Tommy’s Five Point Pregnancy Plan is aimed at getting essential advice to mothers-to-be in the UK.
This includes information on nutrition, weight management, exercise, smoking and mental health.
The campaign is being launched after a survey of 2000
women, who were pregnant or had children less than two years old,
revealed:
- Forty per cent did not know how many extra calories should be consumed when pregnancy.
- One in six did not take an essential folic acid supplement when planning a pregnancy.
- Half of those surveyed didn’t take a vitamin D supplement during pregnancy.
RCM general secretary Cathy Warwick said: ‘We welcome Tommy’s Five Point Pregnancy Plan.
‘It encompasses very important issues for midwives, such as tackling obesity and stopping smoking during pregnancy.
‘Even when we achieve our goal of every woman
receiving one-to-one care and being supported by a midwife she knows and
trusts, this plan would provide a useful framework.
‘It perfectly complements the important work midwives are already doing.’
Parenting club Bounty is helping promoting the Five Point Pregnancy Plan in the Bounty Pregnancy Information Pack.
From this month (September) the free pack is available at the 12-week scan.
Jacqui Clinton, health campaigns director
for Tommy’s, said: ‘Poor diet, obesity, lack of physical activity,
smoking and mental health problems can all impact on the healthy
development of the baby.
‘However, we know changing behaviour and certain
habits can be hard, so we want our Five Point Pregnancy Plan to provide
support for pregnant women – and the health care professionals who work
with them – by giving them practical tools to make small changes to
their lifestyle which can have a big impact on their pregnancy outcome.’
For more information, please
click here.
