Study delivers good news for home births

Julia Medew Doctors and midwives say more women should be given access to publicly funded home births with hospital back-up after a study found they were associated with low rates of harm for women and their babies.

Midwife crisis: pregnant women to be turned away from hospital

EAMONN DUFF Nurses and midwives at a Sydney hospital will turn away pregnant women from Monday under strict new geographical boundaries that have been imposed to counter critical staff shortages.

Comments

Meet the 'mummy messiah'

Amy Molloy For an "ecstatic birth" mums-to-be should eat raw food, sit naked in front of a mirror and take sex toys into the delivery room, says America's new birthing guru.

Comments

HypnoBirthing isn't a hippie thing ... just ask Kate

ALEISHA ORR Word is that Kate Middleton is considering HypnoBirthing when she delivers the new heir to the throne.

Birthzilla? Pass me the badge

Prue Corlette A birth plan is about putting it in writing that a woman's body is to be treated with respect and dignity by her caregivers

In defence of birth plans

Tara Moss Birthzillas, Bridezillas and perhaps all ‘Zillas’ are bad news. It’s amusing stuff, but the thing is, birth plans are helpful for many parents, and an increasing number of obstetricians and midwives request them. There are a number of reasons for this.

Watch: Baby born in MRI machine

It dosen't sound like a great place to give birth, but in 2010, researchers from a German hospital used a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) machine to record a woman in labour.

Women who fear childbirth labour for longer

Women who are afraid of childbirth spend longer in labour than those who aren’t – and also have a higher chance of needing an emergency caesarean, according to new research.

How to prepare for an unexpected birth

Lakshmi Singh Perhaps you’re at home and haven’t had contractions for very long, or you’re in the car on the way to the hospital; whatever the case, you're going to be giving birth then and there. Learn what to do if you find yourself in this unusual situation.

Why we must stop judging c-section mums

Kiran Chug "For my first child's birth, the theatre was crowded with doctors. I couldn't stop shaking from the drugs. I was wired up and cut open. He was pulled out of my tummy. It wasn't how nature intended."

Comments 43

Mums tell: 'What I wish I'd known before my caesarean'

Staff writers Essential Baby forum members who've been there share their advice on having a caesarean, from preparation to aftercare.

Could a caesarean birth make your baby sick?

Amy Corderoy Babies born by caesarean are much more likely to be admitted to hospital with gastrointestinal disease or chest infections in their first year of life than those born naturally, a study of NSW births has found.

What I DON'T miss about life before babies

Libby Hakim Lifestyle changes are part of the package when having a baby. It takes time to adjust - but instead of feeling guilty join Libby Hakim and focus on the things you won't miss about your pre-baby life.

Comments 3

The truth about life with a newborn

Kiran Chug "Life with a newborn was, ultimately, the most magically rewarding and satisfying period of my life. It was filled with joy, love and wonder. But, here's the truth about some of the of the other bits."

Comments 16

'Every day is a struggle for me': the Jessica Simpson interview

EB team Jessica Simpson spoke to Katie Couric about the pressure on her to lose her baby weight since signing a $4 million contract with Weight Watchers to lose her baby weight. Watch the video.

Comments 6

Photos: Woman gives birth outside hospital

"It was the fastest, most incredible, beautiful, wild birth I’ve ever had the pleasure to document," the photographer said.

Czech mum to give birth to country's first quins

MELANIE MAHONEY Alexandra Kinova, a Czech mum of one, is preparing to give birth to the country's first set of quintuplets - and they were conceived without IVF.

Funding needed to decrease umbilical cord deaths

ADRIAN LOWE In the wake of a baby's death, a Victorian coroner has called for funding for programs that will save babies from potentially fatal "true knots" in umbilical cords.