Having a Baby

Having a baby will change your life forever. If you are actively trying for a baby you should talk to your GP or your local family planning clinic.

If you live in North Islington, your nearest family planning clinics are:

Goodinge Health Centre
Goodinge Close
North Road
N7 9EW
Tel: 020 7530 4900.

Highbury Grange Health Centre
1-5 Highbury Grange
N5 2QB
Tel: 020 7530 2888.

Hornsey Rise Health Centre
Hornsey Rise
N19 3YU
Tel: 020 7530 2400.

If you live in South Islington, your nearest Family Planning clinics are:

City House Health Centre
190-196 City Road
EC1
Tel: 020 7530 2750.

Finsbury Health Centre
Pine Street
EC1R 0JH
Tel: 020 7530 4200.

River Place Health
River Place
Essex Road
N1 2DE
Tel: 020 7530 2900.

You can also get advice from FPA (formerly the Family Planning Association).

If you are not currently registered with a GP click: Health - GPs

If things are not happening as quickly as you would like, then you may want to get some information about fertility. Visit: www.fertilitytest.co.uk

Health Matters

It is important that both you and your baby eat the right food during the 9 months of your pregnancy. You may need to take supplements and you may decide to give up alcohol completely. Whatever your questions, your doctor, or midwife should be able to give you all the information you need to make your pregnancy a healthy one.

Complications During Pregnancy

It is a sad fact that things do occasionally go wrong with a percentage of pregnancies.

www.nhsdirect.nhs.uk NHS Direct gives information about a variety of potential problems including miscarriages and cases of ectopic pregnancy. Obviously if you think something is seriously wrong you should go to see your doctor immediately.

The Birth - At Home or In Hospital?

Most people choose to have their baby in hospital. However, having weighed up your options, you may decide that you would prefer to have your baby at home. Your midwife or GP will be able to give you advice about this.

Three NHS Trusts provide the majority of hospital services for local people:

The Royal Free Hospital NHS Trust
Pond Street
London NW3 2QG
Tel: 020 7794 0500
www.royalfree.org.uk

The Whittington Hospital NHS Trust
Highgate Hill
London N19 5NF
Tel: 020 7272 3070
www.whittington.nhs.uk

University College Hospital London NHS Trust:
Grafton Way
London WC1
Tel: 020 7387 9300

Headquarters at:
Vesey Strong Wing,
112 Hampstead Road
London NW1
Tel: 020 7380 9868)
www.uclh.org

Registering a Birth

Once your baby is born, you must register it within 42 days.

For important information about how to register your baby in Islington, click
Registry Services

Or visit the National Statistics website for further information.

Of course before you do that you need to be sure about a name! Try visiting: www.yourbabysname.com for a list of over 10,000 names for baby boys and girls.

www.dss.gov.uk This section of the social security website gives information about maternity grants.

Adoption and Fostering

Many couples also consider adopting children, often instead of, or as well as having children of their own. Islington Council's social services department offer a wide range of adoption and fostering options. For more information click Adoption and Fostering

www.baaf.org.uk The British Agencies for Adoption and Fostering have lots of important information for anyone considering either of these options.