Pregnancy & Birth Resources

NZ websites

NZ College of Midwives
The Official site of the New Zealand College of Midwives, the professional organisation and recognised ‘voice’ for midwives and student midwives in New Zealand.

MAMA (Mothers and Midwives)
MAMA aims to give parents-to-be information that will support you to combine instinct and information and make informed choices when planning a healthy and happy pregnancy, labour and birth and early parenting experience.

Parents Centres NZ
Parents Centre share a mission to bring about a society in which parents are highly valued in their role in the community through positive birth experience and informed parenting and advocacy. The Parents Centre website provides articles, resources, and information about available birth and parenting classes for NZ parents.

The Home Birth Association
Home Birth Aotearoa is the national organisation representing the many local associations throughout Aotearoa / New Zealand. Home Birth Aotearoa supports and celebrates home birth and provides birthing women and whanau with information about the home birth option.

Inflatable labour & birthing pools
H2Oh provides consumers and professionals with a safe, simple, affordable and acceptable option to use water when labouring.

Trauma and Birth Stress - PTSD after Child Birth
Originating in NZ, TABS is Trauma And Birth Stress, a Charitable Trust that serves as a support group of mothers. We have in common stressful and traumatic pregnancies or births that affected our lives negatively for months or years afterwards. We formed TABS because of the need to make PTSD known as a form of mental illness that can happen following childbirth, but quite distinct from the Baby Blues, Post Natal Depression (Post Partum Depression) and Post Natal Psychosis.

International websites

Pregnancy, Childbirth, and the Newborn
Based upon upon the best selling book of the same name, this website provides a range free informational PDF's and worksheets covering pregnancy, birth and newborn care. The content is precise, up to date, and immensely useful.

Lamaze International
Lamaze is a nonprofit organization that promotes a natural, healthy and safe approach to pregnancy, childbirth and early parenting. Knowing that pregnancy and childbirth can be demanding on a woman’s body and mind, Lamaze serves as a resource for information about what to expect and what choices are available during the childbearing years.

Giving Birth With Confidence
Giving Birth with Confidence is an online community, created by Lamaze International, written for and by real women (and men) with a variety of trustworthy, timely and appealing stories, articles and tips related to pregnancy, birth and parenting. Our goal is to help women achieve healthy pregnancies and safe, satisfying births by offering a meeting ground to obtain information and support.

Henci Goer
Henci Goer, award-winning medical writer and internationally known speaker, is an acknowledged expert on evidence-based maternity care.

Science and Sensibility
A Research Blog About Healthy Pregnancy, Birth & Beyond from Lamaze International. 

Childbirth Connection
ChildbirthConnection is your source for trustworthy up-to-date evidence-based information and resources on planning for pregnancy, labor and birth, and the postpartum period. 

Mothers Advocate
Mother's Advocate is dedicated to helping you have the healthiest, safest, most satisfying birth possible. This website offers free video clips and print materials that will educate and inform you on how to have the birth you want for you and your baby.

Birthing Naturally
Birthing Naturally exists to be a free source of information about pregnancy and birth. We strive to maintain a helpful and encouraging environment where families can explore their options, test their new skills, find support and prepare for the upcoming changes of a new baby.

Water Birth International
Waterbirth International's mission is to insure that waterbirth becomes an available option for all women. They have been working non-stop for almost two decades providing education, training, programs, consultations and referrals for parents and practitioners alike.

International Cesarean Awareness Network
ICANs mission is to improve maternal-child health by preventing unnecessary cesareans through education, providing support for cesarean recovery, and promoting Vaginal Birth After Cesarean (VBAC).

Childbirth Solutions
This free site gives you detailed information about every step including preconception, pregnancy, birth, and post partum. You can read about other women’s birth stories. You will learn about the difference between the Medical Model of Care and the Midwives Model of Care. You can comment on articles and ask questions about what you don’t understand.  

Spinning Babies
Spinning Babies offers basic information to help you understand how changes in maternal position can help improve fetal position.

Mother Risk
Motherisk shares evidence-based information with women and health-care professionals on the risk/safety of products and medications in pregnancy.