Caring for young children is challenging most of the time. Add sickness (mine or theirs) and it’s a recipe for struggle. Last week I received this message, from someone who was feeling it:

"Hi Anna. How have you managed caring for a sick kid while also being sick yourself? My husband is away and our usual go-to support person says they don’t want to catch our germs and is unwilling to help with childcare. I am exhausted and don’t know how I'll get through."

This blog is a collection of the tip…

The last few years has seen a lot more talk about mental health for parents. Maternal mental health is still thoroughly front and centre in that conversation, but if you know where to look there are some great resources for partners and non-birth parents too.

When it comes to fathers specifically, there are a range of mental health support organisations are working to help men through the transition to parenthood and its ongoing ups and downs. Stigma remains about accessing it though, and if w…

Looking to read something light-hearted and fluffy? This article isn't it! This piece has taken me over two years to write, and is not something I publish lightly. Nevertheless, it is important, and I would ask you to read on with the knowledge that I write from a place of deep love and care. 

This article is written from my perspective, that of a white, straight, cisgender biological mother who is passionate about both birth rights and children’s rights, and is written primarily for other peop…

This article was first published elsewhere in Sept 2023.

In keeping with last week’s aeroplane theme I’m going to spend today’s newsletter teasing out another commonly tossed around phrase in the parenting lexicon: “we’re all winging it.” It’s used so often chances are you’ve heard it, used it yourself or both - I know I have!

If you’ve read my book Mama, You’re Not Broken before (or listened to the chapter on “Uncertainty”) you might remember the story of me as a first timer with a very sen…

This article was first published elsewhere in Oct 2023.

Inspired by the recent State of The Midwifery Workforce episode on The Great Birth Rebellion podcast, today I want to share some reflections on the state of the postpartum doula workforce.

In the podcast episode, hosts Mel and B and their expert guests speak to data collected on the Australian midwifery workforce, which indicates a high percentage of early career midwives (those with 0-5 years clinical experience), but an average staff …

This article was first published elsewhere in Oct 2023.

This year would’ve been my 15 year school reunion, had anyone got around to organising it. Admittedly, there might have been one and I missed the memo, which is fine. I didn’t go to the 10 year one after all.

The year I graduated from high school, 40 of my 160ish peers recorded uni entrance scores of over 98.00. For context, my school was “academically selective”1 in label and spirit crushing in practice. I mean, what could possibly go …

This article was first published elsewhere in November 2023.

The day breaks.

In the dim light I can make out knuckle dimples, wrist creases, that curve where you can’t quite tell where cheek ends and neck begins.

Eyelashes, unfathomably long, rest peacefully on the roundest of cheeks. I marvel over the form sprawled beside me as it rises and falls with breath. I made that body inside my body, and now it’s here and it’s beautiful.

The tiny creature animates, piglet-like, eyes shut and searc…

This article was originally published elsewhere on 18 Nov 2023.

Please note there are content warnings for suicidality and psychosis on this article. If mention of these topics is too much for you right now, you may like to come back to this later. That said, it may also be exactly what you need to read, so I’ll leave it to you.

Overtime on an Unpaid Job: Hard Truths on Parenting Kids Who Hate Sleep

Pop culture tells us babies will sleep in the corner of…