In the last few months, many areas of the UK have been carpeted in a thick layer of snow. A large part of the population found themselves stranded at home, unable to make it into school or work.

Although it's been bad news for employers, and has been difficult for parents doing the school run, it's also resulted in an interesting side effect. The enforced stay at home for a lot of couples has seen an increase in births expected in the summer.

The maternity services of the NHS Dumfries and Galloway are reporting an expected 426 babies to be born, much higher than the 387 babies born last year. The pattern looks set to be repeated across the UK, with an extra 450 babies expected to be born this summer.
The increase in births has seen a new national campaign from the health board, letting mums-to-be know about the various maternity care options available to them and the recent improvements to the system.

The campaign, 'Pregnant? Tell Me', lets women know that they can arrange a midwife appointment as soon as they discover they're pregnant. This should speed up the process, as you'll no longer need to book through your doctor. Hopefully this will be especially beneficial for first-time mums, in getting all the vital information on scans and procedures early on in the pregnancy.

Source: DGStandard