Useful Organisations

Tommy's provides links (see below) to other organisations working in related areas that may be of interest or use to you. Tommy's has no control of the content and upkeep of these sites and links do not constitute agreement with their views or recommendations.

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Please click on the links above to access the appropriate section of useful organisations.

Pre-pregnancy

Foresight (Association for the Promotion of Pre-conceptual care)
www.foresight-preconception.org.uk
28 The Paddock, Godalming, Surrey GU7 1XD
Telephone 01483 427839
Foresight aims to promote the importance of good health and nutritional status in both parents before conceiving a baby, and to provide sensible, achievable information and advice on how to do this. Offers a free welcome pack (various leaflets) to all new enquirers.

Pregnancy health

British Nutrition Foundation
www.nutrition.org.uk
High Holborn House, 52-54 High Holborn, London WC1V 6RQ
Telephone 020 7404 6504
The Foundation promotes the nutritional wellbeing of society through the impartial interpretation and effective dissemination of scientifically based nutritional knowledge and advice. It works in partnership with academic and research institutes, the food industry, educators and government. The Foundation influences all in the food chain, government, the professions and the media. The Foundations is a charitable organisation which raises funds from the food industry, government and a variety of other sources.

Centre for Pregnancy Nutrition
www.shef.ac.uk/pregnancy_nutrition/
University of Sheffield, Clinical Science Centre, Northern General Hospital, Sheffield S5 7AU
Helpline 0114 242 4084
The centre provides information on nutrition during pregnancy to pregnant women and those planning pregnancy who have concerns about any aspects of their diet and possible effects on the outcome of their pregnancy. Its services are also available to others including health professionals and the media.

Fathersdirect
www.fathersdirect.com
Fathers Direct, Herald House, Lambs Passage, Bunhill Row, London, EC1Y 8TQ
Fathers Direct is the UK's national information centre for fatherhood.

Herbal Advice Line
Helpline 0906 8020177 (calls cost 60p/min) Mon to Fri 9am to 1pm
Members of the National Institute of Medical Herbalists staff the telephone line, and give advice on how to take herbal remedies, interaction of herbs with other medication and safe use of herbs for children and during pregnancy.

Food Standards Agency
www.foodstandards.gov.uk
The Food Standards Agency is an independent food safety watchdog set up by an Act of Parliament in 2000 to protect the public's health and consumer interests in relation to food.

Maternity Alliance
www.maternityalliance.org.uk
5th Floor, 45 Beech Street, London EC2P 2LX
Telephone 020 7490 7638
Information line for pregnant women and new mothers. Offers advice on employment rights, benefit entitlements and other information. A range of leaflets is also available.

NOFAS-UK
www.nofas-uk.org
Telephone helpline 020 8458 5951 (Mon to Fri 10am to 2pm)
14 B Hoop Lane, London NW11 8JL
NOFAS-UK promotes public awareness about the risks of alcohol consumption during pregnancy with the goal to reduce the number of babies being born with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD). NOFAS-UK is committed to helping individuals with FASD, their families and carers. NOFAS-UK provides a helpline, support group meetings, newsletter plus conferences featuring experts in the field of FASD.

Infertility

Infertility Network UK
www.infertilitynetworkuk.com
Charter House, 43 St Leonards Road, Bexhill on Sea, East Sussex, TN40 1JA
Email: admin@infertilitynetworkuk.com
Helpline for people with infertility related problems. Offers advice, information, support and a listening ear. Produces a range of factsheets on specific types of infertility and also runs local support groups. Produces a quarterly magazine for members and has an evening telephone counselling service.

Verity - The Polycystic Ovaries Self-Help Group
www.verity-pcos.org.uk
52-54 Featherstone Street, London EC1Y 8RT
Verity is the self-help organisation for women whose lives are affected by Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS). Verity aims to help women understand their condition, to manage their symptoms and support them through what can be a lonely and emotional time.

Pregnancy at work

Tailored interactive guidance on employment rights
www.tiger.gov.uk
TIGER is designed to provide a user-friendly guide through different aspects of UK employment law.

Department of Trade and Industry
www.dti.gov.uk

Parents at Work
www.parentsatwork.org.uk
1-3 Berry Street, London EC1V 0AA
Telephone 020 7253 7243
Works with both parents and organisations to help children, working parents and their employers find a better balance between responsibilities at home and work. Provides information and support on employment rights, childcare and flexible working for working parents, plus provides information for employers on all work-life aspects, such as flexible working.

Problems/complications in pregnancy

Action on pre-eclampsia (APEC)
www.apec.org.uk
84-88 Pinner Road, Harrow, Middlesex, HA1 4HZ,
Helpline: 020 8427 4217 (weekdays 10am - 1pm)
APEC offers: information and support for women at risk of or affected by pre-eclampsia; information, conferences and study days for health professionals; membership services, including newsletter with research updates.

Antenatal Results and Choices (ARC)
www.arc-uk.org
73 Charlotte Street, London W1T 4PN
Helpline 020 7631 0285
ARC is a national charity which provides non-directive support and information to parents throughout the antenatal testing process. Their role is to help parents arrive at the most appropriate decision for them in the context of their family life.

Ectopic Pregnancy Trust
www.ectopic.org
c/o Maternity Unit, Hillingdon Hospital, Pield Heath Road, Uxbridge, Middlesex UB8 3NN
National helpline 01895 238 025
Ectopic Pregnancy Trust provides support and information for women and their families whose lives have been affected by an ectopic pregnancy.

Group B Strep support (GBSS)
www.gbss.org.uk
PO Box 203, Haywards Heath, West Sussex RH16 1GF
Telephone 01444 416176 (manned intermittently/answerphone)
Group B Strep Support (GBSS) is a UK charity, founded in 1996. Their main aims are to offer information and support to pregnant women and families affected by GBS, inform health professionals and individuals how most GBS infections in newborn babies can be prevented and generate continued support for research into preventing GBS infections.

Hughes Syndrome Foundation
www.hughes-syndrome.org
The Rayne Institute, St Thomas' Hospital, London, SE1 7EH
Telephone 020 7960 5561
Provides information on Hughes Syndrome (Antiphospholipid Syndrome or 'sticky blood').

Hyperemesis Gravidarum Awarenes Group (Blooming Awful)
www.hyperemesis.org.uk
29 Windermere Avenue, Basingstoke, Hampshire RG22 5JH
Email support@hyperemesis.org.uk (preferable)
Telephone 07050 655 094 (if no email access)
Support group run by volunteers, for women who have suffered from hyperemesis gravidarum (severe sickness and nausea lasting throughout entire pregnancy) in one or more pregnancies.

Lifeblood - the Thrombosis Charity
www.thrombosis-charity.org.uk
Pulmonary Embolism in pregnancy and post-natally causes the highest number of maternal deaths each year, but there is not an awful lot of information available about it for expectant and new mothers. Lifeblood is a new charity, seeking to raise awareness of thrombosis in general, including the risks to pregnant and post-natal women. With good information available to both patients and healthcare professionals, we can ensure that more DVTs are spotted early, complications are prevented and lives are saved.

Molar pregnancy support group
Support Group Co-ordinator - Barbara Robinson 01925 262093
Molar Support Group started in 1995 and at present offers verbal support from ex patients and relatives to new patients and their relatives. They also liaise closely with Weston Park Hospital who have implemented many ideas to help patients understand more about their illness.

Obstetric Cholestasis Trust
Support and information line 0121 353 0699
Offers information for women who have suffered from Obstetric Cholestasis or who suspect that they might have the condition.

Pregnancy loss

Child Bereavement Trust
www.childbereavement.org.uk
Aston House, West Wycombe, High Wycombe, Bucks HP14 3AG
Telephone 01494 446648
Provides support and counselling for grieving families. It was founded to improve the support offered by professionals to grieving families.

Child Death Helpline
The Bereavement Services Department, Great Ormond Street Hospital, Great Ormond Street, London WC1N 3JH
Freephone 0860 282986 open evenings 7pm to 10pm / Mon, Wed, Fri 10am to 1pm
Helpline for anyone affected by the death of a child of any age, offering befriending, advice, information, counselling, listening and referrals. Staffed by bereaved parents. Can offer face to face service by arrangement (also based at the Alder Centre, Alder Hey Hospital Liverpool).

Confidential Enquiry Into Maternal And Child Health (CEMACH) www.cemach.org.uk
Chiltern Court, 188 Baker Street, London NW1 5SD
Telephone 020 7486 1191
CEMACH is part of a strategy for the development of the national confidential enquiries being implemented by the National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE). CEMACH aims to improve future care of the mother, babies and children.

FSID (Foundation for the Study of Infant Death)
www.sids.org.uk
Artillery House, 11-19 Artillery Row, London SW1P 2RT
Helpline 020 7233 2090
Helpline for people with concerns about cot death, families bereaved by cot death and professionals. Provides information on infant care and listening support. Advice on practical matters after the death of a baby, information on bereavement support. Also provides information on research into cot death.

Miscarriage Association
www.miscarriageassociation.org.uk
c/o Clayton Hospital, Northgate, Wakefield WF1 3JS
Helpline 01924 200799
Scottish Helpline 0131 334 8883
Provides information and support for people affected by pregnancy loss. Offers quarterly newsletter for members and a range of leaflets. It is also a contact point for volunteer support workers and self-help groups throughout the UK

Stillbirth & Neonatal Death Society (SANDS)
www.uk-sands.org
28 Portland Place, London W1N 4DE
Helpline 020 7436 5881 (Mon to Fri 10am to 3pm)
Telephone helpline and a UK wide network of local self-help groups for bereaved parents and families affected by the death of a baby at or soon after birth. Provides information and publications for bereaved parents and healthcare professionals.

The Compassionate Friends (TFC)
www.tcf.org.uk
53 North Street, Bristol BS3 1EN
Helpline 0117 953 9639 (open from 9.30am to 10.30pm)
Helpline run by and for bereaved parents who have lost a child of any age and from any circumstances. Offers support and listening, 365 days a year. Also support for siblings, grandparents, parents of murdered children.

Premature babies

Bliss
www.bliss.org.uk
68 South Lambeth Road, London SW8 1RL
Telephone 0870 7700 337
Aims to provide life-saving equipment so special care baby units (SCBUs) around the UK can provide the best possible care for sick newborn babies. Provides advice, support and information for families and health professionals involved. Freephone support network run for parents by parents of babies in special care.

Addiction & smoking

Action on Smoking and Health (ASH)
www.ash.org.uk
102 Clifton Street, London EC2A 4HW
Telephone 020 7739 5902
Information service for the general public and health professionals. Aims to preserve the health of the community, to advance the education of the public concerning smoking, to carry out or support research and communication for the benefit of the health of the community.

National Drugs Helpline
www.talktofrank.com
Telephone 0800 77 66 00
Advice and information given by trained advisors on local services available and providing support if you are concerned about a drug problem.

Smoking Helplines

NHS Smoking Helpline 0800 169 0169
Open 7am - 11pm every day
www.givingupsmoking.co.uk/essential_resources/NHS_Smoking_Helpline/
Senior advisors (counsellors) available 10am - 11pm
Answerphone out of hours

NHS Pregnancy Smoking Helpline 0800 169 9 169
Open 12 midday - 9pm every day
www.givingupsmoking.co.uk/Smoking__Pregnancy/
Answerphone out of hours
Call-back service offered

QuitLine 0800 00 22 00
www.quit.org.uk
Open 9am - 9pm every day

Help with a new baby

Babycentre
www.Babycentre.co.uk is the UK's leading website for new, expecting and "actively trying" parents. With more than 14 million page views and 866,000 unique visitors every month, it is the most complete online resource, providing new and prospective parents with the information, advice, support, reassurance and inspiration they need. Visit www.Babycentre.co.uk for more information.

Children's information services
www.childcarelink.gov.uk
Telephone: 0800 096 02 96
Face-to-face or phone advice on all aspects of childcare, and details of childcare in your local area.

Sure Start
www.surestart.gov.uk
Sure Start is the government's programme to deliver the best start in life for every child by bringing together: early education, childcare, health and family support.

Home-Start
www.home-start.org.uk
Telephone: 08000 68 63 68
Home-Start offers support and practical help to parents with young children in local communities throughout the UK; volunteers are usually parents themselves and can visit families at home.

Raising Kids
www.raisingkids.co.uk
Provides practical parenting advice to everyone who's raising kids, from birth through to teens.