Resources for childbirth and parenting educators

Check back regularly for new resources. Have something to add? Share it with us on our Facebook page!

Latest shared resources from our Facebook page

Comments Box SVG iconsUsed for the like, share, comment, and reaction icons
▼ Load more posts

Here are some reviewed podcasts that are educational and are a great listen. Find them on your preferred podcast site.

  • The Midwives’ Cauldron:  Katie James & Rachel Reed
  • The Lamaze podcast: latest Nutrition During Pregnancy March 2023
  • Hamish Blake: How other Dad’s dad
  • The Pelvic Health Podcast: Empowered Motherhood Program: Online pre and postnatal exercise.
  • The Calmbirth Conversation Podcast
  • Australian Birth stories. Sophie Walker
  • Zero to Three: Mental health in the earliest years of life.

These are listed where no preference is implied:

  • Birth International - Australia  formerly owned and operated by Andrea Robertson, operated since 2016 by Jane Palmer from Pregnancy, birth and beyond; for DVDs, charts, learning activities, teaching aids, books
  • Capers Bookstore - Australia Sarah Cornfoot; for DVDs, charts, learning activities, teaching aids, books
  • Plumtree Baby - USA Julie Olson; for DVDs, charts, learning activities, teaching aids, books; also blogs with articles on a range of topics
  • Birthwell birthright - Melbourne, is an Australian distributer for Plumtree Baby (USA) teaching & learning resources
  • Blossom Birth Resources – NSW, is an Australian distributor for Plumtree Baby (USA) teaching and learning resources
  • Passion for Birth - Teri Shilling (USA)
  • Spinning Babies - Gail Tully with links to a range of you-tube videos demonstrating gentle movements to assist optimal birthing positions (USA)
  • Birthing From Within - Pam England (USA)
  • Birthing Sense - Leanne Cummins provides a DVD Series that compliments or substitutes your antenatal class information and makes sense of your pregnancy, birth and early parenting experience (Australia)
  • Family Planning Australia - for family planning resources
  • Healthy Start - Parents with learning difficulties can parent well, but it is important that they receive the right support and education matched to their learning needs. Healthy Start is a national Australian capacity building strategy which aims to improve health and wellbeing for children whose Children have learning difficulties. The website contains practical resources to support practitioners and parents
  • Raising Children Network  - Australian resource for parenting newborns to teens, including caring for the parent relationship and birth choices; has many short and practical you-tube videos, podcasts, fact sheets and articles on a wide range of topics.
  • St Luke's Innovative Resources - Strengths-based training resources Victoria, Australia
  • Breastfeeding Conferences - Australian Lactation Management Consultants provide e-learning modules and conferences relating to breastfeeding

The International Journal of Birth and Parenting Education is published in the United Kingdom and aims to provide all practitioners working with mothers, fathers and families across the transition to parenthood (from pregnancy to when the baby is two years old) with the following:

  1. Up-to-date information about:
    • The multiplicity of factors affecting the development of the unborn baby
    • Factors affecting the mother's, father's and baby's wellbeing during labour and birth
    • how the relationship between mother and father changes across the transition to parenthoot
    • How the infant (and child) develop intellectually, socially and emotionally
  2. Brief, accessible summaries of research in all of the above areas
  3. Best practice ideas for educating and communicating effectively with new families from all backgrounds, regardless of faith, race, ethnicity, culture and family constitution, in the antenatal and postnatal periods, either in one-to-one sessions or in groups
  4. Best practice ideas for setting up and running support networks for mothers, fathers and young families

The Journal also aims to provide information about:

  • Well-established parent education programmes: content, delivery and evidence-base
  • Third sector organisations active in the field of parent education and support

The Journal seeks to ensure that there is no gulf between theory and practice. It seeks to help all practitioners acquire an accurate, up-to-date knowledge-base, and learn about proven strategies for helping new mothers and fathers be the best possible parents for their children.

Members receive access to the IJBPE Journal through the member's section. Visit the IJBPE website.

The International Journal of Childbirth Education was published in the USA and is a discontinued peer-reviewed journal. IJCE previous editions are available to IJCE subscribers. Visit the IJCE website.

The Journal of Perinatal Education (JPE) is a peer-reviewed journal specifically for childbirth educators published by Lamaze International, USA. Through evidence-based articles, the JPE advances the knowledge of aspiring and seasoned educators in any setting—independent or private practice, community, hospital, nursing or midwifery school—and informs educators and other health-care professionals on research that will improve their practice and their efforts to support natural, safe, and healthy birth. Visit the JPE website.

  • Birth Choices is your essential guide to pregnancy and birth care, proudly developed and presented by Raising Children Network.
  • Maternity Choices is a national (Australian) consumer advocacy organisation made up of individuals and groups who share a commitment to improving the care of women in pregnancy, birth and the postnatal period. It is non-profit, non-political and non-sectarian.
  • Better Health Victoria summarises choices for care during pregnancy, labour and postnatal period.
  • Raising Children Network Australian resource for parenting newborns to teens, including caring for the parent relationship and birth choices; has many short and practical you-tube videos, podcasts, factsheets and articles on a wide range of topics including translations in several languages
  • Breech Pregnancy For mothers whose baby is in the breech position during the last 1-2 months of pregnancy
  • Cell Care and Cord Blood Foundation for information about cord blood banking and stem cell storage in Australia
  • Choosing Wisely Australia ® is an initiative that brings the medical community together to improve the quality of healthcare through considering tests, treatments, and procedures where evidence shows they provide no benefit or, in some cases, lead to harm. Led by Australia’s medical colleges and professional societies and facilitated by NPS MedicineWise, Choosing Wisely Australia challenges the way we think about health care, questioning the notion 'more is always better'. It aims to help health consumers ask their doctor 5 key questions while considering tests, procedures and treatment

  • Dr Sarah J Buckley, Australian trained family physician/GP, mother of four, and author of Gentle Birth, Gentle Mothering ‘gives you the best medical information in easy to understand language, so that you can be informed, supported, nourished and inspired as you embark on your extraordinary journey, bringing new life into the world.' Her articles explain the exquisite symphony of hormones involved during labour, birth and for breastfeeding.
  • Childbirth Connection, a USA program of the national partnership for women & families, has many excellent researched articles on a range of topics related to labour and birth written especially for women, their families, and health professionals; includes Hormonal Physiology of Childbearing: Evidence and Implications for Women, Babies, and Maternity Care
  • Author/lecturer, doula, childbirth educator, Penny Simkin, PT, has been ‘nurturing positive birth memories since 1968'. She includes talks about pain in labor and the concept ‘when pain becomes suffering', offers many practical strategies and has a special interest in helping midwives around the world understand and help to heal the effects of early sexual abuse on the childbearing woman. She has designed a training program for educators called ‘When Survivors Give Birth’ to enhance our understanding of this issue and its impact.
  • Ina May Gaskin is founder of the remarkable Farm Midwifery Center in Tennessee, USA, author and lectures widely to midwives and doctors. Her books, articles and talks aim to reduce fear of birth in US culture, offering ideas for Australians to ponder.
  • Spinning Babies with Gail Tull: "Gentle techniques and movements can and do improve birth outcomes. Many of these techniques involve postures and activities a thoughtful pregnant woman will feel comfortable doing at home. This is the website where we talk about fetal positioning. That means baby's position in the womb."
  • Pregnancy, Birth and Beyond Australian extensive source of information on pregnancy, birth and parenting
  • Better Health Victoria Factual information for pregnancy to labour and birth
  • Pregnancy, birth and baby NSW Health
  • Women want to know Pregnancy and alcohol resources from Australian Dept of Health
  • Core of Life (COL) is an Australian innovative, 'hands on' pregnancy and parenting program for teens. This research is based on information about pregnancy birth, breastfeeding and early parenting to youth and the wider community.
  • Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care - Third and fourth degree perineal tears: A video for women.

Popular sites for parents to collect information on a range of topics, blog, etc:

Telephone/Text Services

  • SMS4Dads - receive regular sms message to support, guide and educate you through the pregnancy to parenting time.
  • COPE - providing support for the emotional challenges of becoming a parent. receive regular sms message to support, guide and educate you through the pregnancy to parenting time.
  • Mensline - 1300 78 99 78  counselling.
  • Parentline - 132 289 parenting information, advice and referral.
  • Perinatal Depression and Anxiety Australia - (PANDA) 1300 726 306 counselling and mental help.
  • BeyondBlue - 1300 726 306 counselling.
  • Kidsline - 1800 55 1800 counselling for children and teens.
  • Lifeline - 131 114

Meeting dads

  • Beer and Bubs -  Birth education for men at the pub - one off session to meet expectant dads.
  • Dads group -  find your dads group, currently online.
  • Dads Talk –  DadTalk is dads catching up with other dads, sharing stories and learning from each other.
  • Melbourne Mens Group

Stories, information, support and guidance

  • Birthready - Birth, parenting and relationship education, support and guidance.
  • PANDA - How is Dad Going? Emotional and mental health support for new and expecting dads.
  • Dad stuff - A webinar addressing dads stuff. Run monthly.
  • Support for Fathers -  Information and resources for dads and families in Australia.
  • The Fatherhood - Great stories from dads. A media brand helping fathers navigate through the hot mess of having kids to a place where they’re living their very best lives as men. We are for dads, by dads.
  • The Fatherhood Global - The science of fatherhood.
  • Beyond Blue, Dadvice
  • The fathering project - Inspire and equip fathers and father-figures to positively engage with the children in their lives – for the benefit of kids.

Books & Audio-Visuals

Other Services

  • Community Health Centres - in your local area provide counselling, group programs, health programs and various other services
  • Local Government - See your local government website for details on parenting and family programs
  • Maternal Child Health - Run parent education sessions, playgroups and other programs
  • Playgroup Victoria - Community based playgroups for fathers and pre-school children.
  • Lifeworks – 1300 543 596 Broad range of counselling and group programs – includes Men’s Behaviour Change, Parenting After Separation group programs.
  • Men’s Referral Service - 1300 766 491 Family Violence Specialist referral service, telephone support.
  • ParentZone Northern - Anglicare Victoria – 9465 0322 Various parenting group programs.
  • YMCA DadsLink Program –  State-wide program providing social and recreational opportunities for fathers and their children.
  • Caring Dads - Children’s Protection Society and ReGen Family Violence informed group parenting program for fathers 1300 938 790.
  • ChildFIRST

Fatherhood research bulletin

Disability Maternity Care provides and range of resources aimed at changing the conversation to support parents with a difference.

Disclaimer: Although we carefully consider which websites we link to, Childbirth And Parenting Educators of Australia, inc. (CAPEA) is not responsible for the information contained on the website you are about to enter. 

If you use another site linked from this site, you do so at your own risk and acknowledge that CAPEA does not control or endorse those websites or their content, and that you will no longer be subject to the terms and conditions of this site but may be subject to the terms and conditions of the linked site.

This website does not endorse products or services. CAPEA does not promote private or commercial interests, however links to private or commercial sites may be listed to provide a range of information for viewers.  This website has been created to provide unbiased, reliable information to support childbirth and parenting educators in their research for professional development.

Please contact us if you know another helpful link that could be placed here, or if any of the following links are no longer functioning or current.

What our members say about CAPEA

Shopping Cart
CAPEA