Most of us get all of the vitamins we need through the food we eat, if we are getting a healthy and balanced diet. However, there are stages in life when we need extra help.Pregnant women, those planning a pregnancy, new mums, babies and young children are advised to take certain vitamin supplements in addition to having a healthy balanced diet.If you are on the Healthy Start Scheme and get Healthy Start vouchers you can get free vitamins.To qualify for the scheme you need to be on Income Support, income-based Jobseeker's Allowance, income-related Employment and Support Allowance, or Child Tax Credit.Even if you aren’t it is worth asking your health visitor or midwife if your local NHS area offers the vitamins either free or for sale.If you are pregnant and are under 18 you are also entitled to the free vitamins, regardless of whether or not you are on benefits or credits.If you are at least 10 weeks pregnant or have a child under 4 years old, and qualify by being in receipt of certain benefits or tax credits, or if you are under 18 and pregnant but don’t receive these benefits or credits, you are entitled to Healthy Start vitamins for women.
They are specifically made for pregnant and breastfeeding women and contain folic acid and vitamins C and D. Taking folic acid reduces the risk of your baby having what’s called a neural tube defect, like spina bifida, when the spine isn’t formed properly.Vitamin C helps maintain healthy tissue in the body. Vitamin D helps your body absorb calcium, keeping your bones healthy and helping to make sure that your baby’s bones and teeth grow strong. Babies born with low levels of vitamin D can sometimes develop softened bones, which can lead to rickets. Taking vitamin D during pregnancy will make sure your baby has enough stored in their body for the first few months of their life.Parents and carers are asked to note the new dates and times which have been arranged for the parent and toddler pre-school sports sessions through the week: Mondays 10:00am – 11:00am Wednesdays 1:00pm – 2:00pm Slàinte Mhath members go free.
These sessions take place in the Games Hall at the Lewis Sports Centre (ISL) and allow pre-school children to develop their fine motor skills with a wide range of games to play! For further information, please do not hesitate to contact Karen Pickard, Service Support Officer, Ionad Spòrs Leòdhais, Stornoway. Tel: (01851) 822800 or email: karen.pickard@cne-siar.gov.uk “Fun and quirky” were the words used to describe the three localised short films recently launched to raise awareness of the importance of Vitamin D in childhood. Featuring local children and adults from the Butt to Barra, the films were created by NHS Western Isles to bring some playfulness to an otherwise unexciting subject, with some light-hearted and humorous results. CLICK HERE TO VIEW Vitamin D Matters: The Healthy Start Scheme (Film 3) View our third and final light-hearted and humorous short film aimed at raising awareness of the importance of Vitamin D. We welcome your feedback and comments on the Vitamin D films – so please comment below or email them direct to: marissa.maclennan@nhs.net
Vitamin D Matters: How Do I Get My Vitamin D (Film 2) (Please note Video 3 will be released on Thursday 27th October 2016). View the second of our three light-hearted and humorous short films aimed at raising awareness of the importance of Vitamin D. Watch out for film 3, which will be shown next week! Vitamin D Matters: The importance of Vitamin D (Film 1) (Please note Video 2 will be released on Thursday 20th October 2016). View the first of our three light-hearted and humorous short films aimed at raising awareness of the importance of Vitamin D. Watch out for film 2, which will be shown next week! A huge well done to our child stars who lended their voices to the Vitamin D Matters films. They are: Katie Morag Barker (Harris), David Macdonald (Lewis), Ruby Duncan (Lewis), Hannah Matheson (Lewis), Ryan Macdonald (Uist), Scott Campbell (Barra), Calumn Maciver (Lewis) and Sam Scott (Lewis). Well done to you all – what professionals! Parents-to-be and parents and carers of children under 4 years may be entitled to vouchers that they can spend with local retailers.
These vouchers can be spent on cow’s milk, plain fresh or frozen fruit and veg, and infant formula milk – take advantage and ask your midwife or health visitor for further details – or visit https://www.healthystart.nhs.uk/ Don’t forget that Healthy Start children’s vitamins are available free from the Health Information & Resources Service, at Stornoway Health Centre, Springfield Road, Stornoway. If you have one or more children aged between 6 months to 4 years you are entitled to a free bottle of Healthy Start Vitamin Drops. Healthy Start Vitamin Drops are also available from GP Surgeries, health centres or clinics, health visitors, nurseries and sports centres. What are neonatal services? Neonatal services provide specialist care for babies who are born prematurely or are ill. Most pregnancies and births in Scotland do not require neonatal services. However, for those babies that do need specialist care, it is important that their parents and family understand how we provide this care in NHS Scotland.
To find out more about the Neonatal Managed Clinical Network (MCN) for the West of Scotland who aim to provide equal access to care for all newborns and their families, please click here. ‘Breastfeeding Welcome Here’ is the message from local retailers encouraging women to breastfeed throughout the Western Isles. The campaign, which is led by the Western Isles Maternal & Infant Nutrition Group and will be rolled out over the next three months, is aimed at raising awareness of the health benefits of breastfeeding to mothers and their babies, whilst offering local supportive family-friendly locations at which to breastfeed. An exciting new collaboration between Cambridgeshire County Council and Cambridgeshire Community Services NHS Trust will see more children, pregnant women and breastfeeding mums able to access vitamin tablets or drops than ever before. Bridget Halnan, Infant Feeding Lead at Cambridgeshire Community Services NHS Trust explains: “Vitamins are needed in small amounts but they are essential for ensuring that your body can work properly and to help you remain fit and well.
Additional vitamin supplements are recommended by the Department of Health for pregnant women, breastfeeding mums with a baby under one year old and all babies from 6 months to five years. “Those families receiving certain benefits have always been able to have free vitamins through the national Healthy Start scheme, which provides them with vouchers, which can be exchanged for vitamins. Those not receiving benefits have previously had to buy vitamins and this is a cost that some families just can’t afford. “Our pilot scheme will enable parents accessing baby clinics and midwifery clinics in four Children’s Centres in Cambourne, Arbury, Ely and Wisbech to buy vitamins at a significantly reduced cost. Each supply of women’s vitamin tablets will cost just £1 and each bottle of children’s vitamin drops £1.50. Those receiving vouchers will also be able to exchange these for vitamins at the same centres.” Commenting on the new scheme, Val Thomas, Consultant in Public Health at Cambridgeshire County Council added:
“Vitamins are an essential to the body including Vitamin A to help build a strong immune system which helps to protect against infections and disease, Vitamin C to maintain healthy tissue, and Vitamin D for strong bones and teeth. “Even though you can get lots of vitamins from a healthy balanced diet, you still might not get everything you need at certain times in your life – such as when you’re pregnant, a new mum or a small child. We know that some children’s health problems caused by a lack of vitamins is increasing. “This pilot scheme will help a much wider group of mothers and children to have vitamin tablets through services in the heart of their communities. Families attending Health Visitors and Midwives clinics will continue to receive health advice and information but the vitamins will also be available at the clinics so people can take them home with them.” You can get further advice on vitamins from your health visitor, midwife or via the Healthy Start website at www.healthystart.nhs.uk/healthy-start/ and follow the links to Vitamins.
YOUR QUICK GUIDE TO VITAMIN TABLETS OR DROPS It is recommended that ALL mothers with under-ones and pregnant women and ALL children form 6 months to five years should take vitamin supplements. What vitamin supplements should you take? The Government advice – even if you have a really good diet – is that pregnant women (and those thinking about trying for a baby) and breastfeeding mums with a baby under 12 months should take supplements containing: Pregnant women should not take vitamin A supplements , or any supplements containing vitamin A (retinol), as too much could harm their baby. All children from the age of 6 months to five years (unless taking more than 500 mls of Infant Formula) should take vitamin drops containing: How do vitamins help the body? Which foods contain Vitamins A, C and D? Vitamin A is found in milk, cheese and eggs and also in carrots, green leafy vegetables, apricots and red peppers. Vitamin C is present in foods such as peppers, broccoli, oranges and kiwi fruit.