It's a wired world, baby

By KATE FOREMAN

Congratulations, you're having a baby. Welcome to labour, sleepless nights, breastfeeding, and discussing dirty nappies at elegant dinner parties.

While you can't avoid some of the downsides of pregnancy and its aftermath, the net provides a lot of reference material to help make your parenting as easy and rewarding as possible.

If you haven't yet conceived, try Baby Center, which gives access to an ovulation calculator, diet advice and an interesting conception quiz. I failed on this miserably, but as I'm a mother of two I am not worried - indeed, rather relieved that I am not maximising my chances of getting pregnant.

This site has an informative Dad's Zone, which is nice to see as dads-to-be often get left out. Here I found information on the best positions for babymaking and a birth-labour-sports conflict catcher, a feature that will list all the sporting events on baby's due date. Oh dear.

At Moms Online, I discovered a useful feature in the due date clubs. Here you are invited to meet other mums whose due date is near your own via a bulletin board.

This looks like a good way of forming your own international antenatal club - finding the time to keep in touch shouldn't be a problem since unborn babies like to kick you awake at odd times during the night.

For fascinating information that will impress at antenatal class, try About's pregnancy site. Discover what scientists have to say on the link between stretchmarks and episiotomies and read balanced articles on all aspects of maternal health.

The best feature is a photo gallery with sections on pregnant bellies, newborns and, for the very brave, shots of epidurals and caesarean sections. I am not brave.

It is increasingly difficult to find a professional to deliver your baby, but at the Everybody site, a local search facility will help you find an available midwife.

For those having a baby in Auckland, the Birthcare site has a full listing of available LMCs (lead maternity caregivers) and gives a guided tour of the newly opened Parnell hospital.

Photos show the range of birth options - including hydrotherapy and aromatherapy - the twin share rooms, the onsite chef and the private suites for those with the money. It's almost enough to tempt me.

Antenatal classes are an essential part of a first pregnancy as well as something to make the men suffer. I don't know a single male who doesn't dread learning how to do silly breathing and getting "touchy feely" with other men around.

But antenatal classes really aren't like that, and several places on the web tell you what they are about.

At the Parents Centre site, there is a range of information on pre-conception health, coping with your pregnancy and how to care for a baby when you leave hospital.

The philosophy of this organisation is education by parents for parents, and this is reflected in the site's content. Details of antenatal classes at your local centre are available. It is advisable to book in early as classes fill quickly and numbers are limited. Recent articles published in Kiwi Parent can be accessed from the home page.

To find out what another staunch friend of Kiwi parents, the Plunket Society, can offer try, visit their site where you can find details on your nearest clinic, carseat rental and other services.

Plunket offers free antenatal classes in some areas, but there is limited information on the site. Do make a note of the number for Plunketline, a 24-hour phoneline staffed by a qualified nurse - invaluable when your baby is screaming at 3 am.

I have only recently discovered the Huggies site, but have found it to be a very useful site that the children enjoy looking at as well.

It does suffer from a lack of local feel as you are invited to choose country-specific content with the United Kingdom being the most suitable. Hence many of the offers are redundant. But it is a great site for tips and printables - colouring sheets and personalised baby storybooks.

If you have read the magazine Little Treasures, you might like to visit their website, which has all best bits of the mag and more. I liked the Treasures Trader section, which allows you to buy, sell and trade second-hand goods from cots to trikes.

You will need to sign up for the baby club or have to hand your password if you are an existing member - which is not always convenient, if you wish to take advantage of the special offers. It's worth having a browse for the letters alone, which are often heart wrenching but always inspiring.

Our very, very favourite website in the whole world is IQ Toys, which is sooooo cool. The toys here are just the best, with names like Whoozit and Weebee, and if nursery rhymes aren't your thing, you might like to try the Kids Sing Beatles cassette.

Links:


Baby Center

Moms Online

About Pregnancy

Everybody

Birthcare

Parents Centre

Plunket

Huggies

Little Treasures

IQ Toys

Bounty