All of these provide evidence-based information to help you make the choices that are right for you.
Pregnancy & Birth: Articles, Blogs and Websites covering a broad range of topics
- BellyBelly (Aus)
- Childbirth Connection (US)
- Choices in Childbirth (US)
- Lamaze International (Intl) (plus Giving Birth with Confidence and blog Science and Sensibility)
- Maternity Choices Australia (Aus) (especially InfoSheets, found under ‘What We Do’)
- Midwife Thinking (Aus)
- Midwifery Today (Intl)
- Midwives and Mothers Australia (MAMA) (Aus) (especially MAMA Fact Sheets)
- Mothering (US)
- Pregnancy, Birth & Baby (Aus) (Dept of Health & Aging)
- Pregnancy, Birth and Beyond (Aus)
- Dr. Sara Wickham (UK)
- Dr. Sarah J Buckley MD (Aus) (especially the free ebook “Ecstatic Birth: Nature’s Hormonal Blueprint for Labour”)
- Dr. Kirsten Small, OB Birth Small Talk
Pregnancy & Birth: Articles, Blogs and Websites covering specific topics
Active Birth / Comfort in Labour / Optimal Foetal Positioning
- Dancing for Birth™ (US)
- A Midwife’s Touch: Massage Techniques for Labor (US)
- Penny Simkin (especially the article “Comfort in Labor”) (US)
- Spinning Babies: Easier Childbirth with Fetal Positioning (US)
- Juju Sundin (Aus)
Birth Plans / Making Informed Choices
- Building a Truly Useful Birth Plan (US)
- Don’t Throw the Birth Plan Out with The Bath Water! A Midwife’s and a Legal Perspective (Aus)
- Evidence Based Birth Plan (Aus)
- Understanding Your Biases and Orientation in Medical Decision Making (US)
- Visual Birth Plan Template – The Best Season of My Life (free download) (US)
- Visual Birth Plan Template – Mama Natural (free download) (US)
- Visual Birth Plan Template – The Positive Birth Book (free download) (UK)
- Why Midwives Love a Good Birth Plan (Aus)
- The Win-Win Birth Plan (US)
Caesarean Birth / VBAC
- Birthrites: Healing After Caesarean (Aus)
- CARES Inc. Caesarean Awareness Recovery Education Support (Aus)
- Caesarean Birth and VBAC Information (UK)
- Caesarean Birth in a Culture of Fear’ (US)
- The Caesarean Awareness Network Australia CANA (Aus)
- ICAN (Intl)
- The Mindful Cesarean (US) – downloadable toolkit with audio tracks and workbook
- Maternal-assisted Caesarean (AUS)
- Mother-friendly Caesarean (AUS)
- The Natural Caesarean: A woman-centred technique (UK)
- The Natural Caesarean: A woman-centred technique (UK) – video
- VBAC: A Woman-centered, Evidence-based Resource (US)
- VBAC Facts (US)
For Dads / Partners
- Becoming Dad (Aus)
- Beer and Bubs: Childbirth Education for Dads at the Pub (Aus)
Electronic Fetal Monitoring (EFM or CTG)
- Cochrane Review 2017: Continuous cardiotocography (CTG) as a form of electronic fetal monitoring (EFM) for fetal assessment during labour
- Does intrapartum CTG monitoring save lives? Birth Small Talk – Dr Kirsten Small (Aus)
- Dr Sara Wickham Fetal monitoring research resources (UK)
- Electronic Fetal Monitoring: A Bridge Too Far (US)
- Risks of CTG monitoring: Part 1, Part 2 and Part 3 Birth Small Talk – Dr Kirsten Small (Aus)
Group B Strep (GBS)
- Cochrane Review 2014: Intrapartum antibiotics for known maternal Group B streptococcal colonization (Intl)
- Dr Sara Wickham Group B Strep resources (UK)
Homebirth
- Homebirth Australia (Aus)
- Homebirth Reference Site (UK)
Induction
- Bishops Score – BellyBelly (Aus)
- Henci Goer Examines The ARRIVE Study -Science & Sensibility (US)
- Induction of Labour: Balancing the Risks – Midwife Thinking (Aus)
- Induction: A Step-by-Step Guide – Midwife Thinking (Aus)
- Membrane Sweep (Strech and Sweep): 6 Facts to Consider Before Having One – BellyBelly (Aus)
- Ten Things I Wish Women Knew About Induction of Labour – Sara Wickham (UK)
Positive Birth Stories
- Birth Goddess: A Positive Birth Revolution (Aus)
- Tell Me a Good Birth Story: Spreading Positive Childbirth Experiences (US)
Second Stage / Pushing
- How to Push a Baby Out – Science & Sensibility (US)
- Pushing for First-Time Moms – Gloria LeMay (Can)
- Rethinking the pushing stage (podcast) (US)
- The Second Stage of Labour: Are we pushing too hard? (UK)
Water Birth
- Water Birth International (Intl)
Your Rights in Childbirth
- Australian Medical Association – Maternal Decision Making 2013 (Aus)
- Birthrights: Protecting Human Rights in Childbirth (UK)
- Coalition for Improving Maternity Services – CIMS – Mother-Friendly Childbirth Initiative (Intl)
- Human Rights in Childbirth (Intl)
- Improving Birth: Bringing Evidence-based Care and Humanity to Childbirth (US)
- Information Giving and the Law – Midwife Thinking (Aus)
- Informed Choice, Consent & the Law (Aus)
- Providing information and support so that women can make decisions: Australian Government Department of Health (Aus)
- The White Ribbon Alliance for Safe Motherhood – Respectful Maternity Care (Intl)
Postnatal – Articles, Blogs and Websites covering specific topics
Babywearing
- The Baby Wearer (AUS)
- Baby Carriers Down Under (Aus)
- Baby Wearing International (Intl)
- Hip Dysplasia – Safe Baby Carriers, Seats & Other Equipment
Breastfeeding
- Australian Breastfeeding Association (Aus)
- Biological Nurturing: Laid-back Breastfeeding (UK)
- Breast Crawl: Initiation of Breastfeeding by Breast Crawl (Intl)
- Breast Massage and Hand Expression, video by Maya Bolman (US)
- International Breastfeeding Centre – Dr. Jack Newman (Can) – great info sheets and videos
- Kelly Mom: Evidence-based Breastfeeding and Parenting (US)
- La Leche League (Intl)
- Low Milk Supply (US)
- Natural Breastfeeding – Dr. Theresa Nesbitt & Nancy Mohrbacher (US) – excellent video!
- Pinky McKay (Aus)
- Preparing for Successful Breastfeeding, Dr. Jane Morton, Stanford University (US)
Baby Blues / Postnatal Depression (including antenatal depression)
- Beyond Blue: Pregnancy and Early Parenthood (Aus)
- PANDA (Post and Antenatal Depression Association Inc) (Aus) (especially Fact Sheets)
- Postpartum Support International (Intl)
Parenting
- Aha! Parenting – Dr. Laura Markham (US)
- Attachment Parenting International (Intl)
- Mothering (Intl)
- The Natural Child Project (US)
- Natural Parenting Melbourne (Aus)
- Pinky McKay (Aus)
- Dr Sears (US)
Pregnancy Loss / Stillbirth
Settling / Soothing
- Carrie Contey. PhD – What Babies Want (US)
- Dr Sears (US)
- Pinky McKay (Aus)
- Responding to Baby’s Cues – Position Paper – Australian Association for Infant Mental Health (Aus)
Sleep
- Controlled Crying – Position Paper – Australian Association for Infant Mental Health (Aus)
- Dr Sears (US)
- BASIS: Baby Sleep Info Source – Durham University (UK)
- Parenting Science: Newborn Sleep Patterns (US)
- Pinky McKay (Aus)
- Possums Education (Aus)
- University of Notre Dame Mother-Baby Behavioural Sleep Laboratory – James McKenna (US)
Trauma / PTSD
- Birthtalk: Makes Birth Better (Aus) birthtalk.org (Trauma, Grief and Disappointment support)
- Birth Story Medicine: Birth Story Healing Sessions by phone or by Skype (US)
- The Birth Trauma Association (UK)
- PATTCh: Prevention and Treatment of Traumatic Childbirth (US)
- Solace for Mothers: healing after traumatic childbirth (US) (offering 2 online communities for support)
Photography on Website:
Birth images by Jane McCrae
Laura Lee’s portrait by Nancy Morrison
