Young parent
Wednesday 21 October 2009
The pitter patter of tiny feet can be a daunting thought. Find out about everything you need to support your child.
Before birth
Pregnancy changes everything – you and your other half will need to make one or two changes to your life to ensure that your baby is safe and well.
First things first – if you smoke you should consider quitting completely. As well as putting yourself in danger, you could also put great harm on your child. Research has shown that cot deaths are four times more likely if a baby is born to a mother who smokes.
You may need to change your diet as well. Avoid drinking alcohol and caffeine. Most importantly, make sure you eat a balanced diet. Despite what you hear, don’t eat for two – you won’t need the extra calories until your final three months of pregnancy. There are lots more dos and don’ts though. Read all about them here.
Your benefits
As a parent you will be entitled to Child Benefit. Fill out an application form here. You’ll need your National Insurance number, your child’s birth certificate and your bank account details on hand.
Other benefits you may be entitled to include maternity grant, income support and jobseeker’s allowance. There’s a lot of help available so make sure you do some investigating.
Finding a home
You’ll probably find that having a baby requires a lot of space. If, after having your baby, you find that your current living situation isn’t work out then you could get some help from your council.
Most people living in the UK permanently are eligible to apply for a council house. This doesn’t however, mean that you will definitely get one. Council houses are really limited in most areas, and you may have to wait a while before you hear anything.
The council will ask you about your current living situation and why you want or feel like you should move out. The council will also assess whether you’re a ‘priority’. This means whether your situation makes you more in need of housing than others. Read about your housing rights here.
Baby shopping
You won’t have to buy as much for your baby as you think. You also won’t need to buy everything at once. For starters, the main items you will need are:
- A cot and mattress - this will be the safest and most secure place for your baby to sleep. Make sure the mattress is firm, flat and waterproof, and without any holes or rips.
- Clothing – four of five full outfits should be enough. Don’t buy too much because you’ll probably get a few hand-me-downs and some as gifts too.
- Nappies – you can purchase either disposable or reusable nappies.
- Bottles and feeding equipment.
- Pushchair.
- Child car seats – make sure you buy the correct seat for your baby’s age.
You could also consider buying safety equipment, like stair gates and door locks, bath equipment, baby changing gear and some toys.
It’s quite easy to get ahead of yourself when it comes to baby shopping. Remember, you can cut costs by borrowing items you will only need for a few months. You can also save some cash by by visiting charity and second hand stores.
