Gentle Parenting

Recently Pregnancy Birth and Beyond shared the best of the newest Australian baby books. Here we give you the tried-and-tested classics, covering pregnancy, birth, and early parenting. So, check out our picks of the best books to read for first-time mums and dads. Pregnancy for Dummies by Jane Palmer, Joanne Stone, Keith Eddleman & Mary Duenwald One of the first things you realise when you read during pregnancy is that not all advice is good. However, Pregnancy for Dummies

Are you and your partner looking to acquire information from the best baby books for new parents? Australian authors have released several helpful reads in the last couple of years. You can draw on their up-to-date advice to smooth your ride from pregnancy to parenting. Preparing for Birth: Mothers Written by Jane Palmer and Andrea Robertson What happens when an internationally acclaimed Australian speaker teams up with a well-known, privately practising midwife? You get up-to-date answers to all your

You'd think parenting would be a breeze by now – after all, humans have been having babies for a very long time. But parenting a newborn, especially your first, is still full of decisions. How should you feed them, and when? How do you transport them when you want to go somewhere? Where's the best place for them to sleep? One school of thought that has its own answers to these sorts of questions is attachment parenting. Attachment Parenting

As a mum of 2 young children, I try to not only look after myself physically (healthy diet and exercise) but I try also to nurture my emotional wellbeing- this takes time and effort, just like scheduling some exercise or preparing a healthy meal. Here are my top 5 favourite tips to help care for mum’s emotional wellbeing: Rest is not idleness Taking time to recharge your batteries is a priority- whether this is half an hour sitting alone

Once the baby’s on board life changes! Oh man, does it change… It is an amazing stage of life, becoming a parent. And just like many of you, I wondered, ‘How can I be the very best mother possible?’ There are countless ways we care for and love our children and help them learn about life. But ultimately it’s about mentoring them to become a beautiful person themselves; teaching them how to love and what love looks like. So

When my children are in good form they are dynamic and funny, adventurous and just really good company. Sometimes though, particularly at the end of the week when we are all a bit worn out. I know it isn't going to be one of those blissful days. I find days like this a little easier to cope with when I am prepared mentally for them. When I am ready to write the day off before it even begins I

Book Review by Jane Palmer My four-year-old daughter Lia and I explored UpDowns from cover to cover. The book is well written and easy to follow. There are clear explanations to simple activities designed to encourage your child to explore the world of letters and encourage a love of reading. With seven beautifully illustrated stories included - there is plenty of opportunities to practice the proposed activities. Lia just loved the stories and seeks out the book to "practice

Book Review by Jane Palmer In his new book Idolising Children, a 29-year-old father of two, and a government consultant on young parenting issues, Daniel Donahoo, wants us to have a new relationship with our childhood. Donahoo argues that today's parents adversely affect their children as well as themselves through their obsession with extraordinary children and perfect parenting. Donahoo articulates very clearly some thoughts I've had about parenting. I've been witnessing an increasing level of fear in society and

During one of the Pregnancy and Parenting Network get togethers, we discussed ways on choosing the best preschool or school. We thought it useful to share information on this important issue. Pinky McKay has kindly given permission to publish this article. Education isn’t necessarily a matter of ‘getting what you pay for’ When we sent our first child off to school, private education wasn’t an option. It hadn’t occurred to me to shop around. So our oldest child simply

A five-month-old baby is lying in his mother’s arms. He is close to sleep, then wakes and begins to grizzle. His mother tells him that he should stop being a naughty boy and that she will be cross with him if he doesn’t sleep. An 18 month-old child is taken to a restaurant with her father and uncle. Her father goes to the bar, leaving the child with the uncle at the table. The child gets down from the

Stroking your baby’s silky skin, and meeting her trusting gaze is amazing. Taking turns listening to her ‘coos’ and ‘goos’ and then responding, telling her, “ your tiny toes are like little pink peas,” or “your legs are growing so long and strong,” is more than just a delightful way to enjoy your little one’s company. Massaging your baby incorporates all the elements of parent-child bonding. Massage stimulates your little one’s senses through skin contact, eye contact and your

Parenting in our culture is a struggle. Bookshops are overflowing with advice to help us with crying babies, sleep problems, feeding problems, toilet training, temper tantrums and discipline. These are the same areas our parents had difficulties with, and probably our grandparents too.  But these are not issues for parents in many contemporary cultures. It is only in recent generations that these have emerged as the norms of parenting in western society. What has changed, and how do others

Elimination Communication (EC)- also known as Infant Potty Training (IPT), Elimination Timing (ET), Going Diaperless and Natural Infant Hygiene- is how most babies are brought up around the world. This ‘method’, which is so integral and so obvious in most cultures that it needs no name. It involves the mother and baby becoming attuned and communicative. As a result, the mother knows when the baby needs to eliminate- wee or poo. I first heard the phrase Elimination Communication when