Monash University researchers have developed a fast, cheap paper test that can detect bilirubin in jaundiced newborns. The tape-paper sensor is on the verge of extensive clinical trials. The in-home test aims to detect bilirubin levels and could provide results in less than 10...
Zoë Bishop finds it difficult to tone down her enthusiastic responses to her son’s achievements. The first time that it happened was in a ski-hire shop. My son looked at my smiling face and asked me, quite politely, if I could please stop being so excited....
As mum’s, our lives are often filled with the demands of family, chores and work. Time can be spent carting a carload of screaming children, making endless beds and talking to the boss with a small child attached to your hip. Our minds and time are thinly...
When it comes to the Tooth Fairy, Anthea Rowan tries to put her money where her mouth is. My children have a charming book that tells the story of a little girl who is on a quest to discover what the Tooth Fairy looks like. Her...
When Ondine Sherman meets another parent at a picnic, she is prompted to wonder about some social vagaries. “We’re going for a picnic,” said my friend Vanessa. “Beautiful spot, heaps of kids, and a riverbank where they can run around.” I agreed. Me, my husband Dror,...
Patricia Lee learns to take nothing for granted as the midwife called for the emergency obstetrician. As I slumped onto the delivery bed, panting and sweating after another contraction, I knew something was wrong. After spending the entire day in labour and pushing for hours, my...
It’s still unclear whether a shorter or longer gap between pregnancies increases the risk of complications. Amanda Henry reports Women often wonder what the “right” length of time is after giving birth before getting pregnant again. A recent Canadian study suggests 12-18 months between pregnancies is...
Tara Lister is determined to enjoy every second of every first before they become lasts. The day my baby came home was a rude awakening. Until then I had been surrounded by midwives, advice and meals on demand, and I felt invincible. Cool, calm and collected;...
Research reveals mums almost never prioritise themselves when sick. The latest research suggests that mums too often leave themselves last on the priorities list, with almost half (44%) of mums saying they rarely or never visit the doctor when they start feeling sick. When they do become...
Flexible workplace policies designed to improve gender gaps in employment and pay might actually make things worse for women, write Leah Ruppanner and Jordy Meekes. Flexible work has been on offer to both men and women in many companies for decades. However, it is usually women...
