MIALearn at your own pace.
29 short guides to pregnancy, birth and the first weeks with your baby. Each one shows how strong the evidence is.
Pregnancy
All 8 guides
Pregnancy week by week
What changes each week of pregnancy, for you and your baby, with the research behind it.
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First trimester: what to expect
Weeks 1 to 13 of pregnancy: common symptoms, nausea, scans, and signs to call your midwife about.
ReadSecond trimester: weeks 14 to 27
What to expect in the second trimester: more energy, your bump, the anomaly scan, first movements and common aches.
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Third trimester: weeks 28 to 40
What to expect in the last weeks of pregnancy: baby’s growth, movements, preparing for birth and signs to call about.
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Baby movements in pregnancy
When you feel your baby move, what is normal, and why you should call your midwife straight away if movements slow down.
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What to eat in pregnancy and foods to avoid
A simple guide to eating well in pregnancy: key nutrients, foods to avoid, caffeine limits and what to do about nausea.
ReadExercise in pregnancy: what is safe
Safe exercise in pregnancy: walking, swimming, yoga and strength work, what to avoid and the signs to stop.
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Braxton Hicks contractions or real labour?
How to tell practice contractions from real labour, what helps, and when to call your midwife.
ReadBirth
All 15 guidesNatural birth, explained honestly
How to prepare for a natural birth: movement, upright positions, continuous support and your real options.
ReadSigns of labour: when to call your midwife
The early signs of labour, how real contractions differ from practice ones, and when to call your midwife or go to hospital.
ReadBest positions for labour and birth
Upright and moving positions for labour, how they can help, and how to try them with a birth ball, pool or partner.
ReadLabour and birth in water
What the research says about labour and birth in water, who it suits, and how to plan for a birth pool.
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What a doula does
What a doula is, how a doula supports you in pregnancy and labour, and what the research says about continuous support.
ReadBirth partner guide: how to support labour
How a birth partner can help in labour: comfort measures, speaking up for your wishes, and looking after themselves too.
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Breathing and calm for labour
Simple breathing, relaxation and hypnobirthing ideas to feel calmer in labour, and what the research says about them.
ReadHow to write a birth plan
A simple guide to writing a birth plan: what to include, how to share it with your midwife, and how to stay flexible.
ReadHome, birth centre or hospital: where to give birth
Compare giving birth at home, in a midwife-led birth centre or in hospital, and how to choose what fits your pregnancy.
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What to pack in your hospital bag
A simple hospital bag checklist for labour, birth and the first days: for you, your birth partner and your baby.
ReadEating dates in late pregnancy: what the research says
Can eating dates from week 36 help with labour? What small studies found, how strong the proof is, and who should be careful.
ReadPerineal massage and tear prevention
What helps lower the chance of a bad tear in birth: perineal massage, warm compresses, positions and pushing at your own pace.
ReadPain relief options in labour
A fair guide to pain relief in labour: water, breathing, TENS, gas and air, pethidine and epidural, with pros and cons.
ReadInduction of labour: what to expect
Why labour is induced, how induction works, what to ask your midwife, and your options if you are past your due date.
ReadCaesarean birth: planned and unplanned
What happens in a caesarean, how to prepare, skin-to-skin in theatre, and recovery in the first weeks.
ReadAfter birth
All 6 guidesThe first six weeks after birth
The golden hour, skin-to-skin, feeding, healing and your mood in the first six weeks after birth.
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Delayed cord clamping and the golden hour
Why waiting before cutting the cord can help your baby, and how the golden hour of skin-to-skin supports bonding and feeding.
ReadBreastfeeding basics for new parents
Getting started with breastfeeding: the first feed, a good latch, how often to feed and when to ask for help.
ReadSafe sleep for newborns
How to put your baby to sleep safely: on their back, in their own space, and how to lower the risk of sudden infant death.
ReadPostnatal recovery: body and mind
Healing after birth: bleeding, stitches, pelvic floor, sleep and your mood, and when to call for help.
ReadPostnatal depression: signs and where to get help
How to tell the baby blues from postnatal depression, the signs to watch for, and where to get help quickly.
ReadOur sources
UK national guidance on pregnancy, birth and after birth.
World Health Organization recommendations on antenatal, birth and postnatal care.
Reviews that pool many studies to show how strong the evidence is.
Studies like the UK POOL study on water birth.