Tag Archives | maternity

The Quest for Breast

When I discovered an Australian Breastfeeding Association counsellor described formula as ‘a little bit like AIDS‘ to a class of impending parents, my first reaction was not one of surprise. Australia has a very high breastfeeding initiation rate of 92%, a rate comparable with other OECD countries.  But with rates dropping to 14% at six [...]

In defence of mother’s groups

source Poor old mother’s groups, they cop a bad rap don’t they?  According to this article in yesterday’s paper, they’re the next generation of high school “where everything people say is judged, discussed and used in evidence against them as factions take shape and shift”. We’ve all heard the horror stories about competitive behaviour and [...]

The Village is Missing

They say it takes a village to raise a child but I often find myself speculating how a proverb invented by western society that romanticizes African traditions is even relevant in western society. Who are the village when your neighbourhood consists of strangers who might only appear to ask if you could bring their bins [...]

Foxy Over 40

Helen Mirren, 66, is a wonderful actor and much has been made of her timeless beauty. Earlier this year the UK’s Telegraph wrote of her sex appeal having “no expiry date”. At 67, Lauren Hutton looks equally stunning despite famously shunning plastic surgery, “I look the way I look because of my makeup, not because [...]

Mummy’s Boys

Before my son was born I was often heard to say, “I won’t be raising no mummy’s boy”.  Two days after his birth, he was admitted into the NICU with a suspected rotated bowel, (thankfully he was fine), which had me singing “you can have whatever you like” quicker than you can say “Marie Barone”. [...]

Babies. The Natural Contraceptive.

Babies. The Natural Contraceptive.

Once upon a time I had an obstetrician who offered a free tubal ligation with a planned c-section.  Apparently vasectomies had too many complications and “at my age” I should be avoiding anything involving hormones.  Assuming that, when it comes to pregnancy and childbirth, it was too difficult for the menfolk to contemplate anything aside [...]

The Perfect Parents Room

I have a vision of a parents room utopia.  In this haven of tranquility there is a light scent of the ocean, lockable doors, sparkling clean amenities and Cafe Del Mar playing softly in the background. There would be no families with twenty noisy add-ons that insist on turning my paradise into a Coles Cafeteria.  [...]

Will the baby-hating, pram-bashing shtick ever get old?

At least once a week our newspapers seem to run a particular type of article designed to drum up some readership.  The headline usually reads, “Pregnant women should avoid caffeine”, “Baby bonus equals new plasma” or “Big prams are for selfish bitches”.  It is generally followed by numerous comments from the “we didn’t get it [...]

Maternal Health Appointments and Midwives

Maternal health appointments are met in this household with a combination of curiosity and dread.  When my first child was born it was all very interesting and new to begin with but when it became apparent my stress levels were fluctuating along with my kid’s imperfect bell curve I started to lose interest. Growth Charts.  [...]

Affirmations I Made Before Kids

Before having children I was the greatest parent on Earth.  I knew it all. “Why isn’t that parent just giving their tantrum-throwing child the strategically-placed-near-checkout Freddo Frog – who cares that it’s only 7am?” “Loud, obnoxious kid hogging the swing at the park – where is his equally obnoxious, rude parent?” “Crying baby on the [...]