The Portland Hospital

Essential Parent

About this app

The Portland Hospital have partnered with Essential Parent, to create an App containing a wide range of expert-led, evidence-based written and video content. The content starts with advice on getting pregnant and continues up until your child is 19 years old.

Each Essential Parent article and video is produced by a team formerly of the BBC Science department, and is guided by relevant medical experts in that subject.

- All breastfeeding and infant nutrition content has been produced with support from UNICEF UK Baby Friendly Initiative
- The infant first aid course is presented by the St John Ambulance
- Advice on pregnancy during the Covid pandemic follows advice from the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists
- Content on baby fevers was originally developed in association with paediatric members of the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health
- Information on looking after your child’s teeth comes from the British Society of Paediatric Dentistry
- Individual consultants such as world-renowned Portland specialist consultant and gynaecologist Miss Claire Mellon have also partnered with the Essential Parent team to oversee the production of many of their articles

All of this support comes to you as part of your Portland package, by way of the elegant and easy to use Portland App.


During your pregnancy, you will receive content relevant to your stage of pregnancy. After your baby's birth, you will continue to receive age-relevant content as your baby grows to become a toddler, child and teenager. At any point during this time you can also browse through the Essential Parent library to find topics that might be of particular interest.

A comprehensive range of topics is included that is constantly updated and approved by medical experts, covering physical, emotional and cognitive development as well as physical and mental health issues for both children and parents.

Above all, we aim to make your maternity experience with us as comfortable and positive for you as possible. If you have any questions about our service or Essential Parent, please get in touchand we will of course be happy to explain anything to you in more detail.