Just for a moment, think of all the things that you have learned in your life so far. You could identify many thousands of physical, psychological, emotional, intellectual and social skills, facts and behaviours that have helped you through life – but dealing with childbirth wasn’t one of them. So here you are – the accomplished, intelligent, mature and capable individual that you have become, and yet with all those years and opportunities of learning, nothing and no-one has taught you about one of the greatest challenges (and adventures) you will ever face in your life: your own childbirth experience.

There is no doubt that we limit our thoughts about birth and parenting until we find ourselves pregnant. We are a society that thrives on self-confidence and empowerment and we need to know what we are doing, what is happening to us, and where to get help if we need it. Childbirth education today has changed and our options have evolved to meet the needs of a new generation.

If you are late in your last trimester of pregnancy, you are probably eagerly awaiting a sign that labour has begun or is imminent. So what might you notice in early labour?

Today we are fortunate to have many tools, both medical and natural, available to assist with pain-relief during labour. However, most women recognise the advantages of trying to avoid or delay the use of drugs during their labour. It is important to investigate your options long before your due date so that when the big day arrives, you are making an informed choice about which medical and non-drug pain-relief options might be right for you.

There are a number of payments that may be available through the Family Assistance Office to help families with the cost of raising children. Some are one-off payments while others provide ongoing support.

These days many parents have not had a lot of experience with babies until their first baby comes along. If you are one of these parents you will probably find you have many questions about this new person who has come into your life. It can be overwhelming and scary when you realise your baby is so dependent on you for everything, especially if you feel you don’t know a lot about babies. Understanding what babies are like may help to make it easier to care for your baby.

The newborn screening test (NBST) is a government-funded program involving maternity caregivers taking a small sample of blood from newborn babies, usually by pricking their heel.

The entire article titled Routine newborn screening tests is published in the current edition of the ABG book. To purchase your copy please order here.

All I wanted to be was the best goddamned birthing partner I could be. To stroke Tamsin’s cheek when it was there to be stroked. To massage her aches when they threatened to overwhelm. To liaise with the midwives about pain relief. To keep up the encouragement. To fill a chair. To get my freaking hands off her when she told me to get my freaking hands off her. I didn’t want to perform heroics. One of the first things taught at our ante-natal classes was that the birth shouldn’t first and foremost be about the birthing partner. I just had to be there.

The newborn Apgar scoring system was named after an American doctor, Virginia Apgar, and was first introduced in the 1960s.

The entire article titled The Apgar score is published in the current edition of the ABG book.
To purchase your copy please order here.

Jaundice is a common yellowing of the baby's skin and eyes due to a build up of a substance called bilirubin in their body.

The entire article titled Newborn jaundice is published in the current edition of the ABG book.
To purchase your copy please order here.