The third stage of labour: placenta delivery
You’ve laboured, you’ve birthed and you’re finally holding your baby in your arms. But wait, there’s more. Known as the ‘third stage of labour’ delivering the […]
View Article62 pieces of ‘I wish I knew this before I had my baby’ advice from mums
The nine-month journey to motherhood may seem like a lifetime when you are just itching to meet your little one. But time flies and before […]
View ArticleWatch: How to open your pelvis during labour
From massages to warm showers, any relief during labour is a blessing. And this brilliant technique does so much more than just offer a moment’s […]
View ArticleHow to ‘predict’ when you’ll go into labour
You’ve been counting down the months, the weeks and now the days until your little one arrives and every little twinge makes your heart skip […]
View ArticleMake: An emergency labour pack
Here’s a clever idea that’s going to tickle the fancy of super organised mums-to-be. It’s a ‘just-in-case’ labour pack that fits neatly in your handbag. […]
View ArticleWhy some mums lick their babies after birth
It’s a tender moment snapped just seconds after birth – a mum cradling her newborn, but instead of kissing her baby, this mum gently licks […]
View Article4 heartpounding homebirth videos
There’s something truly magical about having a baby surrounded by all the things and the people you love most. Here are seven homebirths that will […]
View ArticleHow to manage a fear of labour
Labour pain? It’s all in your head. Wouldn’t it be great if that were true? No more fear, no more mind-bending pain meds and no […]
View ArticleTearing and episiotomies: what you need to know
One of the biggest fears women have before giving birth is tearing during labour – will it happen, how can it be avoided, how do […]
View ArticleStudy finds homebirths safe as hospital births in low-risk pregnancies
A homebirth is just as safe as a hospital birth for healthy women with low-risk pregnancies, a Victorian study has found. But for high-risk pregnancies, […]
View ArticleWorld first: baby born to mum with transplanted uterus
In a medical breakthrough, a healthy Brazilian girl is the first baby to be born using a uterus transplanted from a dead donor. The 32-year-old […]
View ArticleWhat a mucus plug looks like (with pictures)
Getting towards the pointy end of pregnancy means every little twinge and different discharge could be a sign that things are starting to happen. Lots […]
View Article50 things every mum thinks during labour
After nine months of growing a little human, it’s finally time – the contractions have started, the baby is coming and our minds are racing […]
View ArticleWhat actually happens to a baby’s head during birth
Ever wondered how ‘that’ is going to get out of ‘there’? Well, science has just lifted the lid on another fascinating birth phenomenon. Experts have […]
View ArticleQ&A: How many times should I lose my mucus plug?
There are all sorts of weird and wonderful things going on down below throughout pregnancy, including the mucus plug. Lots of expecting mums assume losing […]
View ArticleHow to use a hair comb for labour pain
It’s the viral labour pain relief tip that has pregnant women whipping down to their nearest Kmart for a hair comb. The little-known technique delves […]
View Article50 WAYS to bring on labour
It’s been nine months of patiently waiting to meet your little chick, but bub is quite happy still in its nest and there are no […]
View ArticleNew research: Labour pain may be mind over matter
Australian researchers say the way women think about labour pain may help them have a more positive experience during birth. La Trobe University researchers interviewed […]
View ArticleMatchy-matchy delivery room decor is a thing now
It’s the post-birth trend ditching white hospital sheets in favour of custom-made delivery room bedding, swaddles, pillows and outfits – and mums are going crazy […]
View ArticlePosterior position: everything you need to know before and during birth
Have you ever heard the term ‘posterior’? Or perhaps face-up or sunny side up? Mum’s Grapevine expert, midwife Edwina Sharrock from Birth Beat explains the posterior […]
View Article18 ways to be a brilliant birth partner
When thinking about preparing for childbirth, most of the attention naturally goes to the mum-to-be. After all, she’s the one who’s going to be doing […]
View ArticleQ&A: Is it ok to ask my midwife to take birth photos?
Getting to relive a beautiful birth through photos is truly magical. But if you’re not keen on forking out for a professional birth photographer is […]
View ArticleQ&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 […]
View ArticleHow 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 […]
View Article11 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 […]
View ArticleHow to tell if you’re in early labour
It’s been nine months of dreaming, hoping and waiting for your little one to arrive and now you’re wondering if today is the day you’re […]
View ArticleBraxton Hicks contractions or real contractions?
When you’re achingly close to meeting your little one, every little twinge makes your heart leap. Your tummy suddenly feels super tight – are you […]
View Article16 ways to deal with labour pain
The big day has arrived and you’re officially in labour, which not only brings relief and excitement, but also apprehension about the pain that lies […]
View ArticleDelayed cord clamping could be a life-saver
If you feel as though you’re being asked to make a barrage of decisions surrounding the birth of your baby, you’re not wrong. The beauty […]
View ArticleMembrane sweep: You want to sweep my what?
You’re fast approaching the 40-week club or perhaps you’re already there, and your doctor decides bub is a bit too comfortable and it’s time to […]
View Article6 tips if you go in to labour when you are out and about
In the late stages of pregnancy, most women are still out and about – ducking down to the shops and grabbing that last-minute item for […]
View Article22 things to know before having a c-section
Counting down to a c-section is equal parts butterflies-in-the-belly excitement, anxious nerves and wondering what is going to happen afterwards. We’ve asked the experts – […]
View ArticleQ&A: Can I have my toenails painted if I’m having a c-section?
It might seem like a strange question, but it’s one mums prepping for c-sections in the Mum’s Grapevine baby Facebook groups are tossing around. And it […]
View ArticleEverything you need to know about inducing labour
You’ve been patiently counting down to your due date and it’s come … and gone. Welcome to the first rule of parenting: babies do everything […]
View Article5 Popular TENS Machines For Labour
Are you getting ready to embark on the amazing journey of pregnancy and childbirth? We know firsthand that even though this time can be thrilling, […]
View ArticleThe anti-push playlist – the songs NOT to play during labour
Music can help you escape. So it makes total sense that so many women rely on a playlist to help them escape from the painful reality […]
View ArticleAfter birth: 10 things to do with a placenta
The placenta – food source for foetus, life support for unborn infant, connection between mother and baby, super organ extraordinaire. Yes. The placenta is all […]
View ArticleNew mum reveals Japanese maternity ward food
Those sweet moments after birth are like nothing else – a gorgeous bub in your arms, and a sense of pure satisfaction … sigh. And […]
View Article37 things only mums who’ve had c-sections know
Those intense feelings you get when you lay eyes on your baby for the first time is indescribable, as is holding them in your arms […]
View ArticleClear drape c-sections allow mums to watch babes being born
The moment you see your baby for the first time is beyond words. The emotion of months, sometimes years of waiting is impossible to quell. […]
View Article{VIDEO} Labour perfectly explained with a balloon and ping pong ball
Was that twinge a real contraction or a pesky Braxton Hicks? Those final few days of pregnancy are spent nervously waiting for any little sign […]
View ArticleThe labour-inducing pizza that promises to bring on labour
Mums at the pointy end of pregnancy will try just about anything to bring on labour – from nipple stimulation to acupuncture. But how about […]
View ArticleThe delicious recipe sending over 300 women into labour
If the thought of downing castor oil with a raspberry leaf tea chaser to bring on labour isn’t appealing to your cravings, we’ve found a recipe […]
View ArticleTest to predict who will go into labour prematurely
A simple test could predict which mums-to-be will prematurely give birth. Melbourne researchers are conducting a world-first trial into pre-term labour involving more than 3000 […]
View ArticleCall for empowering language in birthing suites
Midwives and doctors are being encouraged to use less insensitive language, to help birthing women feel more empowered. Phrases like ‘big baby‘, ‘failed induction’ and […]
View ArticleQ&A: Can I be induced and still have a water birth?
Since finding out she’s pregnant, Mum’s Grapevine Due Date Group member Gabby has had her heart set on a water birth. But things don’t always […]
View Article5 reasons the ‘Golden Hour’ after birth is so important
Nine months of anticipation, hours of labour. And then the moment when time stands still. While it may seem like the world stops spinning when […]
View ArticleThe super salad sending women into labour
We’ve had the legendary labour-inducing pizza and shared the recipe for the Eggplant Parmigiana that kick-starts contractions. Now comes the super salad that’s sending women into labour. […]
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