Vicki Englund finds herself on the outer in a community of much younger mothers. It’s funny when you look back on the things about motherhood you hadn’t anticipated. When my husband and I decided to try to have a baby, at rather advanced ages on both...
Caesarean births are not linked to an increased risk of food allergy during the first year of life, according to a new Murdoch Children’s Research Institute study. Research at a Glance: • A Melbourne-led study has found caesarean births are not linked to an increased risk of...
Researchers Hannah Dahlen, Christine Rubertsson and Malin Edqvist look at 7 ways to reduce perineal tearing during childbirth While most expectant mothers are excited, many are also anxious about giving birth, especially first-time mothers. Perineal trauma is something many expectant mums are fearful about. It is hard...
Cassie Hamer writes about her baby’s introduction to food, which was a sickening experience. It was a video-camera moment. My five-month-old daughter was about to take her first mouthful of solids, a gloopy mix of rice cereal and breastmilk. I pressed ‘record’ as my husband gently...
None of us would be here without our placenta, the remarkable fetal organ that nourished and sustained us before birth. But despite its importance, the placenta is among the least studied organs and we don’t fully understand how it grows and functions, reports Alys Clark...
As swimming lessons return across the country post COVID, the Australian Swim Schools Association would like to share the following tips for parents preparing for their children's first swimming lessons. While swimming lessons can start for babies from as young as eight weeks old, the most...
Research shows that the first years of a child’s life may be the optimal window for establishing healthy eating behaviours. Like all child development, learning to eat is a skill that takes time and practice. As parents, there are a number of things you can do...
Niamh Troy reports on her new research, that boosting babies’ immune systems can protect them from serious lung infections. Babies who get bad lung infections are at higher risk of developing asthma later on, a condition that affects 10% of Australian kids and costs Australia A$28...
Researchers Anthea Lindquist and Stephen Tong report that vaginal birth after caesarean increases the risk of serious perineal tear by 20%, their large-scale review shows Pregnant women who previously birthed by caesarean section are presented with a choice: whether to try for a vaginal birth, or...
Public bottle-feeding feels like public stoning to Megan Howe. I admit it. I’m embarrassed to feed my baby in public. I try to time outings so I don’t need to feed while I’m out shopping or at the doctors’ surgery or at the park. But it’s...
