Pregnancy Basics
Pregnancy Basics
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  • About the tool
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    • Home
    • About the tool
    • Why Is It Needed?
    • Using the Tool
    • Partner with Us
  • Home
  • About the tool
  • Why Is It Needed?
  • Using the Tool
  • Partner with Us

A tool for professionals

A tool made for real practice — because early bonding belongs in everyday conversations.

Who can use the tool?

Pregnancy BASICS is suitable for any professional working with expectant parents, including:

  •  Midwives
  • Health Visitors
  • Family Hub Practitioners
  • Doulas and Peer Support Workers
  • FNP Nurses
  • Perinatal Mental Health Workers
  • Children’s Centre or Early Help Teams


Whether you work in a clinic, a Family Hub, or visit parents at home, the tool fits within your existing role.

How to Use the Tool

Pregnancy BASICS is designed to be simple, flexible, and easy to integrate into any antenatal setting. It doesn’t require long appointments, specialist qualifications, or major service changes — just curiosity, presence, and a few well-placed questions.


You can use the tool:


  • During routine antenatal appointments
  • At home visits or Family Hub check-ins
  • In Early Help assessments
  • Within perinatal mental health outreach
  • With first-time parents or those with additional vulnerabilities


The tool has no required scoring system (an optional one is available), no pass/fail judgement, and no rigid script. Instead, it offers a framework to gently observe, reflect and support the developing parent–baby bond over time.

what practitioners will do

Start a Conversation

Observe the Relationship

Observe the Relationship

  • Choose from trimester-specific, open-ended prompts to explore how the parent is thinking or feeling about their baby.
  • Use the parent’s own language and pace.

Observe the Relationship

Observe the Relationship

Observe the Relationship

  • Look for six key indicators of connection: positioning, voice, sensitivity, emotion, protection, and preparation.
  • Use brief, informal reflection — no forms or tick-boxes needed.

Use the Summary Scale (optional)

Use the Summary Scale (optional)

Use the Summary Scale (optional)

  • For reflective supervision, service evaluation, or longitudinal tracking — not required for daily use.

Support Where Needed

Use the Summary Scale (optional)

Use the Summary Scale (optional)

  •  If signs of bonding are low, offer ideas (like bump play, journaling,  talking to baby).
  • Signpost to appropriate support such as The Pregnancy Bonding Programme.

What You Will Gain

  • A simple way to bring the unborn baby into the conversation
  • Greater confidence to notice and discuss early relational cues
  • A gentle structure for discussing parenting expectations and emotional readiness
  • A practical contribution to Family Hub and Start for Life outcomes
  • Improved integration across teams through a shared language of attachment 

Practitioner Voices

Family Support Worker

Midwife, Community Antenatal Team

Midwife, Community Antenatal Team

 “I used to feel awkward asking bonding questions. Now I just say, ‘How’s it been getting to know your baby?’ — and it opens up everything.”

 

Midwife, Community Antenatal Team

Midwife, Community Antenatal Team

Midwife, Community Antenatal Team

 “I didn’t realise how much I was already noticing — the tool helped me put language to what I was already seeing.” 

Health Visitor

Midwife, Community Antenatal Team

Health Visitor

 “This is the kind of thing we’ve needed for years. Not another form — just a way to listen, notice and support.” 

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