The more you know about your pregnancy and your options, the more you are likely to feel in control. The information given here is based on The Pregnancy Book, which your midwife should give you at your first appointment.

Before you are pregnant

• All about conception and getting pregnant

• Thinking about the next baby?

Your pregnancy and labour

• 37-40 weeks pregnantHow the baby develops
• 0-8 weeks pregnant
• 9-12 weeks pregnant
• 13-16 weeks pregnant
• 17-20 weeks pregnant
• 21-24 weeks pregnant
• 25-28 weeks pregnant
• 29-32 weeks pregnant
• 33-36 weeks pregnant

• 40+ weeks pregnant
• Your health in pregnancy
• Common health problems
• Antenatal care and classes
• Choosing where to have your baby
• Labour and birth
• When pregnancy goes wrong

You and your baby

• What you will need for your baby?
• Your life after the birth
• The first days with your baby

• The first weeks with your baby
• Feeding your baby

General pregnancy topics

• Feelings and relationships
• Information for dads
• Maternity leave and employment rights

• Rights and benefits
• Make some decisions
• If you have a long-term condition (such as diabetes or high blood pressure)

Children's Immunisation Schedule

Here's a checklist of the vaccines that are routinely offered to everyone in the UK for free on the NHS, and the age at which you should ideally have them.

Routine childhood immunisations 

MMR against measles | NHS inform

Please note

** Where two or more injections are required at once, these should ideally be given in different limbs. Where this is not possible, injections in the same limb should be given 2.5cm apart.

Immunisations for at-risk children 

Childrens Health

There is a good guide on the NHS website which describes various conditions affecting children. There is advice on how to diagnose them, how to treat them and if further advice should be consulted.

NHS childhood illness slideshow

CYANS - Children and Young People's Allergy Network Scotland

When Should I Worry?

Having an ill child can be a very scary experience for parents. If you understand more about the illness it can help you to feel more in control. This booklet is for parents (and older children) and deals with common infections in children who are normally healthy.

Download the booklet

Conditions and Treatments

See the NHS Conditions and Treatments browser for an in-depth description of many common health issues.

These links all come from trusted resources but if you are unsure about these or any other medical matters please contact your doctor or pharmacist for advice

Routine childhood immunisations 

The campaign Chat.Sign.Protect. aims to raise awareness and encourage uptake of the vaccines offered to young people in secondary school.

All young people in S1 and S3 are offered the HPV, MenACWY and DTP vaccines which protect them against serious diseases, such as meningitis and different cancers.

The campaign encourages Parents/Carers and their young people to chat about the free vaccines offered, before signing and returning their consent form to school. 

Vaccines for young people | NHS inform - chat-sign-protect.

MMR against measles | NHS inform 

When Should I Worry?

Having an ill child can be a very scary experience for parents. If you understand more about the illness it can help you to feel more in control. This booklet is for parents (and older children) and deals with common infections in children who are normally healthy.

 Download the booklet

There is a good guide on the NHS website which describes various conditions affecting children. There is advice on how to diagnose them, how to treat them and if further advice should be consulted.

NHS childhood illness slideshow

CYANS - Children and Young People's Allergy Network Scotland

Fevers

Most symptoms of a fever in young children can be managed at home with infant paracetamol. If the fever is very high, they may have an infection that needs treating with antibiotics.

• NHS Inform - fever in Children

Head Lice

Head lice are insects that live on the scalp and neck. They may make your head feel itchy. Although head lice may be embarrassing and sometimes uncomfortable, they don't usually cause illness. However, they won't clear up on their own and you need to treat them promptly

• NHS Inform Head lice

Nosebleeds

Nosebleeds (also known as epistaxis) are fairly common, especially in children, and can generally be easily treated.

• St Johns Ambulance
• NHS Choices

Child & Adolescent Mental Health Services 

Recommended Resources by CAHMS to help support mental health & well-being. 

https://www.youngminds.org.uk - Mental health information & advice on a range of topics for young people & parents/carers.

https://mindedforfamilies.org.uk/young-people/ - Information about children & young people's mental health.

https://www.nshn.co.uk/downoads/Distractions.pdf - For advice regarding self -harming behaviour.

https://www.getselfhelp.co.uk/ - List of resources based on Cognitive Behavioural Therapy.

Breathing Space 0800 83 85 87 - confidential phone for anyone over 16, feeling low, anxious or depressed.

Useful Apps

Mind Shift -  Mental health app specifically designed for teens & young adults with anxiety.

SAM- Self Help for Anxiety Management- Build you own 24 hour anxiety toolkit allowing you to track anxious thoughts /behaviours & learn 25 different self-help techniques. 

Happify - A psychologist approved mood-training programme, its a fast track to a good mood. 

Headspace - Learn the skills of mindfulness & meditation for just a few minutes per day.

Calm - Provides people experiencing stress & anxiety with guided meditations, sleep stories, breathing programmes & relaxing music.

Calm Harm - Helps you manage or resist the urge to self-harm.

Smiling Mind - A way to practice daily meditation & mindfulness exercises, developed by psychologists & educator to bring balance to your life. Really helpful during times of stress & is a fun , unique way to help put a smile on your mind.

Mens' Health

Health symptoms men should not ignore:

"British men are paying the price for neglecting their health: more than 100,000 men a year die prematurely.

On average, men go to their GP half as often as women. It's important to be aware of changes to your health, and to see your GP immediately if you notice something that's not right." Find out more

Prostate Cancer

Each year about 36,000 men in the UK are diagnosed with prostate cancer, making it the most common cancer in men. It mainly affects men aged over 50.

Symptoms

• difficulty in starting to pass urine
• a weak, sometimes intermittent flow of urine
• dribbling of urine before and after urinating
• a frequent or urgent need to pass urine
• rarely, blood in your urine or semen and pain when passing urine

These symptoms aren't always caused by prostate cancer but if you have them, see your GP.

Find out more about the symptoms, causes and diagnosis of prostate cancer by using the resources below.

Resources

BUPA - Prostate Cancer

NHS - Prostate Cancer

Testicular Cancer

Testicular cancer, though the most common cancer in young men, it is still quite rare. With 2000 new cases being diagnosed each year, this makes it the biggest cause of cancer related death in 15 - 35-year-old males. It accounts for around 70 deaths a year within the UK alone.

What to Look Out For

The most common symptom of testicular cancer is swelling or a pea-sized lump in one of the testes (balls). There is no current screening test therefore it is important that you look out for the following signs and symptoms.

• A dull ache, or sharp pain, in your testicles, or scrotum, which may come and go
• A feeling of heaviness in your scrotum
• A dull ache in your lower abdomen
• A sudden collection of fluid in your scrotum
• Fatigue, and generally feeling unwell.

Resources

NHS - Information on Testicular Cancer

BUPA - Testicular Cancer

Sexual Problems

It’s estimated that one man in 10 has a problem related to having sex, such as premature ejaculation or erectile dysfunction. Dr John Tomlinson of The Sexual Advice Association explains some of the causes, and where to seek help.

Find our more on NHS

NHS Conditions and Treatments

See the NHS Conditions and Treatments browser for an in-depth description of many common health issues.

Ellon Men's Shed

Dont be lonely...Looking for something to do & people to talk with? Then come along to the Shed for a cuppa & a blether. 

For 18 years & above

Open : Monday, Tuesday, Thursday 10am-4pm, Hospital Road Ellon AB41 9AW

(no charge to join or attend - just a 50p contribution for tea & biscuits!)

http://www.ellonmensshed.org/

Cervical Screening (Smear Tests)

Cervical screening is a method of preventing cervical cancer by detecting abnormal cells in the cervix (lower part of the womb). Cervical screening is not a test for cancer, but it is a test to check the health of the cervix.

Most women's test results show that everything is normal. But for one in 20 women, the test will show some changes in the cells of the cervix. Most of these changes will not lead to cervical cancer and the cells will go back to normal on their own. In some cases, the abnormal cells need to be treated to prevent them becoming a problem later.

Cervical screening (smear test) in Scotland | NHS inform

All the information you need to know. 

HPV Vaccination

Since September 2008 there has been a national programme to vaccinate girls aged 12-13 against human papilloma virus (HPV). There is also a three-year catch up campaign that will offer the HPV vaccine (also known as the cervical cancer jab) to 13-18 year old girls.

The programme is delivered largely through secondary schools, and consists of three injections that are given over a six-month period. In the UK, more than 1.4 million doses have been given since the vaccination programme started.

What is Human papilloma virus (HPV)?
Human papilloma virus (HPV) is the name of a family of viruses that affect the skin and the moist membranes that line your body, such as those in your cervix, anus, mouth and throat. These membranes are called the mucosa.

There are more than 100 different types of HPV viruses, with about 40 types affecting the genital area. These are classed as high risk and low risk.

How you get HPV?
Types of HPV that affect the skin can be passed on by skin contact with an affected person. The types of HPV that affect the mouth and throat can be passed on through kissing. Genital HPV is usually spread through intimate, skin to skin, contact during sex. You can have the genital HPV virus for years and not have any sign of it.

How HPV can cause cervical cancer?
Most HPV infections are harmless or cause genital warts, however some types can cause cervical cancer. Most HPV infections clear up by themselves, but in some people the infection can last a long time. HPV infects the cells of the surface of the cervix where it can stay for many years without you knowing.

The HPV virus can damage these cells leading to changes in their appearance. Over time, these changes can develop into cervical cancer. The purpose of cervical screening (testing) is to detect these changes, which, if picked up early enough, can be treated to prevent cancer happening. If they are left untreated, cancer can develop and may lead to serious illness and death.

Human papillomavirus (HPV) - NHS (www.nhs.uk)

HPV vaccine - Immunisations in Scotland | NHS inform

Breast Cancer

Breast cancer is the most common cancer in the UK. About 46,000 women get breast cancer in the UK each year. Most of them (8 out of 10) are over 50, but younger women, and in rare cases men, can also get breast cancer.

The NHS Breast Screening Programme invites over 2 million women for screening every year, and detects over 14,000 cancers. Dr Emma Pennery of Breast Cancer Care says: “Breast X-rays, called mammograms, can detect tumours at a very early stage, before you’d feel a lump. The earlier it’s treated, the higher the survival rate.”

Breast screening in Scotland | NHS inform

Breast cancer (female) - Illnesses & conditions | NHS inform 

Macmillan Cancer Research
The causes and symptoms of breast cancer in women and explains how it is diagnosed and treated

NHS Conditions and Treatments

A to Z list of common illnesses and conditions | NHS inform

Their symptoms, causes & treatments. 

These links all come from trusted resources but if you are unsure about these or any other medical matters please contact your doctor or pharmacist for advice

Seasonal Flu Vaccination

Influenza – flu – is a highly infectious and potentially serious illness caused by influenza viruses. Each year the make-up of the seasonal flu vaccine is designed to protect against the influenza viruses that the World Health Organization decide are most likely to be circulating in the coming winter.

Regular immunisation (vaccination) is given free of charge to the following at-risk people, to protect them from seasonal flu:

• people aged 65 or over,
• people with a serious medical condition
• if you are pregnant
• people living in a residential or nursing home
• the main carers for an elderly or disabled person whose welfare may be at risk if the carer becomes ill
• healthcare or social care professionals directly involved in patient care

For more information on flu immunisation, including background information on the vaccine and how you can get the jab, see Seasonal flu jab

HPA - Season Flu Guide

Seasonal Flu Factsheet

Eating Well & Exercise - helping you maintain a healthy body

We're bombarded with scare stories about weight, from size zero to the obesity 'epidemic'. But a healthy body is determined by different factors for each of us.

NHS - Good Food Guide
Information on a healthy diet and ways to make it work for you

NHS - Why be active?
Even a little bit of exercise will make you feel better about yourself, boost your confidence and cut your risk of developing a serious illness.

These links all come from trusted resources but if you are unsure about these or any other medical matters please contact your doctor or pharmacist for advice.

Shingles Aware

It's estimated around 1 in 4 people will have at least one episode of shingles during their life. The Department of Health introduced the national shingles immunisation programme for people aged 70 to 79 to help protect those age groups who are most at risk from shingles and its complications. People under 70 will be eligible for the shingles vaccine in the year following their seventieth birthday. Eligible groups are defined by age on 1^st September. People aged 80 and over are not part of the national programme because the vaccine seems to be less effective in this age group. Shingles vaccination within the current national immunisation programme is contraindicated in people with certain medical conditions.

When should I worry? 'When Should I Worry?' is a booklet developed by researchers at PRIME Centre Wales, Division of Population Medicine, Cardiff University.

It provides information for parents about the management of respiratory tract infections (coughs, colds, sore throats, and ear aches) in children, and has been designed to be used in primary care consultations.

Visit: http://www.whenshouldiworry.com/