Parenting
I've written features and news reports relating to pregnancy and parenting issues for a wide range of print and online publications. These include The Times, Babyworld, Discovery Health, BUPA, Baby and Toddler Gear magazine, NewGen (NCT magazine), Huggies Club, Norwich Union magazine, With Kids magazine, Health Today magazine, Baby Hampshire magazine, Families First for Health, Safe Kids, Growing Kids, Baby and Pregnancy, Berkshire's County Child magazine and Families First for Health.
Parents in Double Trouble, The Times (Body & Soul), April 2nd 2005
Where's the aftercare? A new survey highlights the lack of support for mothers of twins.
Being pregnant with one baby is life-changing; expecting twins, triplets or more can be earth-shattering. But there is new evidence that the extra support and reassurance that multiple-birth parents need from health professionals is sorely absent.
Parents Recommend
News and articles on pregnancy, parenting and baby issues:
Winter Stomach Bug Survival Strategies
Getting Children Interested in Books
Baby Signing: Communicating With Your Baby
Negotiating the Childcare Maze
Reducing the Risk of Cot Death
Ten Good Things You Might Not Know About Being Pregnant
NewGen
I've contributed several articles to the NCT / National Childbirth Trust magazine, including:
When One Becomes Two - Winter 2007
A four-part guide covering:
Habit Formation - The Importance of Catching Them Young
Physical Activity - How to Help Your Children Develop Active Habits for Life
Healthy Eating - How to Help Your Children Develop Sensible Eating Habits
Have Fun - Using Holidays and Weekends to Promote a Healthy Lifestyle
Investigative news articles:
Each week in the UK, seven babies die as a result of cot death. Despite much research and better understanding of the condition, it's still the leading cause of death in babies over one month old, accounting for more deaths than meningitis, leukaemia, cancer, household and traffic accidents combined. One of the factors known to be linked to an increased risk is overheating in babies, yet a recent survey found a worrying lack of knowledge about baby heat issues.
According to new research, cases of the developmental disability autism, which was controversially associated with the triple MMR immunisation, have levelled out since 1992. The new research suggests that the rise in cases since 1979 may not have been "real", but rather the result of better awareness, diagnosis and record keeping. They also suggest that some parental claims of a link between MMR and autism may have increased after the immunisation debate arose in 1997. But what data did the researchers look at and what do their findings really mean?
Limit Tuna Intake When Pregnant
Women who are pregnant have been advised to avoid eating certain types of fish because of the amount of mercury contained in them. New recommendations have now widened this advice to include tuna. According to UK Government guidelines, women who are pregnant, breastfeeding or trying for a baby are should limit the amount of tuna they eat each week. High levels of mercury in a woman's diet may have a damaging effect on unborn and breastfed babies.
With Kids magazine
A Matter of Health (health news pages):
October/November 2006
In conjunction with HMG Worldwide (and previously Health Media Ltd), I contributed a number of features to the Discovery Health website, on parenting/pregnancy, plus other health issues:
Hypnotic Births: The Way To A Pain-Free Labour?
Would you give up conventional pain relieving methods and trust the power of your mind to overcome the agony of childbirth? Well many women do and thrive on it, thanks to hypnotherapy.
Pregnancy and Work: Know Your Rights
Having a baby means you're entitled to a range of legal privileges, but sussing out what you're entitled to can be confusing – do you know your rights?
Must-Haves For New Dads
You've offered support during pregnancy and played your part at the birth, so now it's time for the real hands-on parenting. But what are the essential items for all new dads?
Late Expectations
The saying goes that 'life begins at 40', and an increasing number of women are taking that quite literally – by choosing to have babies later in life.
Midwives Matter
Midwifery is one of the most traditional forms of natural therapy, but as modern medicine increasingly intervenes in the process of childbirth, are women set to lose the unique support midwives offer?
Pregnancy Tales: Fact or Fiction?
Pregnancy is a hot topic for old wives' tales. But can a sudden craving for certain foods, the colour of your maternal grandmother's hair or a dramatic increase in cleavage really indicate the sex of your unborn child?
Coping With Antenatal Depression
Women who are pregnant are expected to bloom and embrace the experience with confidence and joy. But what happens when, in spite of your hopes, you find that the elation of pregnancy and impending motherhood unexpectedly turns into a nightmare as full-blown depression descends?
Handy Baby Talk
Wouldn't life be easier if your baby could somehow communicate to you exactly why she's crying, and when she's feeling hungry or wants to go to sleep? According to some parents, your baby can - if you teach her signing techniques.
Running Out of Time
More women are choosing to start families later in life. But while it may seem practical to make the most of career opportunities and enjoy our 20s, are some of us letting our fertility slip away and ruining our chances of motherhood?
Keep An Eye On Your Child's Sight
A child's eyesight reaches full development by the time they are eight, making the early years a particularly crucial time. Are you paying sufficient attention to your child's sight?
Baby and Toddler Gear magazine
Regular features and 'The Big Issue' articles:
Antenatal Tests, November 2006
Understanding IVF, November 2006
10 Good Reasons to Get Pregnant, September/October 2006
How To Beat the Morning Mayhem, August 2006
We're not all natural managers, but when you have a house to clean, meals to cook, a baby to feed and a busy workload to juggle, you need a diploma in modern parenting just to stay afloat. Rachel Newcombe has sussed out some key solutions to help you stay on top.
'Look At Me Now' (Baby Signing), August 2006
Sudeen Infant Death Syndrome, August 2006
Natural Birth (Visualisation Techniques and De-stressing), July 2006
You already have the most powerful resources for a positive birth - your mind and body. Rachel Newcombe shows you how to connect the two in preparation for a thoroughly natural birth.
Pain Relief in Labour: Your Choices, May/June 2006
A guide to six of the main forms of pain relief on offer for labour.
The Big Issue: Children and Divorce, March/April 2006
The Big Issue: Eczema, January/February 2006 and November 2006
The Big Issue: Food and Learning, November/December 2005
The Big Issue: Sudden Infant Death Syndrome September/October 2005
The Big Issue: Where Are All the Midwives? July/August 2005
Families First for HealthFeatures for the Families First for Health online Families magazine (part of the NHS Children First for Health website), in conjunction with Great Ormond Street Hospital.
I write the book review pages for this quarterly magazine; the latest reviews can be read online here. I also contribute features including:
Family Cars, Autumn 2006
Finding the perfect family car that accommodates everyone in comfort and still has ample room once the pram or pushchair is in can seem like a tricky task. Rachel Newcombe highlights some of the contenders on the market.
The Huggies Club is a free online club that is designed especially for UK parents. The website provides a range of useful information, resources and advice for new and expecting parents. Some of the articles I contributed are listed below (Note: To gain access to the complete site contents you do need to complete a short registration process first).
Maternity Benefits: Your Money
Maternity Leave
For Fathers: Paternity Rights
I also worked on the creation of an extensive directory covering events, facilities and other areas of interest to families with under 5s.
Norwich Union magazine
Getting Kids Active, Summer 2006
If you are keen to keep your children fit, busy and motivated during the school holidays, try getting them involved in some summer activities
Between April 2001 and July 2003, I wrote the daily news (five times a week) for the Babyworld website, "the UK's leading website for information on pregnancy and babies" (owned at the time by Freeserve). The topics covered included pregnancy health, parenting, issues for fathers and celebrity births and pregnancies.
New study shows why tobacco increases cot death risk
Massage reduces sleepless nights
Summer babies at greater risk of digestive disease
Birth rate at its lowest
Self-help for pregnant smokers failing
Antidepressants during pregnancy given bad press
Identity tags reunite lost children with parents
Safe workplace for pregnant women a necessity
Iron deficiency in infants
Children at risk of carbon monoxide poisoning
Bed sharing danger highlighted
Discussion forum for parents of children with ME
Swaddling could aid sleep
Allergy magazine
Features for the specialist consumer allergy publication:
Is
Your Child Seven, Going on 37?
(Children's Allergies), Nov/Dec 2004 (1.43 Mb)
Student Life:
Coping with Allergies
Sept/Oct 2004 (1.29 Mb)
Various articles for the Growing Kids website, including:
Choosing Age Appropriate Films
Baby and Pregnancy
Half the content for this website, including:
What are the Antenatal Tests For?
Assisted Birth Delivery Methods
Giving Birth: Pain Relief Methods
Abdominal and Pelvic Pain During Pregnancy
Iron and Folic Acid in Pregnancy
Various articles for the Safe Kids website, including:
Using Baby Carriers and Slings Safely
A bi-monthly regional parenting/lifestyle title which ran from November 2003 - October 2004 (I also wrote the book review pages). Examples of my articles include:
Children's Parties....and How to Survive Them!
Party bags, food, decorations, entertainment and invitations - there’s a lot to organise when it comes to children's parties!
Negotiating the Childcare Maze
Confused about childcare? Read on to discover what's available and how to decide what's right for you.
Is it Safe to Bring Children Up As Vegetarians?
With National Vegetarian Week taking place in May, Rachel Newcombe explores whether it's a safe form of diet to bring children up on.
Keeping Your Children Safe in the Car
When travelling with children in the car, it's crucial to ensure they're safe at all times. Car seats help protect vulnerable youngsters, but with so many different options available, deciding which type you need can be confusing. If you're in a muddle as to which is right for your bundle of joy, read on for our essential car seat guide by Rachel Newcombe.
Relaxation Tips for Mums and Dads
Life as a parent can be exhausting, and there are bound to be days when you end up feeling frazzled. If you're in need of some time out and pampering, read on to discover some relaxation ideas!
Accidents happen all the time and, in the case of children, many occur at home or in the garden. Rachel Newcombe identifies some common home and garden hazards and offers simple ways of modifying the dangers and creating a safer environment.
Are We There Yet? (Or How to Survive Travelling With Children!)
The words, 'Are we there yet'’ are likely to be familiar with any parent who's ever travelled long or short distances with children. Despite good intentions and pre-travel advice that it’s going to involve a fair bit of sitting still, children inevitably become restless and eager to reach their destination. So what can you do to make the journey more bearable for both them and you?
Coping With Children's Allergies
Allergies are on the increase - according to Allergy UK, four in 10 school children have at least one allergic condition, one in five has asthma and 85 per cent of these are allergic to house dust mites. Coping with an allergy can be difficult for adults, but for children it can make life miserable. But what are common allergies, what impact do they have and what can be done to make life more bearable?
Other features
All babies cry from time to time, but if your baby is crying for extensive periods during the day, then he may be suffering from colic. But what is it and what can you do about it?
Coping With Eczema in Babies and Children
The itchiness of eczema can be uncomfortable and unpleasant to experience at any age, but parents of babies and children who suffer from the skin condition are often left feeling helpless as to what they can do to ease it. Rachel Newcombe looks at the issue of eczema, the treatment options available and ways parents can help reduce discomfort.
Need a writer? Got an article that needs commissioning? Call now on 07801 944 978 or email rachel@newcombe.co.uk