What were we thinking! promote confidence and reduce distress in parents with a first baby

Parent stories and expert advice / Baby 0-4 weeks

"Read to my baby? Now?!"

When should you begin reading books with your baby? Maternal Child & Health Nurse Sue Doogan says the sooner the better!

Reflections on preparation and the birth

Reflections on preparation and the birth

A fear that I had leading up to Abigail's arrival and even prior to coming off the pill was in fact the birth. Nothing could prepare me enough for this event.

Released back into the wild

Released back into the wild

After four days, the holiday is over. With one mildly lumpy breast and a new baby, we are being released into our native environment to roam free like creatures of the wild once again...

Settling

Settling

Settling a baby can be hard. We learnt this early on. It seemed that some days certain techniques would work and then the next day they wouldn’t. Were we to persist with the same techniques or try new ones? I was quite unsure.

Settling your baby

Settling your baby

The reality is parents will have many sleepless nights with a new baby, however it does get better!

Sometimes coping is doing just fine

Sometimes coping is doing just fine

Having a baby is a time of significant change in our lives. As Fiona Darling reminds us, some days  'coping'  is all you can do - and that's perfectly good enough.

Speaking up for yourself when you have a baby

Speaking up for yourself when you have a baby

Speaking up for yourself is an important way to build your confidence, especially when you have a new baby ...

Taking on your new role as a 'parent'

Taking on your new role as a 'parent'

Becoming a new parent is a bit like starting a new job except that you probably have none of the required skills ...

The beautiful bond between twins

The beautiful bond between twins

Simone, a twin, learns she'll witness the same precious bond between herself and her twin sister when she discovers she's carrying identical girls.

The bond between fathers and their babies

The bond between fathers and their babies

In this video series, Dr Karen Wynter talks to a dad about his own experiences and how he and his partner faced the challenges of being new parents together.