I first heard about Midwife Cath when I was at an event with Erin Maxwell and Rebecca Judd and I listened as they spoke about some magical Cath lady who seemed to have saved their lives and or delivers babies with one hand and her eyes closed or something and uses her super magical powers to bring milk to the babies, but don’t quote me on this. When I found out I was pregnant with my second child, I knew I needed to find this super magical Cath and have her save me, deliver and bring my baby milk.

Fast forward 9 months later, whilst I lay there on a sterile operating table waiting for my child to enter this world, I was squeezing a hand so tight, a hand that was saving me from my fear of the unknown, a hand that wasn’t my husbands, but Caths soft, warm and experienced hand that I needed more than anything in this very moment.

My baby was born, a boy, Will, a beautiful moment in my life and one that was captured on camera from the moment he was pulled out from my tummy and into this air we breathe, Cath captured those moments for me after I let go of her to trust the world again. She saved me, I felt safe, I was in love with my son.

Now, although Cath didn’t deliver my baby (Len Kliman did) she did handle my baby a fair bit, from teaching me how to wrap him (Caths wrap- a topic for a later blog post) so he was snug but could still move his arms but still didn’t have them escaping, through to checking him out from top to toe and teaching me things about babies I never knew, (even though I had been a mother for 2.5 years already)  like how to feed a baby and get them to sleep! And of course, as expected, the magical gift of milk happened and she made sure it was a-flowin’ for a growing, healthy baby boy (who slept like a champ from really early, a far cry for me who had a 2.5 yo who never slept a night through!)

This is my story of Midwife Cath, you see, although she is midwife to many special little babies and their mothers, famous and not famous, we all have our own Cath stories in how she has played a significant role in our lives. Beyond the hospital, we would text daily, I needed her more than my baby needed her, I was going through a tough time and she was there to save me. You see, a baby comes with a mother, a midwife is there for the baby, in the hospital- which is the experience I had with my first pregnancy with another hospital, but Cath, well, she is there for my baby and for me and my family, she is apart of my journey and I am eternally grateful for her.

So, let me introduce you to Midwife Cath’s book,’ The First Six Weeks’, it is thorough, real and speaks from a woman with a wealth of experience for women like me, who needed that love, advice and warm guidance during the most important (and hard) time in life.

Hear from Cath:

“My book ‘The First Six Weeks’ is my new baby. It has been in my head for so many years and when I was approached by publishers Allen & Unwin it was a dream come true.

My experience has been vast and a perfect profession for me as I love babies and love even more helping new mums and dads enjoy new parenting.

So my book I dedicated to my parents as they parented me well and I know the advantage children get in life if mum and dad are happy, loving and enjoy their children. Parenting in these days of Google and girlfriends, blogs and bystanders has made a once uncomplicated process now a complicated and judged way of life.

I want my book not to be a rule book but a guide to help mums, dads, grandparents to make decisions for themselves without feeling guilty. Life is hard enough without people giving you a hard time for breastfeeding out doors, not breast feeding and comparing children against children. As parents we are teachers and I hope my book can help teach all the new mums and dads some practical tips I know work well and give them confidence in their early parenting years.”

 10 Myths about Pregnancy

  1. If you have heartburn the baby will have a lot of hair – false

So not true. A huge amount of women has heartburn and a coincidence that the baby has a lot of hair. I had terrible heartburn and a baby with no hair!!

  1. Depending on the way you carry (side or front) will determine the sex of the baby – false

Ignore people who guess what sex of the baby either by looking at you, or the way you are walking, or the way you are carrying the baby – unless we look on an ultrasound or by blood tests we as professionals can’t pick the sex of the child.

  1. You should not drink alcohol during pregnancy – true

Definatly no alcohol during pregnancy. Studies have proven foetal alcohol syndrome is real and all pregnant women should abstain from alcohol.

  1. Olive oil or any creams prevents stretch marks – false

I wish this was true but stretch marks are really due to they type of skin you have and you can’t prevent them. It’s always good to keep moisturizing your body during pregnancy – you may be the one person that doesn’t get stretch marks!!

  1. You can’t have sex during pregnancy – false

Unless you have a complication during pregnancy and your obstetrician has told you otherwise, sex is safe during pregnancy. Due to the increase in happy hormones most women enjoy sex during pregnancy. Please reassure your partner he will not hurt the baby!!

  1. You can’t fly during a pregnancy – false

Flying is safe during pregnancy…it’s often the destination that is the issue. If you are going on a baby moon ensure the country has top medical care in case you come into premature labour. We usually suggest after 36 weeks stay close to home.

  1. You can’t have your hair coloured during pregnancy – false

Hair colour is safe during pregnancy – I have SO many panic calls from expectant mums at the hairdressers…it’s safe.

  1. You can’t have your nail polish on during labour- false

You can leave your nail polis, lippy, eye liner all on during labour!

  1. You can’t touch cats during your pregnancy – true and false

You can touch cats but stay away from the cats’ poo / kitty litter. There is a risk of catching toxoplasmosis from cats’ poo…so delegate the kitty litter cleaning to your partner.

  1. You can’t lay on your back during pregnancy – true

In early pregnancy it is safe to lay on your baby. As your uterus (womb) gets bigger, heavier it can compress the major blood vessels going down your tummy under the uterus. This will make you feel fain and nauseated. Always best to lay on either left or right side while in bed.

You can buy Midwife Cath’s book, ‘The First Six Weeks’ HERE and at all good book stores