Gemma Gracewood grew a baby and a placenta and then she gave the placenta away. Here she interviews the scientist she gave it to. Content warning: There are photos of a placenta in this post. These photos are either totally “ewww” or completely effing amazing depending on your opinion of the placenta. Photos provided courtesy … Read more
New Zealand’s midwife shortage has been in the news a lot in the past week – but the working conditions of midwives has been an issue for much, much longer. Spinoff Parents editor Emily Writes asked midwives to talk about why they do the vital work that they do. It’s a job few would sign … Read more
Every pregnant person has struggled with unsolicited advice and comments on their body. Spinoff Parents columnist and mum of two Thalia Kehoe Rowden has tips and ways to reply to well-meaning strangers who are overstepping or oversharing. It starts early. You’ve seen two lines on a pregnancy test. Your body is GROWING A PERSON! What … Read more
What happens when your baby is born and you don’t feel anything? Nadine Millar shares her story of waiting for the feelings to come. I was 24 when I had my first baby. I’d just started Uni and it seemed like a good use of time. I wrote assignments while he slept, substituted text books for … Read more
Our Animals Expert and dad Thom Adams looks at the wonders of pregnancy in the wild and comes away with a powerful message for pregnant women everywhere: next time you’re feeling like shit because your heartburn is killing you, just be thankful you’re not carrying a third of your own bodyweight in eggs. I’ll say … Read more
Spinoff Parents editor Emily Writes interviews a midwife and unwittingly reveals plenty of baggage from her own labour – mainly focused on how much she pooped. This is the fourth in a series of posts in which I ask health professionals questions about child health, crowd-sourced from you. Today’s interviewee is a lovely midwife who is remaining … Read more
Over the course of her two pregnancies Anna Gowan has received some pretty ridiculous – and unsolicited – advice from dudes. She shares some of the worst and asks: why exactly do men feel the need to weigh in? I’ve been given invaluable advice from men recently. What’s the best garden box to grow vegetables … Read more
Without the lived experience of having a child with health complications you can never truly know what it’s like. One who knows is Tessa Prebble, who shares how it feels to hear the words ‘as long as it’s healthy’ now. At baby showers all over the world you’ll hear the same five words: “As long … Read more
This month on our parenting podcast: a brutally honest and funny discussion of the repercussions – both physical and mental – of pregnancy, birth and parenting. This is The Spinoff Parents podcast, Dear Mamas, a straight-talking parenting podcast with Holly Walker and Emily Writes. Our brilliant and talented sponsors are Little Big Crate. Little Big … Read more
A major University of Otago study suggests poorer outcomes for babies born under midwife-led care. Dr Jess Berentson-Shaw looks at the truth behind the headlines. In this article we are going to talk about some of the bad stuff that happens during pregnancy and labour to babies and women. These things are infrequent in New … Read more