Good health in pregnancy: experts invited to parliament

 
Slimming World and the Royal College of Midwives (RCM) were invited to an event in Parliament to talk about the importance of promoting good health in pregnancy as the foundations for a healthy family. 

Louise Silverton CBE, Director for Midwifery at RCM, and Amanda Avery RD, Assistant Professor in Nutrition and Dietetics at University of Nottingham and Consultant Dietitian to Slimming World, were guests of the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on a Fit and Healthy Childhood in July.

The APPG is chaired by Baroness Benjamin OBE and attracts a wide and active membership of parliamentarians and external organisations. The group exists to inform policy decisions and public debate relating to all aspects of childhood health and wellbeing, including obesity.

In 2012, Slimming World and the Royal College of Midwives joined forces in a unique alliance partnership to support pregnant and breastfeeding women in managing their weight in a healthy way. The partnership brought together the world-class midwifery and maternity expertise of the RCM and Slimming World’s five decades of experience of helping people to achieve and maintain a healthy weight through long-term healthy lifestyle changes.

Louise Silverton talked to members of the APPG about the crucial, yet sometimes unrecognised, role that midwives play in the public health arena. Louise said: “Midwives are normally the lead professionals at the start of life. Following a wide ranging study exploring midwives knowledge of, and involvement in, the public health agenda, RCM responded with the 'Stepping up to Public Health' model.” 

Amanda Avery stressed that what happens to children in their earliest moments, even before birth, is critical to health in later life and may influence the risk of chronic diseases such as obesity and Type 2 diabetes.

Phil Royal, secretariat for the APPG, said: “We all know that giving children the very best start in life is vitally important for their futures. Good health in pregnancy is the foundation for this. We were delighted to stage this important opportunity to press for a better appreciation of the challenges.”