The legacy of Kate King’s grandmother looms large over her family. My grandma died this year. I always considered myself very lucky to have my maternal grandmother in my life for so long, and now she isn’t. I was there when she suffered heart failure, and...
Sarah Pietrzak is caught unawares when she is forced to confront an old, but lasting, family tragedy. I was instantly transported to my childhood when I entered the room. My team member was practising resuscitation on the baby mannequin, under the eye of an assessor. But...
Doctors says concerns about being able to have children are becoming more common as people start their families later in life and awareness increases about the impact conditions such as endometriosis can have on fertility. In response to these concerns and strong demand from women wanting...
Megan Howe hits a hurdle in her son’s toilet training. The Struggle Begins: Toilet Training Challenges The bathroom had become a battleground. We’d pleaded, cajoled and offered every reward under the sun, but there was no way our four-year-old son was going to do a poo on...
New Legislation Will Support Parents in Making Better Feeding Choices Australian public health groups are praising the Government’s decision to introduce stricter rules for the marketing of infant formulas. This change aims to protect children’s health and prevent confusion for parents trying to make the best...
Sarah Jameson faces the first major challenge of her son’s school year: coming up with a costume for ‘colonial’ day. Our first child started school this year, and it has been the most wonderful experience. The first hurdle, however, presented itself on Tuesday in the form...
Wendy James considers the lifetime commitment that is parenthood. When the receptionist asks for my daughter’s date of birth I am slow to respond. Is it the 23rd or the 24th? May or June? The woman laughs, shakes her head and clucks: “How could Mummy forget...
Martha Wegner gives into the contemplation of temptation. “Mum, I have something to show you.” Grim words spoken with a sombre expression. A slight look of panic around the eyes nearly gives him away. My son has something to show me all right, and it isn’t...
Linda McIver comes to the conclusion that sometimes, near enough is good enough. This morning, I picked a fight with my six-year-old, Chloe. I didn’t set out to fight, of course, but she was really pushing my buttons. Her claim that she had finished her writing...
This new memoir of one woman’s journey through hell and back is an amazing read for anyone, regardless of whether they have experienced the birth of a child or not. It's a roller-coaster from page to page as you realise that she really is ill and...
