Dr Vicki Carson

OBSTETRICIAN
GYNAECOLOGIST

SPECIALIST IN NORMAL
AND HIGH RISK PREGNANCIES

Pregnancy Resources

Below, you’ll find a curated list of pregnancy resources that we and our patients love. 

Recommended reading

Birth skills

Juju Sundin and Sarah Murdoch

My favourite! Good practical advice for both mum & birth partner. Utilises calm birthing principles.

Up the Duff

Kaz Cooke

Humorous and down to earth look at pregnancy from an Australian female author and comedian – practical, real and funny.

The Australian Pregnant Book

Derek Thompson

Fantastic up to date Australian advice from a much loved Melbourne obstetrician. Has more clinical information than some other books.

What to expect when you’re expecting

Heidi Murkoff

A classic! This book has been read by thousands of pregnant women and for a good reason. Still an excellent all-round book.

So you’re going to be a Dad

Peter Downey

A good one for the Dads to be out there who want a heads up about the birth and the first year.

How Other Dads Dad

Hamish Blake

Not a book but a really great podcast for dads… and mums.

Birth skills

Juju Sundin and Sarah Murdoch

My favourite! Good practical advice for both mum & birth partner. Utilises calm birthing principles.

Up the Duff

Kaz Cooke

Humorous and down to earth look at pregnancy from an Australian female authour and comedian – practical, real and funny.

The Australian Pregnant Book

Derek Thompson

Fantastic up to date Australian advice from a much loved Melbourne obstetrician. Has more clinical information than some other books.

What to expect when you’re expecting

Heidi Murkoff

A classic! This book has been read by thousands of pregnant women and for a good reason. Still an excellent all-round book.

So you’re going to be a Dad

Peter Downey

A good one for the Dads to be out there who want a heads up about the birth and the first year.

How Other Dads Dad

Hamish Blake

Not a book but a really great podcast for dads… and mums.

 

Pregnancy products and providers we love

Fitwise – Physiotherapy, based in Armadale.

Fertile Ground – Naturopathy, massage and acupuncture.

Tens – TENS machine hire.

Epi-No – Perineal preparation with Epi-No.

Frankly Eco – Great skin products for you and baby.

Useful Links

Birth
Breastfeeding

Australian breastfeeding association – Excellent general advice on breastfeeding.

Find a lactation consultant – Find a lactation consultant who can visit you at home.

Cord blood banking

RANZCOG statement on cord blood banking – Excellent overview on the current state of play in this area.

CellCare – Company providing private cord blood banking.

Exercise and weight in pregnancy

Exercise during and after pregnancy – Up to date information on the current science and advice about exercising.

Fitwise physiotherapy – Experienced physiotherapists in the field of women’s health based in East Melbourne & Armadale.

Inform Physiotherapy – Experienced physiotherapists in women’s health based in Fairfield.

Melbourne Pregnancy and Pelvic Physio – Experienced physiotherapist in women’s health and postpartum issues in the Western suburbs.

Food and nutrition

General advice about healthy eating in pregnancy.

Fish – Information regarding Mercury in fish.

Folate – Learn why folate is so important before and during pregnancy.

Iodine – Understand why getting enough Iodine is important in pregnancy.

Listeria – How to avoid Listeriosis in pregnancy; what to eat and what to avoid.

Gestational diabetes

Gestational diabetes overview from Diabetes Australia.

@gestationaldiabetes_dietitian (Instagram) – My favourite resource for everything related to diet and gestational diabetes.

Maternal and child health nurse

Maternal and child health nurse – What do they do and when do I see them?

Mindfulness

Expectful – Mindfulness meditation app for pregnancy and new parents.

Headspace – Meditation and mind training in an easy to follow format, available as an app.

PANDA – Perinatal Anxiety and Depression Australia; a must read for everyone.

Multiple birth

Australian Multiple Birth Association (AMBA) – Help and advice from birth to teenager-hood for parents of multiples.

Parenthood and settling a new baby

Babysomnia – A private service offering assistance with settling techniques and sleep for babies and toddlers.

Tweddle – Fantastic service; support and assistance with settling, peer support for parents of ill or disabled children.

Raising children network – A very diverse range of tools, guides and information covering most areas of parenting.

Pregnancy, birth and baby – Another fantastic general advice website with a phone line for extra help.

Sleep Right Tonight – Excellent help with sleep and settling from a qualified midwife.

Screening and scans

Eugene testing – A more expensive but vastly more comprehensive genetic carrier screen which can be done via cheek swab before pregnancy.  This website enables you to arrange it all yourself without seeing a doctor.

VCGS – NIPT (Percept) – One way of screening for Down Syndrome.

VCGS – Maternal serum screening – Another method of screening for Down syndrome.

VCGS – Genetic carrier screening – Screening for Cystic fibrosis, Spinal muscular atrophy and Fragile X syndrome.

WUME – East Melbourne- this links you to their informative page explaining the role of ultrasound throughout pregnancy.

Vaccines

Whooping cough vaccine for parents – Vaccination is now free and recommended for parents to be.

Hepatitis B Vaccine for newborns – Link to a PDF with information regarding this important vaccination.

Vitamin K injection for newborns – An easy to follow brochure outlining the importance and need for Vitamin K at birth.