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Abstract
The transition to parenthood is a time of great change for mothers and fathers, and also lays the foundation for the long-term health and wellbeing of the child. This emphasises the importance of preparation for parenthood. A Department of Health-commissioned review found provision and uptake of antenatal education to be variable, and so brought a group of experts together to consider Preparation for Pregnancy, Birth and Beyond.
This paper provides an overview of the learning from the expert group's work, offering a new framework that professionals may use to plan effective local programmes and services.
Key words
Preparation for pregnancy, birth and beyond, parentcraft, antenatal education.
Community Practitioner, 2011; 84(5): 36-8.
No potential competing interests declared.
Introduction
The transition to parenthood is one of life's most significant events and having a baby is a time of great change. As well as being important for mothers and fathers, it is also a key time for a child, as their experience in the womb and in early life will lay the foundation for their future health and wellbeing. Growing knowledge in the field of neuroscience emphasises the importance of early infant experience and its impact on later physical, social, emotional and cognitive outcomes. This serves to emphasise the importance of preparation for parenthood, be it in the form of antenatal education, parentcraft classes or antenatal groups.
A recent review commissioned by the Department of Health (DH) and carried out by the University of Warwick (Schrader McMillan et al, 2009) found antenatal education provison to be variable and patchy, with low uptake by the most disadvantaged and excluded families and health professionals feeling ill prepared and unsupported in this work.
Given the evidence, the financial challenges and the changing role for public services, it made sense to review the purpose of antenatal education and look at different ways to support expectant and new parents in their journey to parenthood. To this end, the DH brought together a group of experts to consider what needs to be in place to prepare today's mothers- and fathers-to-be for pregnancy, birth and beyond. The work of the expert group was informed by the above review of the evidence, surveys of expectant and new mothers and fathers, visits to existing programmes...