Newham scheme to help new mums get healthy

Kay Atwal, Chief Reporter Friday, July 20, 2012
2:00 PM

New mums who want change their eating habits and activity levels can benefit from a new scheme developed by Hearty Lives Newham.

New Baby, New You is a six month programme which will give mums, with a body mass index (a way of calculating healthy weight) of over 25 the opportunity to discuss their eating and activity habits with a specialist maternity dietitian and identify ways to improve their lifestyles.

They will be invited to an assessment appointment with an NHS maternity dietitian before starting an eight week group programme where they will discuss a variety of topics around food, activity and making healthy lifestyle changes.

Mums will get on-going support for up to six months to help them maintain new healthier lifestyle changes. The groups are small and women will have the chance to engage with other new mums.

Rachel Flowers, joint director of public health in Newham for NHS North East London and the City and Newham said: “New Baby, New You is an exciting and innovative service which we will hope will bring real health benefits to new mums in Newham. We are very pleased to be working with the BHF on this project and hope it will be a key player in preventing heart disease in the borough”.

New Baby New You groups will be held in children’s centres across the borough, so a wide section of the population can be reached and new mums can access other services. Referral to the service is via GPs, midwives, health visitors or other health professionals and on receiving the referral mums will be contacted to discuss suitable appointment times and locations.