Stages of Labour

Like any stage of labour, the delivery of the placenta may not pan out as expected.

What you need to know about the third stage of labour

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The dad and son each held one of the twins skin-to-skin.

When 'skin to skin' becomes a family affair

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Bed rest after waters broke: Rachel Dale with her baby, Micah.

What to do when a woman's waters break

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Natural pain relief in the early stages of labour

While managing labour pains on your own can be daunting, there are a number of natural pain relief options to help you cope until you are admitted to hospital.

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Delivery room surprises: when gender predictions are wrong

Out of all the questions asked of mums-to-be, 'Do you know what you're having?' would be right up there in popularity.

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Walking or being vertical can help with moving labour along.

Doctor helps create the ultimate labour playlist

Spotify have teamed up with an obstetrician-gynecologist to create the perfect set for the birthing suite.

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Should you eat during labour?

Given that that you're going to be labouring for a while, often through times you'd be eating a meal – or at least a snack – is it necessary to eat?

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The Quinlan family in their Collingwood home.

Bond between mother and midwife key to a happy birth

Women who are cared for by the same midwife throughout their pregnancy are less likely to need intervention such a caesarian sections during labour and are less likely to report a traumatic birth, research has found.

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How the media can shape our decisions when it comes to labour

We all like to think that we make our choices in fair, reasoned and well-thought out ways. Not many of us would admit that we allowed the media to influence us in our life choices.

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Mark Harris, who has written a book about his career as a midwife.

Don't panic: A granddad midwife's guide for dads-to-be

Mark Harris has helped deliver 500 babies. And he's now telling fathers what to expect.

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Yuki Nishizawa had fun entertaining the nurses in labour.

Mum dances her way through labour

There are a fair few ways to distract yourself and beat pains while in labour, but it's probably a rare woman who chooses her dance her way through it.

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Dad's need to follow their partner's lead in the delivery room.

The truth about dad's role in the delivery room

It turns out silent strength was my role. Just shut up and stand there? Turns out, I can do that.

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Sharny Kieser when 40 weeks pregnant with her fifth child, Hugo.

Mum puts 15-minute labour down to 'fit, not fat' pregnancy

A 15-minute labour sounds like the thing dreams are made of. But for this Aussie mum of five, it was a reality.

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The truth about birthing a big baby

When told that they are having a 'big baby', many women have a lot of fears. But those fears are often unfounded.

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Doubts have been raised about the benefits of placenta consumption.

Is placenta consumption really beneficial?

The debate about the benefits of placenta consumption is far from over, with new research suggesting the practice might be dangerous.

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Stephanie Bonadio and baby Sienna in Delaware, USA.

#birthjusthappened: the photos changing the way we see labour

There's no doubt that post-birth photos can have a powerful effect on women. But are they enough to change the way pregnant women feel about their own impending labours?

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