Eat well cash for mothers-to-be

[4me2]

<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=629 border=0><TBODY><TR><TD colSpan=3>Eat well cash for mothers-to-be

</TD></TR><TR><TD vAlign=top width=416><!-- S BO --><!-- S IIMA --><TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=203 align=right border=0><TBODY><TR><TD> Nutrition in pregnancy is very important

</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><!-- E IIMA --><!-- S SF -->Pregnant women will get about £200 paid into their bank account to spend on healthy food under a government initiative, the BBC has learned.
From April 2009, expectant mothers in England would receive a one-off payment from their 29th week of pregnancy to encourage them to eat well.
Health secretary Alan Johnson will announce the "Health in Pregnancy Grant" on Wednesday.
Charities welcomed the idea but warned it may not be effective. <!-- E SF -->
<!-- S IBOX --><TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=208 align=right border=0><TBODY><TR><TD width=5></TD><TD class=sibtbg> Babies most in need of support are those born before 29 weeks' gestation


Amy Edmunds, spokeswoman for the premature baby charity BLISS

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For example, there is no measure to ensure the cash is spent on healthy food and babies also need good nutrition before 29 weeks.
The grant's aim is to cut infant mortality and close the health inequality gap.
Infant mortality rates have done down, but more so among affluent sectors of society than poorer socioeconomic groups, which is widening the health gap.
By 2010, the government wants to see a 10% reduction in this gap from the baseline year of 1998.
Poor nutrition
Experts know that poverty and nutrition play a role in pregnancy health, and it can be difficult to eat healthily when on the breadline.
Women on a poor diet during pregnancy are more likely to have low birthweight babies.
That increases their baby's risk of poor health during childhood and during their adult life.
A government spokeswoman said cash was a "key determinant" when it comes to good health and healthy eating in expectant mothers.
Mothers-to-be on low incomes can already apply for a £500 grant from 29 weeks of pregnancy to help towards the cost of having a new baby.
The Health in Pregnancy Grant would not be means-tested.
<!-- S IBOX --><TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=208 align=right border=0><TBODY><TR><TD width=5></TD><TD class=sibtbg> To really tackle health inequality we need a real, long term and committed focus on public health


The Royal College of Midwives

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To get the payment, however, a woman would have to meet with a health professional for tips on pregnancy health and welfare advice.
A spokeswoman for the National Childbirth Trust said: "This proposal sounds good in principle - nutrition in pregnancy is very important.
"However, the logistics of the scheme need to concentrate on ensuring that the funding directly benefits women and their babies nutritionally."
Amy Edmunds, spokeswoman for the premature baby charity BLISS, said: "Babies most in need of support are those born before 29 weeks' gestation.
"Around 12% of premature deliveries last year happened at 29 weeks or earlier, which suggests that many women could miss out on the new grant.
"Poor diet is only one of many potential factors that contribute to premature birth and low birth weight.
"We recommend that the government addresses the fact that the service that cares for these vulnerable newborns is chronically under-resourced."
A Royal College of Midwives spokesman said: "We are seeing a real and worrying widening of the health inequality gap so any move to improve the health and wellbeing of pregnant women and their unborn child is a positive step. "However, to really tackle health inequality we need a real, long term and committed focus on public health with a significant increase in resources. "Improving the health of women and children is the work of decades, and let us hope this is a step towards this."
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http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/6984122.stm



Unfuckbelievable !!!!! To me this just boils down to sponsor a chav slags Weekend out . If you cant afford to feed yourself then you shouldnt be shagging and putting more chav brats into the world that have to be sponsored by the working folk.

Spend the money on Pensioners who have already spent a lifetime contributing to society.

[pizza-man]

fucking disgrace that
be £200 worth of smack for them and there litte brat to get weaned off once born

[BBK]

Fucking hell, unbelievable. More of this nanny shit the government shouldn't be getting involved in.

[4me2]

I think it should be called the "Vicki Pollard" bonus.

[pizza-man]

£200 worth of kebab meat mmmm be nice

[B.I.G.]

If they really want to do something along these lines why not just do a deal with a supermarket and send them healthy food.At least to fund going on the ale they'd have to at least put the effort in to sell it on.

I know very well if my bird had got a £200 pregnancy payment when she was up the duff the most likely scenario would have been putting it towards getting a pram which would mean £100 less i'd have had to pay which would ultimately get spent on booze.

If they want to do something worthwhile then pay fucking dads full pay for a month on paternity leave when the baby is born instead of a paltry £160 or so a fortnight and expect them to pay all the bills out of it.

[Mickey]

I think thats sexist. WHY cant blokes also have £200 in their bank accounts
They do have a part in it

[cronus71]

I think it should be called the "Vicki Pollard" bonus.

Buahaha seriously guys, your country is not healthy, what's going on there?

[BertRoot]

True some mothers would spend it on shit but look at the other 90% of parents who would happily spend this on things that were worthwhile. I know for a fact that if someone had given us 200 sheets when the Mrs was that far pregnant it would have gone on something worthwhile towards the childs upkeep and not on shit.

[GTI]

I guess it wouldn't be so bad if they got Holland & Barratt vouchers instead of the cash... But agree in principle, fucking bollocks to the nanny state.

[Cenus_]

True some mothers would spend it on shit but look at the other 90% of parents who would happily spend this on things that were worthwhile. I know for a fact that if someone had given us 200 sheets when the Mrs was that far pregnant it would have gone on something worthwhile towards the childs upkeep and not on shit.

Exactly. Some people seem to thing were being taken over by chavs off the council estate 28 days later style.

[super mike]

If they aren't eating healthy anyway then 200 quid in the sky rocket won't make them start. It isn't expensive to eat properly, nor is it hard, all it is is people being lazy and trying to solve problems by throwing money at it.

[Booyakasha]

Give them food vouchers simple as that , which could be redeemed in all major supermarkets and health food stores.

There is no denying the government lives in fucking la la land, this latest initiative proves it.

However I can see the good they are trying to achieve but honestly the 200 quid is far more likely to pay off an overdue sky digital bill
or buy a new nokia rather than fill up a trolley of fresh fruit and veg.

[ruggie_uk]

Fruit and Veg isn't dear.
eg. Three quid or so and you have a pack of carrots, broccolli, baked potato's and some cottage cheese, Nice, simple, easy to cook and cheap meal for a family of four.
Or you could spend the same £3 on 3 bags of chips.
Or, I bought 4 Sirloin steaks from the butcher on saturday, cost me about £10 Some broccolli, carrots and cauliflower, came to about £2.
Had a fantastic meal for £12. The same price as 4 kebabs.
Like others have said, I'm all up for encouraging healthy eating, but they are doing it the wrong way.
What they need is 2 for ones in supermarkets on good food, not wholesale bags of frozen chips and nuggets.
Some families whose parents have been brought up on egg and chips know no better. We nee dto think long term about this and educate children and teenagers properly so they are prepared when they become adults. You can't fix something by throwing a couple of quid at people.

[Over Carl]

Top post if you remove all references to broccoli!

[ruggie_uk]

Top post if you remove all references to broccoli!

Broccolli is ace.
Can do so much with it. Great with a nice roast.
Fantastic with some grilled chicken and stuffed peppers.
Stick some cheese sauce on it and serve with some potatoes roasted in olive oil.
Hmmm. Wonderful stuff.

[BBK]

trouble with brocolli is people boil it until it becomes soggy. It needs to be steamed to the point where its just gone past raw, then its tastest wonderful.

But then, I'd never take food advice from a fat guy, so I expect you all to ignore this

[Ganty]

I think it should be called the "Vicki Pollard" bonus.

£200 worth of kebab meat mmmm be nice

Top post if you remove all references to broccoli!

trouble with brocolli is people boil it until it becomes soggy. It needs to be steamed to the point where its just gone past raw, then its tastest wonderful.

But then, I'd never take food advice from a fat guy, so I expect you all to ignore this

[Freddy]

With the ever increasing prices of cigarettes I'm sure £200 will be a welcome relief to chav mothers.

[{{909}}]

A responsible parent wouldnt need 200 quid to buy good food, tehy would have the common sense to buy it already. The cash incentive isnt a bad idea but it should be in vouchers only redeemable at the veg counter or soemthing, or only for a pre made package.

Even if it was done correctly, no doubt chavvy parents would send their kids of to macdonalds the monent theyre old enough to walk anyway.
If i ever have kids theyre gonna be the most miserable (but healthy) kids around

In the 9months the woman is gonna either have off work or be exempt from signing on they should force them to attend a parenting class a few hours a week. the problem is lack of education more than lack of money.