Labour & Delivery
Everything you need to know from the moment the first contraction hits until you’re holding your baby in your arms. Find out what the experts say and hear real stories from mums who have been there.
Birth Story: Rachael’s unexpected bathroom home birth
Braxton Hicks contractions had become a familiar friend for Rachael Theunissen over the last few weeks of her pregnancy. So when she started to feel […]
11 birth myths you need to know before labour
You’ve read all the birthing books and watched every episode of One Born Every Minute. You’re pretty sure you know everything there is to know […]
Birth Story: ‘My baby was born at 27 weeks’
First-time mum Rhiannon Smith had been through more during her pregnancy than she’d ever imagined. Severe morning sickness kept her from working for two months. […]
Best birth photos of 2020 unveiled
Capturing that special moment when a child enters the world. The annual IAPBP competition celebrates the beauty of birth and the skill of birth photographers […]
Birth Story: ‘I delivered my own baby in the hospital waiting room’
Having given birth once before, mum-of-one Ashanti knew what to expect as she neared the end of her second pregnancy. But nothing could have prepared […]
Baby born from embryo frozen for 27 years
Baby Molly Everette Gibson is a record-breaker. She was frozen as an embryo in 1992 and has finally been given life … 27 years later. […]
How to stimulate nipples for labour
When you’ve watched your due date come and go and spicy dinners aren’t doing the trick it might be time to try a more scientific […]
Birth Story: ‘I had twins during Melbourne’s lockdown’
When Melbourne couple Laura-Jane and Shaun Hargreaves decided 2020 would be the year they’d start trying for a family, they never could have imagined what […]
51-year-old mum gives birth to own granddaughter
A 51-year-old woman has given birth to her own grandchild, after carrying her daughter’s baby as a surrogate. Julie Loving gave birth to baby Briar […]
6 things you need to know about afterpains
Soaking up newborn cuddles not long after birth, it’s common to have the baby bubble burst by afterpains – intense cramps that some mums describe […]
Birth story: Mum gives birth in her sleep
Laura Thompson had what many mums only dream of – a painless labour and birth. In fact, the mum-of-two didn’t feel a thing, because she […]
Birth Story: Mum feels no pain during ‘silent labour’
India Ward thought it was strange that she couldn’t feel any pain during her contractions, as her body silently laboured for 96 hours. She’s one […]
Birth Story: ‘I had a 10% chance of falling pregnant’
Samantha Ellis was plagued with health problems, and at 26 was already going through menopause. Her body had been through endless surgeries and a hysterectomy […]
Birth Story: ‘I found out I was pregnant at 28 weeks’
Laura and her partner Dean were busy setting up their life together, finishing studies, building a home. A baby just wasn’t in the plans, yet. […]
Q&A: What do contractions feel like and how can I tell if I’m having one?
It’s one of the biggest pregnancy mysteries – what will it feel like when labour finally starts? Heading towards the home stretch, every little twinge […]