Newborns

When Sunshine Coast mum Nicole Baillie started having contractions, her sister Renee came over to mind her daughter — then Renee's waters broke too.

A social worker tells an inquest into the death of a baby boy, 11 days after he was discharged from a north Queensland hospital, that she did not report her concerns about his parents to the Department of Child Safety.

Paramedic Dominique Daye felt confident she would take being a mum in her stride, but it wasn't what she expected. She's encouraging others to use new support tools when things get tough.

Danni O'Connell's baby daughter weighed little more than a 600mL bottle of water at birth. Beyond her battle for survival loomed a financial struggle faced by many parents of pre-term babies.

After seven years trying for a family, Marni Cochrane was more than halfway through her first pregnancy with identical twin girls when they were diagnosed with a rare and potentially life-threatening medical condition.

The ABC has heard from several women who gave birth at home after a negative hospital experience, as part of its Birth Project investigation. It comes as a Senate inquiry into birth trauma was recently launched in NSW.

Poppy and Michael are believed to be one of only about 10 confirmed cases in the world of what are known as superfetation twins — where one is conceived while the mother is already pregnant. 

Liz and Sam Paul know how to stay calm in an emergency, which came in handy when baby Andy decided to arrive before they could make it to hospital.

The Australian Multiple Birth Association is ramping up calls for the government to consider additional parental leave for parents of multiples, in order to help address their unique challenges.

Stays in maternity hotels are becoming increasingly popular among Chinese women in Australia, with some new mothers paying up to $50,000 for 26 days.

A new public fertility clinic has opened in Victoria's north-west, saving hopeful families hundreds of dollars in accommodation costs and hundreds of kilometres of travel.

Women of migrant backgrounds are more at risk of developing some pregnancy complications, which can limit their choices for their pregnancy care and lead to more medical interventions during birth.

Two young women who were born prematurely at the Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital now work as nurses, caring for a new generation of sick newborns.

Tia Bridge plans a low-key Mother's Day with her family, reflecting on being a mother to three children — Lachlan, Chelsea and a little girl she has nicknamed "Immy", who never drew a breath.

A three bed inpatient unit for women experiencing early pregnancy loss opens in Canberra after a mother tells of an undignified experience.

For some new parents, the biggest challenge following a traumatic birth is the impact it can have on their relationship with their baby, writes Alix Woolard.

Any parent who has had a premature or sick newborn baby knows the feeling of helplessness while their baby is enclosed in a crib or connected to machines.

A NSW woman is set to become one of the first people in Australia to receive a uterus transplant as part of a landmark research project at Sydney's Royal Hospital for Women.

Kirsten Meadows' premature babies spent 10 weeks in a special care nursery — but instead of spending the usual 13 weeks in the nursery, Ms Meadows' daughters went home three weeks early.

Larissa Genat was fortunate to have a supportive midwife when her first daughter was stillborn. She says that is not the case for many other mothers.

Lauren Rooke likens giving birth to running a marathon — and she's about to do both. But she says this weekend's upcoming challenge as a "bit of a step back".

Sarah Copeland almost lost her newborn baby to infections from Group B Streptococcus, despite being low-risk. She wants other expectant parents to know the signs. 

The demand for midwifery services boomed during the pandemic, but it's under threat as the City of Melbourne plans to sell the building that operates Midwives and Mothers Australia.

After a COVID-induced lull, respiratory infections are on the rise again. Young children are at risk and doctors are pleading for help to stop transmission.

In the 18 months since baby Arthur William McConachy passed away, his adoring parents have channelled their love into fundraising nearly $110,000 in his name for vital equipment needed for other babies in Flinders' ICU.