A University of Auckland-led international study published today provides the strongest evidence yet that sleeping on your back, in the last three months of pregnancy, more than doubles the…
If you’ve had a baby, you likely attended a 6-week postnatal check with your obstetrician, midwife, or GP. But you may not have had a postnatal check with a women’s…
Kiwi Families resident midwife expert, Kathy Fray, breaks down the textbook version of the birthing process. But she adds in a fundamental process that all expecting Mothers need…
There’s a number of physical complications that pregnancy can cause. One of these is pelvic organ prolapse. This can cause swelling, bulging, lower-back, abdomen or pelvic pain, as…
Dear Mummy and Daddy, The day you saw that pregnancy test, was a day never to forget. I know you were scared and nervous. So nervous you took…
Around the world, caring for mothers after childbirth has traditionally been a matter of great importance. In many societies the practical knowledge of how to help mothers after…
Charlie can whistle now. He worked it out on his own, more or less. One day, quite by mistake, out came a toot tweet, and he giggled, Hey!…
…could I be, pregnant? You might have asked yourself this little question in the quiet recesses of your mind. Our instincts are still a little understood factor in…
In this article, we explore good nutrition for conception and give some ideas about how to improve your chances of conceiving.
The birth of a baby is a momentous, meaningful event. A special time in our lives that touches us all deeply in different ways. Unfortunately, many mothers enter the last…
A guide to the Ohana Young Parents Charitable Trust, what it does, and how you can access its support. Learn all about the Ohana Young Parents Charitable Trust…
I’d like to share with other solo mothers two of the practices that I developed that served me and my child well. Being on my own while pregnant…
Pregnancy is a major life event, and therefore a great time to reflect on your health and what you eat! Now is the time to consider incorporating the…
I love rice pudding. It brings back memories of my childhood. It’s one of those nostalgic meals that really hits the spot. It was my go-to, super easy,…
Over the next two months, we’re going to looking at pregnancy and babies and talking to some more great kiwi families about their experiences. In this post, we…
I am a planner. I love to plan. I think it started off with my enjoyment of a good daydream. Throw in my need to have control, plus…
Firstly congratulations on your pregnancy. What an exciting time lies ahead. There are many wonderful exercise opportunities for you to explore while you are pregnant.
After that amazing moment of finding out that you are pregnant, one of the first things you will need to do is choose your lead maternity care provider.…
When you’re heavily pregnant, one of the last things you are likely to feel like doing is leaning over a suitcase, guessing at the items you might need…
Changes within the family come in almost any conceivable way. It could be as joyous as the addition of a new baby all the way through to the…
Life with a newborn can be absolutely amazing, but it can also be hectic and overwhelming. Thankfully there are a range of services that parents of newborns can…
I was 32 when my partner and I found out at the same time we were HIV positive. It was a real test of our relationship as we…
I didn’t have a baby shower with either of my pregnancies. It just wasn’t really something that was done back then. But boy things have really changed in…
For many women, preconception nutrition is not considered unless they have a related health issue or are consciously planning for a healthy pregnancy. Once pregnant, focus is altered to planning for arrival of baby, so post-conception nutrition can be an afterthought, yet remains vitally important throughout pregnancy.
The general rule is that if you are exercising prior to getting pregnant then you can continue on exercising as you were, adapting as required. If you are a…
More people are leaving starting a family to later in life. In fact, the average age for a first pregnancy in New Zealand is 30 – which is…
Pregnancy is a major life event, and therefore a great time to reflect on your health and what you eat! Now is the time to consider incorporating the…
In the past 7 months I feel as if a new world of choices (and anguish) has opened up for me. The choices that you have to make…
When I was pregnant with my first daughter I was subscribed to a few parenting magazines. I always waited with anticipation when I knew they were due in…
Excitement is in the air, a new baby for you, a new sibling for your child. Here are some helpful ideas on how to prepare your child/ren for…
We always have a choice, but as we all experience at some time or another, often the choice to make isn’t that clear or comes at a difficult…
Once I started looking pregnant, strangers started treating me differently. My own policy is never to assume someone with a little roundness in the abdominal region is pregnant…
There are lots of fears and myths surrounding HIV and it’s important to get all the facts if you are HIV positive and pregnant or considering getting pregnant.
Have you recently found out that you are pregnant? Congratulations! Our pregnancy due date calculator will help to give you an idea of when you might expect your…
Pregnancy Help supports the well being of pregnant and recently pregnant women, parents, caregivers and their families/whanau, by providing information and practical support with non-judgemental Care, Concern and…
The National Immunisation Schedule is a series of free immunisation visits designed to provide your family with the best protection against vaccine-preventable diseases. It is important to get…
This article explains the role of obstetricians and when you may require the specialist care of an obstetrician in pregnancy or childbirth.
This article explains the role of the midwife in New Zealand, how to find a midwife and what they will do during pregnancy, birth and afterwards.
This article gives information on Caesarean in Detail – what happens before and after a Caesarean section in New Zealand, what is involved and detail on what it…
There are three main causes of bleeding in pregnancy. Find out why bleeding in pregnancy should always be checked out by your maternity carer.
This article is full of tips for Maternity Wear – whether it’s tops, pants or underwear you’re after, for work or home, for formal or casual, small or…
Exercising for the birth is vital to promote natural birth. There are exercises which can help pregnant mums to prepare for the birth. This article can be read…
Wondering whether you’re pregnant? Our free online pregnancy test can help! While we can’t produce a virtual reality one just yet, we have put together a free online pregnancy…
How do I know I am pregnant ? This article explores the early signs and symptoms you may have if you are pregnant and common feelings in early…
This article gives you some tips on increasing your chances of getting pregnant and offers some great health tips to follow, prior to getting pregnant.
Pregnancy is often a time when you stop and consider a number of lifestyle factors to try and ensure you’re doing the best for yourself and your unborn…
As a naturopath and herbalist I often get pregnant Mums asking me desperately what homeopathic remedies are safe to take. Especially now that some big-pharma brands have moved into the…
Most people make a decision, or not as the case may be, to become pregnant and begin the process of attempting conception. At this stage people often get…
If you are a mother with young children at home then chances are you will feel that often your day revolves around meal times and food. No sooner…