Blog
3 Australian Resources Every New Parent Should Know About
Becoming a parent often comes with more questions than expected. How much should a newborn sleep? What is normal during the first few weeks? Where can you find reliable information about feeding, development or adjusting to life with a new baby?
With so much parenting information available online, knowing which sources to trust can make things much easier. Fortunately, Australian parents have access to several established resources offering practical, evidence-informed information and support.
Here are three Australian resources worth bookmarking during pregnancy and the early months and years of parenthood.
Raising Children Network
Best for: Newborn care, development & everyday parentingRaising Children Network is one of Australia's most comprehensive online parenting resources. Supported by the Australian Government, the website provides free information that is reviewed by experts and designed to be practical and easy for families to understand.
For parents of newborns, its dedicated newborn section is particularly useful. Topics range from the first days and weeks after birth through to feeding, sleep, development, behaviour, play, health and everyday care.
Rather than focusing on just one aspect of parenting, Raising Children Network can be a useful starting point whenever a new question comes up. Its articles, videos and other resources are organised by children's ages and stages, making it easy to continue using the website as your baby grows.
Pregnancy, Birth and Baby
Best for: Pregnancy through to early childhoodPregnancy, Birth and Baby is a national Australian Government service providing information and support for expecting parents and parents of children from birth to five years of age. The service is funded by the Australian Government and operated by Healthdirect Australia.
The website covers the parenting journey from planning a pregnancy and preparing for birth through to newborn care, feeding, sleep, development, health and the preschool years.
One feature that makes Pregnancy, Birth and Baby particularly valuable is the ability to speak with a maternal child health nurse. Parents can access professional support by phone or video call, making the service particularly useful when general online information is not enough.
Australian Breastfeeding Association
Best for: Breastfeeding information, education & supportFor parents who are breastfeeding or preparing to breastfeed, the Australian Breastfeeding Association, commonly known as ABA, provides a large collection of specialised information, education and support.
Its online resources are conveniently organised around different stages of the breastfeeding journey, beginning during pregnancy and continuing through the first week, the early months, introducing solids, breastfeeding beyond 12 months and returning to work.
ABA also provides more than online articles. Parents can access breastfeeding education, connect with local groups, hire breast pumps and seek breastfeeding support through its National Breastfeeding Helpline.
Which Resource Should You Start With?
All three resources can be useful during the early parenting journey, but each has a slightly different focus.
| Resource | Best For | Particularly Useful Feature |
|---|---|---|
| Raising Children Network | Newborn care & development | Extensive age-based parenting information |
| Pregnancy, Birth and Baby | Pregnancy through early childhood | Access to maternal child health nurses |
| Australian Breastfeeding Association | Breastfeeding | Specialised breastfeeding information & support |
Swipe left or right to view the full comparison table.
Online parenting resources can be helpful for general information, but they do not replace individual medical advice. If you are concerned about your baby's health, feeding, development or wellbeing, speak with an appropriate healthcare professional. For emergencies in Australia, call 000.
Reliable Information Can Make Parenting Feel a Little Easier
No website can answer every question that comes with becoming a parent, but having a few trusted Australian resources bookmarked can make it much easier to know where to begin.
Raising Children Network is a useful all-round resource for newborn care and development, Pregnancy, Birth and Baby combines extensive parenting information with access to professional nurse support, and the Australian Breastfeeding Association provides specialised help for parents navigating breastfeeding.
Whether you're preparing for your baby's arrival or already navigating those first weeks at home, these three resources are worth keeping close by as your family grows.
Looking for a Personalised Baby Gift?
Explore personalised baby gifts made especially for life's sweetest new arrivals.
Shop Now
