Bump Start

Bump Start provides support to pregnant women and their partners from conception through to the early postnatal months. One to one support and group work is provided to support the holistic wellbeing of the family during pregnancy and to enable women to have better experiences in pregnancy and early parenthood.

Support covers a range of topics including practical support to tackle external factors such as poverty and housing which can impact on mental health and wellbeing alongside offering emotional and social support. Bump Start will also create opportunities for parents to build the knowledge, skills and confidence they need to care for their baby. This can include a range of activities delivered through home visiting which are designed to help establish the foundations for a secure parent-infant relationship and emphasise the importance of the early days and weeks following the birth of baby.

Families will be connected with their wider community in order to reduce isolation which can be a common factor in affecting perinatal mental health. The team deliver local pregnancy cafes in partnership with City of Edinburgh Councils Lifelong Learning department, offering sessions which help to build peer relationships, increase parental confidence and interaction with bump/baby.

The Bump Start team are trained and skilled in a variety of areas including;

• Baby Massage
• Bookbug
• Maternal Mental health
• Trauma Skilled Practice Level 2
• Supporting infant feeding choices
• Weaning
• Understanding domestic abuse
• Making Birth Better – Birth Trauma
• Mindfullness
• Brazelton, Newborn Behavioural Observation