Start for Life is a government campaign to support a better start in life for infants from birth, by providing trusted NHS help and advice to parents and carers.
It focuses on the key topics of breastfeeding, introducing solid foods and developing communication, language and literacy skills through encouraging parents to chat, play and read with their children.
A range of digital resources are available to support parents, as well as a suite of digital support tools and websites. Please click on the link below to visit the Start for Life website.
Better Health: Start for Life Website
Sign up for Start for Life emails
Start for Life also offers its email programme. The emails give personalised NHS advice and support, tailored to support you throughout pregnancy and parenthood at every stage of mum’s pregnancy or baby’s age.
Features of the Start for Life email programme include:
- Different email programmes for mums, dads, partners and carers with tailored information for each.
- Emails can be translated into a range of different languages.
- Pregnancy emails contain information on baby’s development, changes in a woman’s body, plus tips and advice on labour and birth, finding antenatal classes, what foods to eat (and avoid) during pregnancy, exercising safely and bonding with baby.
Post birth emails include advice on baby’s development, breast and bottle feeding, coping with tiredness, introducing solid foods and looking after mental wellbeing and more.
***96% of subscribers say they would recommend the Start for Life emails to new parents (according to a YouGov survey)***
What should I expect in the emails?
During pregnancy
Their weekly emails will keep you updated on your baby’s development and the changes happening in your body.
You’ll also receive tips and advice on:
- Labor and birth
- Finding antenatal classes
- What foods to eat (and avoid) during pregnancy
- Exercising safely
- Bonding with your baby
After your baby is born
For the first 12 weeks of your baby’s life, you will receive weekly emails, followed by monthly emails after that. The emails are personalized according to your baby’s age and include helpful advice on:
- Your baby’s development
- Breast and bottle feeding
- Coping with tiredness
- Weaning your baby onto solid foods
- Looking after your mental wellbeing
To sign up for the start For life E-mail service please follow the link below.
Better Health: Start For Life E-mail Service
For a selection of helpful videos from Start for Life ranging from weaning advice and recipes to tips on how to interact with your child during their developmental stages please check out the links below.
For more information about the start for life service and a variety of other useful help and support services for parents please check out the “information for parents” page on our PCN website HERE.
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Better Start for Life.
Hello Seema. Welcome to Start for Life.
Your first email will be with you soon. If you've signed up very early in pregnancy, you'll receive your first email when you're five weeks pregnant.
If you're pregnant or have a baby up to 12 weeks old, you'll receive emails every week. If your baby is between 12 and 40 weeks old you'll receive emails every other week. If your baby is older than 40 weeks (nine months) you'll receive monthy emails.