Babies & Pregnancy topics
- Alcohol, smoking and drug use in pregnancy
- Baby and child nutrition
- Baby's health
- Blood and the rhesus factor
- Child-rearing and child development
- Childbirth and pain relief
Baby and child nutrition
Feeding babies and toddlers can be hard work. Discover more about the benefits of breast feeding, how to express breast milk and common problems associated with feeding small children and babies.
Alcohol: pregnancy and breast feeding
The safest approach to alcohol during pregnancy and breast feeding is to not drink at all.
Amphetamines (speed): pregnancy and breastfeeding
Amphetamines (speed) used close to birth may directly affect the baby.
Breast feeding
Breast milk contains the ideal balance of nutrients for the newborn baby as well as close physical contact between mother and infant.
Breast feeding - national 24-hour advice helpline launched
A national breast feeding advice line, available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, has been officially launched.
Breast feeding benefits
Studies show that women who breast feed have a reduced risk of developing breast cancer later in life.
Breast feeding reduces asthma risk in kids
Breast feeding appears to protect against the development of asthma, regardless of family history of allergy.
Breast feeding reduces mothers
Breast feeding protects mothers against cardiovascular disease later in life, research suggests.
Breast feeding your baby
Find out all about breast feeding and its benefits.
Breast milk expressing
There are a number of reasons why a breast feeding mother might wish to express milk rather than feeding the baby directly from the breast.
Breast milk sourced online may be health risk
Sourcing breast milk donations on the Internet may be exposing babies to diseases and contaminants, experts warn.
Breastfeeding mums ignore guidelines
Fewer than one in 5 Australian babies are breastfed exclusively for the recommended 6 months, and a third receive solid foods earlier than recommended, a survey shows.
Cannabis: pregnancy and breast feeding
The use of cannabis during pregnancy is not recommended.
Cocaine: pregnancy and breast feeding
Using cocaine during pregnancy is unwise. It can harm your baby both before and after birth.
Diabetes type 2 risk lowered by dairy
Eating plenty of dairy foods as a teenager has been linked with a lower risk of type 2 diabetes in middle-age.
Eggs in your baby's diet
Many parents are wary about including eggs in the diet of their babies, but research has shown that these fears are unfounded.
Engorgement and mastitis
Not all women experience true engorgement or mastitis; however, if you do it may really test your desire to breast feed.
Feeding problems with small children
Only rarely is a medical problem the cause of feeding problems in children.
Folate linked to school grades
Higher folate intake may be linked to better academic performance in teenagers, a Swedish study suggests.
Food choices influenced by celebrity endorsement
Celebrity endorsements and selective nutrient claims on packaging increase the chance of parents buying energy-dense, nutrient-poor food for their children, a survey shows.
Healthy diet for children
Find out how to encourage better nutrition in children.
Iron deficiency anaemia in children
Iron is also essential for normal brain development in children. When there is insufficient iron, the red blood cells become small and pale, known as iron deficiency anaemia.
Sugary drinks boost heart risks even in healthy people
Sugary soft drinks, even in low to moderate quantities, have a detrimental effect on heart and blood vessel health and raise fasting blood glucose levels and blood C-reactive protein levels.
World Breastfeeding Week
World Breastfeeding Week is celebrated in over 170 countries to protect, promote and support breastfeeding.
The safest approach to alcohol during pregnancy and breast feeding is to not drink at all.
Amphetamines (speed): pregnancy and breastfeeding
Amphetamines (speed) used close to birth may directly affect the baby.
Breast feeding
Breast milk contains the ideal balance of nutrients for the newborn baby as well as close physical contact between mother and infant.
Breast feeding - national 24-hour advice helpline launched
A national breast feeding advice line, available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, has been officially launched.
Breast feeding benefits
Studies show that women who breast feed have a reduced risk of developing breast cancer later in life.
Breast feeding reduces asthma risk in kids
Breast feeding appears to protect against the development of asthma, regardless of family history of allergy.
Breast feeding reduces mothers
Breast feeding protects mothers against cardiovascular disease later in life, research suggests.
Breast feeding your baby
Find out all about breast feeding and its benefits.
Breast milk expressing
There are a number of reasons why a breast feeding mother might wish to express milk rather than feeding the baby directly from the breast.
Breast milk sourced online may be health risk
Sourcing breast milk donations on the Internet may be exposing babies to diseases and contaminants, experts warn.
Breastfeeding mums ignore guidelines
Fewer than one in 5 Australian babies are breastfed exclusively for the recommended 6 months, and a third receive solid foods earlier than recommended, a survey shows.
Cannabis: pregnancy and breast feeding
The use of cannabis during pregnancy is not recommended.
Cocaine: pregnancy and breast feeding
Using cocaine during pregnancy is unwise. It can harm your baby both before and after birth.
Diabetes type 2 risk lowered by dairy
Eating plenty of dairy foods as a teenager has been linked with a lower risk of type 2 diabetes in middle-age.
Eggs in your baby's diet
Many parents are wary about including eggs in the diet of their babies, but research has shown that these fears are unfounded.
Engorgement and mastitis
Not all women experience true engorgement or mastitis; however, if you do it may really test your desire to breast feed.
Feeding problems with small children
Only rarely is a medical problem the cause of feeding problems in children.
Folate linked to school grades
Higher folate intake may be linked to better academic performance in teenagers, a Swedish study suggests.
Food choices influenced by celebrity endorsement
Celebrity endorsements and selective nutrient claims on packaging increase the chance of parents buying energy-dense, nutrient-poor food for their children, a survey shows.
Healthy diet for children
Find out how to encourage better nutrition in children.
Iron deficiency anaemia in children
Iron is also essential for normal brain development in children. When there is insufficient iron, the red blood cells become small and pale, known as iron deficiency anaemia.
Sugary drinks boost heart risks even in healthy people
Sugary soft drinks, even in low to moderate quantities, have a detrimental effect on heart and blood vessel health and raise fasting blood glucose levels and blood C-reactive protein levels.
World Breastfeeding Week
World Breastfeeding Week is celebrated in over 170 countries to protect, promote and support breastfeeding.
