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There are some general wellbeing resources any pregnant lady might want to check out, such as:
pregnancypodcast.com
I listened to this podcast on my commute to and from work during both my pregnancies and would recommend it for anyone who likes to be informed on what the research evidence suggests we should do to look after ourselves in pregnancy. Often I heard about studies I didn’t already know about and got a new perspective on topics such as drinking caffeine and alcohol in pregnancy and also to hear different perspectives on topics such as managing unwanted advice and family member differences was useful.
I enjoyed reading several books during my first pregnancy – I found I had less time to read during my second pregnancy and was less motivated to as I’d learned that what worked with my daughter was often different from what the parenting book advice suggested, and felt I was informed enough about facts and basics to not need to read more at that time. I would recommend for a first time mum though –
The day by day pregnancy book by Dr Maggie Blott
What I liked about this book was the daily photos showing how much changed every day with the baby’s development. As I was from my second pregnancy onwards always trying again after a recent miscarriage, every day counted and reading the day’s page each evening helped me feel grateful that my baby and I had made it through another day together.
The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding by La Leche League
I knew nothing about breastfeeding before I was pregnant, and while NHS antenatal classes cover the basics I’m someone who enjoys more information and likes to feel prepared. This book covers just about any angle on breastfeeding I could think of, which I loved.
What to expect when you’re expecting by Heidi Murkoff
I liked that this book has lots of practical detail about what happens when, as I knew nothing about the practical side of caring for a baby before I had my own.
The Joy of Parenting by Amy Murrell and Lisa Coyne
This is a book about applying Acceptance and Commitment Therapy to parenting young children and strongly influenced my thoughts of the parent I wanted to be when I was pregnant. The examples are of older children than babies, but I liked having an idea of where I was aiming to go.
Becoming Mum by Koa Whittingham
An acceptance and commitment therapy self help book to guide you through pregnancy to the early stages of becoming a mum.
maternalmentalhealthscotland.org.uk
Aims to provide information and work to improve services for both parents and professionals
A British Psychology Society Consultation in 2019 on Perinatal Mental Health Services recognised the folowing –
“Untreated perinatal mental health problems are a significant public health concern. Economic analyses indicate that untreated perinatal mental health problems cost society £8.1 billion every annual birth cohort and that 75% of these costs are as a result of the adverse impacts on later infant and child outcomes, including their mental health and academic attainment. To prevent this, it is essential that effective early intervention is available to reduce mental illness in the mother and improve the mother-infant relationship when required.”
Mummy ACT 