Frequently asked questions

AskHesta is our healthcare professional-led messaging service, designed to give you trusted support in the early weeks and months after birth. It gives you direct access from the day you give birth to qualified midwives, nurses and GPs, so you can ask questions as they come up and receive timely, practical guidance from someone who understands postnatal recovery, feeding, newborn care, and how overwhelming this stage can feel. AskHesta is designed to offer reassurance, guidance, and clinical input where needed. It is not an emergency service.

AskHesta is designed for mothers and birthing parents who have given birth in the last 12 weeks and would like ongoing support from a qualified healthcare professionals like midwives. It can be especially helpful if you have questions about your recovery, feeding, your baby, your emotional wellbeing, or whether what you are experiencing is expected. AskHesta is designed to be used in combination with a Hesta Health Check, so you can feel supported in the moment and gain a deeper understanding of your postnatal health when you feel ready.

AskHesta is designed to be part of a joined-up postnatal care pathway, not a standalone messaging service. In the earliest weeks after birth, AskHesta gives you trusted support from qualified healthcare professionals as questions come up. Then, when you’re ready, your Hesta Health Check gives you a deeper understanding of your body and mind after birth, including your symptoms, goals, health history, questionnaire responses and blood results. Together, this means the guidance you receive through AskHesta can sit within a fuller picture of your recovery, and any next steps can be safer, more personalised and more clinically meaningful. We know some people would find standalone messaging support helpful, and we may explore this in the future. For now, AskHesta is available with the Hesta Health Check, so we can provide care that is connected, clinically informed and designed around your postnatal recovery.

You can ask questions about many of the things that come up after birth, including: ● Your physical recovery after birth ● Feeding, including breastfeeding, bottle feeding, expressing, or mixed feeding ● Your baby’s behaviour, sleep, feeding, nappies, or general wellbeing ● Pain, bleeding, stitches, scar healing, or pelvic floor concerns ● Your mood, emotions, anxiety, or how you are coping ● What is normal after birth and when to seek further help ● How to access the right support if you need more care You do not need to have a “serious” question to use AskHesta. Sometimes the most helpful thing is simply being able to check something with someone qualified.

No. Ask Hesta is for you! Many postnatal services focus mainly on the baby, but Ask Hesta is designed to primarily support your recovery, wellbeing, confidence, and day-to-day experience after birth. You can ask about how your body is healing, how you are feeling emotionally, what symptoms to look out for, or what support might be helpful for you. Of course, if you have a question about your baby that our midwives can help with, they’ll do that too. And if your baby needs any support that a midwife is not the best person to support you with, we can signpost you to the right place.

Your messages will be answered by the clinical professional we think is right for your query.  In many cases, this will be a qualified midwife. But if we think it’s appropriate, we’ll have a nurse or a GP talk to you.  Hesta is your multidisciplinary guide to early postnatal recovery. If it’s appropriate, our healthcare professionals may also guide you towards additional support, such as your GP, NHS services, emergency care, or another Hesta clinician or specialist. All Hesta Health clinicians are qualified, UK-registered, insured to practise, and work within our clinical governance and safety standards.

AskHesta is open from 9am-3pm every day.  It is designed to provide timely support, but it is not an instant or emergency service. We’ll respond as soon as we can during our operating hours. If your concern is urgent, or you are worried that you or your baby may need immediate medical attention, you should contact your GP, NHS 111, your maternity triage unit, or call 999 in an emergency.

Yes. You can ask questions about feeding, including breastfeeding, bottle feeding, expressing, combination feeding, supply concerns, latch, discomfort, or knowing whether your baby is feeding well. If you need more specialist feeding support, AskHesta can guide you towards the right next step, which may include lactation support or another appropriate service.

AskHesta can provide guidance, reassurance, and clinical advice. AskHesta can also connect you to our multidisciplinary team of clinicians for further care, or signpost you to other places that can help. It is not designed to replace a full clinical assessment, diagnosis, or treatment plan. If your healthcare professional thinks your symptoms need further review, they will guide you towards the most appropriate next step. This may include speaking to your GP, contacting NHS 111, attending maternity triage, or booking further support through Hesta where available.

No. AskHesta is not an emergency or urgent care service. If you experience heavy bleeding, chest pain, difficulty breathing, severe pain, fever, thoughts of harming yourself or your baby, or any other urgent symptoms, please seek immediate medical help by contacting 999, NHS 111, your GP, or your health visitor.

AskHesta is available on our website. It is designed to be used together with a Hesta Health Check. Once you have joined, we’ll explain how to message the AskHesta team and how to use the service safely.

No. AskHesta is designed to support you from the early days after birth, so you can ask questions as they come up. When you feel ready, we recommend completing your Hesta Health Check from around 4 weeks after birth. This gives you a clearer, clinically led picture of your physical and mental health, alongside the reassurance and support you receive through AskHesta. The Hesta Health Check is best taken, from 4 weeks after birth to up to two years after birth, and your care guide will be personalised to your stage of recovery and your individual needs.

AskHesta gives you ongoing, clinically-led support by messaging. It is there for questions, reassurance, and guidance as your recovery unfolds. The Hesta Health Check gives you a deeper clinical review of your postnatal health. It combines blood testing, a detailed health and wellbeing questionnaire, and expert clinical review to help you understand your body and mind after birth. Together, they are designed to support you in the moment and help you take confident next steps in your recovery.

Yes. You can use AskHesta to talk about how you are feeling emotionally, including anxiety, low mood, overwhelm, intrusive thoughts, or not feeling like yourself. AskHesta can offer support and help you understand what might be going on. If they are concerned about your safety or wellbeing, or feel you would benefit from more specialist support, they will guide you towards the right care. If you feel at immediate risk of harming yourself or your baby, please call 999 or go to A&E. You can also contact NHS 111 or your local mental health crisis line for urgent support.

AskHesta is designed to complement, not replace, your NHS care. Your GP, health visitor, maternity team, and emergency services remain important parts of your care. AskHesta can help you understand what support you may need and when it may be appropriate to contact another service.

Yes. Our clinical team may use relevant information you have shared with us to provide safe and joined-up support. We only use your information to support your care, and we handle it securely in line with UK data protection laws and our clinical governance standards.

Yes. Any information you share with AskHesta is handled carefully and securely. We treat your data with the same level of care as your health. Hesta Health stores information securely and handles it in line with UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018.

If we feel that you need further support, we will explain what we recommend and why. Depending on your concern, this may include contacting your GP, speaking to NHS 111, attending triage, accessing emergency care, or arranging further care through Hesta Health where available. AskHesta is designed to help you feel less alone and more confident about what to do next.