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PARENTING - PREGNANCY

A collection of articles on the subject of pregnancy.

<p>Sligo-based Jenni Garvey, mother of three, who is considering options for the birth of her next baby, due in November. Picture: James Connolly</p>

spotlight

‘After working through fears of free birth and hospitals, I decided I would stay home’

It is not that many decades ago since Irish babies were delivered at home with help from Jubilee nurses, and now Health Correspondent Niamh Griffin meets a group of women who have chosen to give birth outside the system

3156119_1_org_Julie_Jay_Circle_headshot

Julie Jay: Seeing my friend with her newborn has left me wishing for a parenting redo

<p>Twins Tadhg (left) and Cathal Fitzgibbon, from Cork, who battled twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome (TTTS), a rare condition in which one baby receives more nutrients from the placenta than the other. Picture: Ciara Bowe/PA Wire </p>

munster

Cork mother to walk in steps of medics who spotted rare conditions in her twins

Certificate of loss for early miscarriages could be in place by next year

news

Certificate of loss for early miscarriages could be in place by next year

My complex fertility journey to have a baby after PCOS and endometriosis

health and wellbeing

My complex fertility journey to have a baby after PCOS and endometriosis

Tots to Teens: Raise a cup for children’s ambulance

parenting

Tots to Teens: Raise a cup for children’s ambulance

Marie Crowe: After having three sons I was 99% sure this was another boy

S Marie Crowe: After having three sons I was 99% sure this was another boy

Last March, RTÉ sports presenter Marie Crowe and her husband, Billy, welcomed their daughter, Jessie, after having three boys and after a nine-year gap. She describes the moment of finding out this baby was a girl, about what that meant to her — and how Jessie has brought a beautiful calm energy to family life

Thu, 12 Feb, 2026

Desperate Woman

Minister seeking legal advice on statutory paid leave for pregnancy loss

'There is now a shared understanding across Government that pregnancy loss requires a specific, compassionate response,' a cross-party group discussing the legislation has said

Wed, 04 Feb, 2026

Mother Wearing Headphones Listening a Podcast While Baby Sleeps

'A trusted voice is very important and can help when parents are questioning everything'

Whether it’s helping your baby sleep, feed, or thrive, there’s a show to support you. We chat to the hosts of some of Ireland’s most popular parenting podcasts

Sun, 01 Feb, 2026

Inside Limerick’s new neonatal unit caring for babies born weighing as little as 600g

Inside Limerick’s new neonatal unit caring for babies born weighing as little as 600g

The expanded Limerick neonatal unit blends cutting-edge medicine with family-integrated care for babies born extremely premature

Sat, 03 Jan, 2026

Sarah Maria Griffin — The last thing you want is to be a medical mystery when you’re 30 weeks pregnant

Sarah Maria Griffin — The last thing you want is to be a medical mystery when you’re 30 weeks pregnant

Author Sarah Maria Griffin describes the tense weeks before her firstborn’s early arrival — and how the miracle of life and birth has made her a much more optimistic person

Thu, 18 Dec, 2025

‘Innocence of pregnancy forever taken after a loss’

‘Innocence of pregnancy forever taken after a loss’

A mum talks about her harrowing experience of stillbirth, how she and her partner coped with the trauma, and the subsequent joy of having a healthy baby

Tue, 16 Dec, 2025

Tots to Teens: Shining a light on childhood cancer appeal

Tots to Teens: Shining a light on childhood cancer appeal

Fair City actress Kiara Noonan is calling on the public to support the Irish Cancer Society’s children’s Christmas appeal.

Tue, 09 Dec, 2025

EDEN GANNON

‘We were so overwhelmed by our baby’s premature birth we forgot to ask if we had a boy or girl’

Two couples entered parenthood weeks before their babies were due. We learn how they navigated this worrisome time

Tue, 11 Nov, 2025

Pregnant woman feeling sick.

Aoife Hearne: Eight weeks pregnant and nauseous most of the time

Are there any specific foods that can alleviate the sickness and boost my energy levels?

Tue, 07 Oct, 2025

Worried single pregnant woman worrying about her future

HSE homebirth service audit finds no agreed national standard for travel time, says advocacy group

Kara Spratt, from Births Rights Alliance Ireland, previously organised public demonstrations in support of homebirth services in Cork to protect its future

Mon, 29 Sep, 2025

Ectopic pregnancy: 'I was doubled over with pain, but I was also so angry at the situation'

Ectopic pregnancy: 'I was doubled over with pain, but I was also so angry at the situation'

Pregnancies outside the womb are as final as miscarriages, but also a threat to the mother if a ruptured fallopian tube causes bleeding

Sun, 07 Sep, 2025

Mother opens up about perinatal OCD: ‘I thought I was going to hurt myself — I didn’t want to’

Mother opens up about perinatal OCD: ‘I thought I was going to hurt myself — I didn’t want to’

After terrifying intrusive thoughts in late pregnancy, one Limerick woman is urging others to recognise signs of perinatal OCD

Tue, 01 Jul, 2025

Tots to Teens: Inspiring a lifelong love of food and cooking in primary school children

Tots to Teens: Inspiring a lifelong love of food and cooking in primary school children

‘Stronger Starts Cooks’ is a free six-week programme prompted by research that found 92% of parents would like to see more food education in the school curriculum

Tue, 27 May, 2025

Woman holding pregnancy test feels hopeless about negative result

Cork students campaign to break stigma around miscarriage and infertility in schools

A group of Cork students are calling for national education on pregnancy loss and infertility after a year-long school project

Fri, 16 May, 2025

Baby shower or nesting party? The support mums really want before their baby's birth

Baby shower or nesting party? The support mums really want before their baby's birth

Baby shower or nesting party? We ask four mums about the kind of support they would have liked in the run-up to their baby's birth and during the exhausting early weeks after the arrival

Sun, 11 May, 2025

Pregnant woman suffering with nausea in morning

Low iron in pregnancy linked to newborn heart disease in 'gamechanger' discovery

Experts will now investigate whether taking iron supplements before and during pregnancy could help prevent heart defects

Wed, 23 Apr, 2025

Mom giving nebulizer breathing treatment to sick infant baby at home

HSE urges pregnant women to get whooping cough vaccine

There were over 539 cases of whooping cough — also known as pertussis — last year, with 25% needing hospital care.

Tue, 25 Mar, 2025

Cute newborn baby boy just after childbirth and doctor in the background

Call for obstetric violence problem in Irish hospitals to be acknowledged

At Monday’s launch of the National Survey on Births in Ireland the health service will be asked to acknowledge the problem exists

Sat, 08 Mar, 2025

Tots to Teens: Bringing colour to a grey world in Stockingopolis

Tots to Teens: Bringing colour to a grey world in Stockingopolis

And a gift set to make it a bit easier going back to work while breastfeeding

Tue, 04 Mar, 2025

Tots to Teens: Brew up for children’s ambulance

Tots to Teens: Brew up for children’s ambulance

Brew for BUMBLEance takes place on Wednesday, March 12, and people across the country are invited to host coffee mornings, tea parties, and bake sales to raise money for this essential service.

Tue, 18 Feb, 2025

Pregnancy stock

Just over half of patients 'fully involved' in decisions about giving birth

Almost half surveyed did not realise consent was needed before medics could carry out internal examinations

Sun, 16 Feb, 2025

Young mother, reading a book to her baby boy, showing him pictures

Dan Wuori: Relationships between parents and babies is the greatest love story of all

Newborns are expert, super keen observers of adult lives. It’s like they’re on apprenticeship. They’re watching our faces, assessing our mood and gauging whether they’re safe

Tue, 11 Feb, 2025

Infertility is a very lonely journey, say parents Lucy and David — who had a baby girl after IVF

Infertility is a very lonely journey, say parents Lucy and David — who had a baby girl after IVF

And there are worries when you conceive after pregnancy loss also: “Every week that passed, I remember looking up the likelihood of a baby surviving at 24 weeks, 25 weeks, 26 weeks. It was my weekly routine."

Tue, 14 Jan, 2025

Child having stomach ache

Dr Phil Kieran: What can I give my kids for an upset tummy?

As a parent of young children, this time of year can be a nightmare for limiting sugary foods

Tue, 24 Dec, 2024

Pregnant woman holding blanket, feeling abdominal pain, risk of miscarriage

Pregnant women facing 'horrifying' abuse often 'too ashamed to seek help'

Emerged from a survey carried out as part of a three-year collaboration between Women’s Aid and four hospitals in Cork and Dublin to boost supports

Thu, 07 Nov, 2024

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