'I wanted to know what was going on during my daughter's birth'

RACHEL BROWNE Preparing for the arrival of their first child should have been an exciting time for Kate and Anthony Hinton but things did not go as planned. Now the couple are preparing to take legal action against Westmead Private Hospital.

HypnoBirthing isn't a hippie thing ... just ask Kate

ALEISHA ORR Word is that Kate Middleton is considering HypnoBirthing when she delivers the new heir to the throne.

Birthzilla? Pass me the badge

Prue Corlette A birth plan is about putting it in writing that a woman's body is to be treated with respect and dignity by her caregivers

In defence of birth plans

Tara Moss Birthzillas, Bridezillas and perhaps all ‘Zillas’ are bad news. It’s amusing stuff, but the thing is, birth plans are helpful for many parents, and an increasing number of obstetricians and midwives request them. There are a number of reasons for this.

Practicing birth positions

Book Extract | Being Dad We will be looking at birthing positions that your partner can adopt to help facilitate an easier birth. You, my friend, will help her with these positions and will need to know them and to encourage her to try different positions as the labor progresses.

Just ask Justine

Should I bank my baby's cord blood?

Justine Davies I wonder whether it really is worth doing? What is it used for and is it really worth the cost?

Tales of the unexpected

Mia Freedman If you want to make God laugh, tell him your plans. If you want to make a midwife laugh, tell her your birth plan. I'd always mocked birth plans, even before having a baby myself and most certainly afterwards.

Are birth plans a waste of time?

Amity Dry As the final weeks of my pregnancy creep by it's time to pack my bags and contemplate going through labour again. But this time one part of my preparations will be missing. I won't waste my time writing a birth plan. Because I know now the idea that I have any control over how my labour goes is an absolute crock.

Fears for mothers as hospitals up the ante for birth classes

Natasha Wallace The cost of antenatal classes should be means-tested and made uniform across all hospitals, according to the Australian College of Midwives.

Sex, birth & videotape

Justine Davies My hubby recently bought a new digital video recorder so that we can record our daughter’s development over the years on film. All good. He’s now decided though that he also wants to videotape the birth.

VB vs Caesarean: what should I do?

Justine Davies I am 6 months pregnant with my first child and I am sure that I want to have a caesarean. I’ve told my obstetrician and she is happy with that decision – but some of my friends aren’t.

Using acupuncture to prepare for birth

Rebecca Mar Young Acupuncturist Rebecca Mar Young, who focuses on pregnancy, explains how acupuncture can help you prepare for birth.

Queen Bee's tips on packing your hospital bag

The days of grabbing your keys, mobile and wallet and heading out the door are soon to be over, and it all starts with the birth!

Preparing for labour

You are approaching the end of your pregnancy and it is time to get ready for that important moment when labour begins.

Your birth plan

These days you and your partner can play a far more active role in your pregnancy, labour and birth.

The Juggle Blog

Why you need a birth plan

Mia Freedman Are birth plans a waste of the paper they’re written on? Mia Freedman starts thinking about what she’s going to do in the delivery room this time around.