest in public health by supporting & protecting
#breastfeeding
. Why not ask your local candidates for their thoughts? Read the statement here:
"Postnatal mental illness isn’t just a problem for new mums. If we fail to tackle it, we risk failing the next generation of children too."
A huge thank you to
@PaulWilliamsMP
and
@AndrewSelous
for helping to make this happen:
#HiddenHalf
We've summarised guidelines for new families in England from the PM's announcement this week. Key points include you can form a support bubble with another household if you have a child under 1, and you can meet a birth partner you don't live with
It’s official – new mothers will now be able to have their own six week check focusing on their health, as well as one for their baby.
Thank you to the supporters involved with the
#HiddenHalf
campaign. We couldn’t have done it without you!
No
#parent
should ever feel isolated, like they have no one to turn to. We believe in sharing knowledge. In creating networks that forge lifelong
#friendships
. In harnessing your voices, to change public policy for good. We are a
#community
. Thank you for being part of it. 💚
And finally, congratulations to
@salhogg
for winning the Prunella Briance award for Making it Happen ⚡️ And a huge congratulations to all of our shortlisted and nominees! 👏
#NCTstars
@spacecentre
We support calls to increase
#HealthVisiting
funding because HVs are often the only available support in the vulnerable postnatal time & are skilled in listening & reassuring, or spotting a problem. It’s crucial they are there to act before serious issues get worse
@first1001days
We want to say a huge thank you to all our volunteers, practitioners and members who have supported parents through the first 1,000 days, to have the best possible experience of pregnancy, birth and early parenthood. We couldn't do what we do without you.
#YouMadeItHappen
We believe that parents need information and support for breastfeeding and bottle-feeding and it’s up to them to decide how to feed their babies, so we at NCT wholeheartedly support the
@MidwivesRCM
new statement which tallies with our position ().
Happy
#internationalwomensday
. A huge shout out to all the amazing women who have made - and are making - NCT what is it today, carrying forward the legacy of our founder Prunella. Strong women: May we be them, may we know them, may we raise them. ❤️
We're taking the
#HiddenHalf
campaign to parliament! We'll be there this Wednesday speaking to MP's about getting better postnatal checkups for new mothers.
If you haven't already, join the campaign and let your MP know that it's important to you:
"The decision to start a family was a huge part of our relationship. It took some time to conceive after failed attempts of
#IUI
&
#IVF
. We hung in there & were incredibly excited to fall pregnant with Beatrice. She's the best thing that has ever happened to us!
@cateredbyjules
💚
Today
@birthrightsorg
have announced an impressive expert panel for the national inquiry into racial injustice in maternity care, which will gather evidence and conduct in depth participation work to identify solutions. We look forward to supporting this incredibly important work
We're supporting
@NSPCC
's campaign so all new mums and dads get the mental health support they need at the right time, so their babies have the best start in life. Join us and fight for a
#FairStart
Almost half of new mothers' mental health problems don't get picked up. Want to change this now? Email your MP today and help us make this change
#HiddenHalf
Who'll be tuning into Louis Theroux's latest documentary, Mothers on the Edge, on
@BBC
Two this Sunday? Louis will be visiting two psychiatric units and talking to three women who have experienced
#postpartum
#mentalillness
. Find out more:
NCT 2020! Thank you to all the amazing parents taking part in our new fantastic online antenatal classes. You can see them here enjoying all the interaction and friendship our courses always provide!
Well done to our practitioners for embracing this new way so quickly too 💚
My first zoom, online antenatal class!
This is what the
@NCTcharity
do BEST!
Bringing together people for 60 years, luckily we now have technology support us through these difficult times!
(picture of happy clients shared with permission!)
This
#NationalVolunteersWeek
, we want to say a huge thank you to all our amazing volunteers who have put in so much time and effort over the years. Our volunteers are all awesome and we're so proud of each one!
#NCTVolunteersRock
AMAZING NEWS! Yesterday, Health Minister Caroline Dinenage told parliament “we must ensure that we’re supportive of new mothers’ health needs.”
Huge thanks to MP
@Vickyford
for raising this issue and we are delighted that the government is supporting the
#HiddenHalf
campaign.
If you've found today's news stories about the birth trauma inquiry distressing, there is specialist help & support available
@masic_uk
@BirthTrauma
@birthrightsorg
@birth_better
You can also visit our parent information pages on birth trauma:
Services are under strain due to
#COVID19
but the six-week postnatal check should continue as a high priority service.
It was included in the GP contract for the first time this year as a result of our
#HiddenHalf
campaign. We want to make sure mums get the support they need.
The
#HiddenHalf
campaign won funding for a dedicated six-week GP check for new mums. But we’ve found 1/4 of mums still aren’t being asked about their mental health and are calling for more time for this crucial appointment
#mentalhealth
#nctcharity
Have you recently given birth? We want to hear about how a shortage of staff in the NHS is impacting parents. Complete this survey to help us change policy & practices to make maternity care better & safer for all:
#maternitysafety
#safestaffing
Read our response to the
#MBRRACE18
report on mothers and babies' deaths. It is unacceptable that Black and Asian women are at higher risk of dying during pregnancy and this must be urgently investigated and addressed:
Key findings from today's
#mbrrace2018
Saving Lives, Improving Mother's Care report "most women who died had multiple health problems or other vulnerabilities"
Every week an NCT parent's group and their children visit elderly people at a care home to help tackle isolation in the local community. Read this lovely story at:
#EndLoneliness
Midwives are being 'driven out' of the NHS because they're worried about unsafe staffing levels & fears they can't deliver safe care, this survey by
@MidwivesRCM
warns. The damaging midwife shortage must be ended to provide safe outcomes for babies and parents.
RCM all member survey reveals midwives are being driven out of the NHS by understaffing and fears they can’t deliver safe care to women in the current system. More here:
#maternitycare
@Pampers_UK
is rallying the nation to thank midwives for all the work they have done for babies and mothers. For every story shared on social media with
#ThankYouMidwife
, Pampers will donate £1 to
@MidwivesRCM
helping support midwives from this Christmas onwards
Our
#hiddenhalf
campaign aims to shatter the stigma around maternal
#mentalhealth
. If you’ve got a story to tell too, whatever it may be, join us and help get
#postnatal
depression out of hiding. Find out more here:
#NCT
@NCTNewham
Today is International Day of the Midwife. A day to show our appreciation and gratitude to midwives around the world. 🙏
Thank you from everyone at NCT. 💚 We know what an incredible job you do everyday and the immense support you provide.
#IDM2020
#Midwives2020
If we don't look after the maternal mental health of our pregnant and new mothers, I believe there will be an increase in maternal deaths due to the unimaginable stress they are going through. PLEASE reach out. You are not alone.
#covid19UK
#Covid_19
#maternalmentalhealth
In the last year, our amazing breastfeeding counsellors have supported over 27,000 parents with feeding their babies - often voluntarily. 💚
We're so proud of this invaluable breastfeeding support:
#WorldBreastfeedingWeek2020
#BreastfeedingInLockdown
We put your questions on the Covid vaccine during pregnancy and breastfeeding to an expert panel
@TeamCMidO
@NHSEngland
@RCObsGyn
@PHE_uk
& Dr Pavan Minhas. Watch here: and for more info on the vaccine and
Could you?
Our
#HiddenHalf
campaign is making waves and a big debate is finally happening in Parliament next Thursday 19 July. We need you now more than ever to encourage your MP to speak up for new mums' mental health.
Ask them to attend the debate:
Clo Abe, the inspiring founder of
@_prosperitys
, a social enterprise supporting black, Asian and minority ethnic pregnant women, and co-founder of the
@fivexmore
campaign, shares her self-care tips for mums with a newborn:
#NCTHereForYou
#Supported