There are good reasons to support paid parental leave and affordable daycare, but they are not likely to motivate women to start a family. For that, women need to have a good partner, a supportive family and a community....
From helping embryologists assess embryos to analysing genetic information, artificial intelligence is beginning to play a role in fertility and prenatal care. But some of the technology is much further advanced than others. Pregnancy has always involved plenty of tests, scans and decisions. For families using...
A birth doula is a support person a woman can privately hire during pregnancy. They usually attend the birth and provide non-clinical comfort measures such as massage, assistance getting into different birth positions, and emotional reassurance....
Welcoming a baby is a time of great joy for parents. It can also be one of the most challenging. One of the greatest difficulties many parents face is getting their baby to sleep and re-settling following night wakings....
Birth rates are declining in most of the world, including Australia. Here’s why that really matters, reports Liz Allen. Birth rates have been declining worldwide since the peak of the post-second world war baby boom. Birth rates have now reached below replacement in most of the...
When you're expecting, everyone offers you advice, and it's hard to know what's true. We've debunked 13 of the most common pregnancy myths, from bump shapes to hair dye, so you can stop second-guessing and start enjoying the ride. The best part? Some of the...
Kylie Ladd reflects on the relief, guilt and quiet joy that can come with reclaiming working time after the intense early years of parenting. When my youngest child started school, for the first time in almost nine years, large chunks of each weekday belonged solely to...
Should surrogates be paid for carrying someone else's baby? Australia is reviewing its surrogacy laws, and the question of payment is dividing opinion. Here's what's being considered, and why it matters for families everywhere....
Here’s what you need to know, report Amit Arora, Hannah Dahlen, Jessica Appleton and Lynn Kemp If you’ve ever taken your child to a maternal, child and family health nurse for a growth check, you might have felt a mix of curiosity and anxiety. As health professionals,...
For many working mums, the hardest critic isn’t a boss, a teacher or another parent — it’s the voice in their own head. Emma Robertson reflects on motherhood, guilt, grandmothers and the impossible standard of being everywhere at once. What makes a “real” mother? Mention childcare and...
