Total Wellbeing currently offers a range of services to support mums-to-be to achieve a healthy pregnancy and after baby is born.

The Healthy Pregnancy Services provide;

• Free Health Walks for pregnancy and post-natal women (partners welcome too) once per week. This is a chance to walk and talk all things pregnancy and beyond. Walking is good for both our mental and physical health and it’s a great chance to meet other families. The walks are led by our Health Walk Leader and Nutritionist and some weeks a midwife attends to join in on the fun and answer any pregnancy related questions you may have!

Contact Laura today on 07850 938849 to book a space or refer a client. Alternatively, you can email a referral to total.wellbeing@nhs.net

Women can self refer by texting PREGNANCYTWL to 60066

• A ‘perinatal’ mental health problem is one that you experience any time from becoming pregnant up to a year after you give birth. Having a baby is a big life event. It’s natural to experience a range of emotions during pregnancy and after giving birth. But if any difficult feelings start to have a big effect on day-to-day life, it might be a perinatal mental health problem. Total Wellbeing therapists can support and offer free online, telephone, virtual 1-2-1 sessions and group workshops. Contact the team today to find out more on 0300 555 4152 or refer via our referral form to total.wellbeing@nhs.net

• Stopping smoking at ANY point during pregnancy is better than not stopping at all. Women can self-refer by texting PREGNANCYTWL SSS to 60066 for support. Free support is also available for family members. You can refer to the service by sending a referral form to total.wellbeing@nhs.net or contact 0300 555 4152.

• Pregnancy nutrition support can be provided 1-2-1 virtually or via telephone for women who require further healthy pregnancy support in relation to healthy eating. This is provided by a Nutritionist. Contact Laura today on 07850 938849 to arrange or refer a client. Alternatively, you can email a referral to total.wellbeing@nhs.net

Women can self refer by texting PREGNANCYTWL to 60066

• Facebook group – Women and health professionals can join Total Wellbeing’s private pregnancy Facebook group; https://www.facebook.com/groups/HealthyPregnancyProgramme/ – to keep updated with Pregnancy information and support on offer in Luton.

All of the above services are available for women and families post birth. Their allocated advisor will guide them through this journey and provide them with the most suitable support throughout their time with Total Wellbeing.

Active Luton Pregnancy sessions

Active Luton also provide exercise support for pregnant women and sessions suitable for after birth:

• Active Luton provide pregnancy specific exercise classes delivered by an ante-natal trained instructor. Each session is just £3 and any pregnant woman can attend (must receive clearance from midwife or GP to exercise safely). The must pre-book the session via telephone or online, to book visit: https://www.activeluton.co.uk/me-time/pregnancy-exercise-class (More classes with be launching in January plus Aqua Natal). 

• Legs bums and bring your tots fitness classes, you can find these at different centres on the timetable: https://www.activeluton.co.uk/ Please contact the preferred centre to check what is still running during COVID. Sessions must be pre-booked.

• Lane swimming and swimming sessions with children/babies is also available. Take a look here for more information: https://www.activeluton.co.uk/timetables-and-sessions

• You can find online classes that were filmed during lockdown to support at-home exercise during pregnancy. These can be found here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1elABOk9W8U

Like Active Luton’s Facebook page to keep updated with what’s running during COVID: @activeluton

Luton parents are participating in national research into Strengthening Families Strengthening Communities parenting course

Together Research, University College London is working with Flying Start Luton as part of their national research study aiming to assess whether parents who are offered this 13-week group-based parenting programme will feel better in themselves, feel less stressed and generally more able to cope with looking after their families.

For over 10 years, the Race Equality Foundation, a charity working to promote race equality in the UK, has been organising group-based parenting programmes for families particularly from minority ethnic communities and those living in poverty. Strengthening Families, Strengthening Communitieshas had major success in engaging with communities across many parts of the country. Although very popular with the families involved, including courses regularly offered in Luton, the programme had not yet been fully evaluated to show if it is effective in achieving its goals. The Race Equality Foundation, keen to address this gap in knowledge initiated this current study.

Across several urban areas of England, including Luton, where ethnically and socially mixed communities live, the course is being offered to families who either decided themselves that they need help or families referred by professionals. Parents taking part in the study have been randomly allocated to either immediately start the Luton course in January 2021 or to wait for a nine month period before starting it in September 2021.

All the parents agreeing to take part in the study have been interviewed by phone at the start, will be interviewed after the programme has been completed and then 6 months later. A smaller number of parents and staff involved in delivering the programme will be interviewed about their views and experiences of it.  This is a great opportunity for the voice of Luton parents to contribute to this important national research.

We are still recruiting parents for the courses.  They need to live in Luton and have a child aged between 3 and 16 years of age in the family.  Please send any referrals through to FlyingStartParenting@luton.gov.uk.