Kinderling Conversation

According to data collated by Down syndrome Australia, approximately 1 in 1108 babies born in Australia has Down syndrome. Producer Elise Cooper has a cousin with Down syndrome, but she's never asked much about his story. She speaks to her aunt Maree Barnes about her mothering journey, what she wants parents and carers everywhere to know and what she would tell herself 19 years ago in the delivery room when she discovered for the first time that she had a child with Down syndrome.Find out more about Down syndrome Australia: https://www.downsyndrome.org.au/Find a development educator who can speak about navigating the NDIS: http://www.deai.com.au/developmental-educators-and-the-national-disability-insurance-schemeSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Is getting your partner to have 'the snip' the next step once you've decided that your baby-making days are over? Dr Sneha Wadhwani outlines your options for permanent and irreversible contraception and whether the outcomes are exactly what you'd expect.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Just why do children get so engrossed in cars, trucks and diggers? For many adults, it can seem like the most boring thing to do. But what's going on inside a child's mind? Developmental psychologist Dr Caroline Moul is the Co-director of Seedling Lab. She tackles the debate over wheels and gender, what toy preference really means and an entirely new way to look at this obsession.Brought to you by LEGO DUPLO - the fun way to create and connect.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

According to the annual Mission Australia Youth Survey, body image is one of the top four personal concerns for young people today. You may think that young children are immune to concerns about body image, but many aren't. So what do you do when your child starts referring to themselves as thin or fat? Paediatric dietician Dr Jennifer Cohen gives us some practical ways to address these comments, including the best language to use around food and body parts.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Laura Jana is a paediatrician, former childcare director and author of The Toddler Brain - nurture the skills today that will shape your child's tomorrow. She explains how child-led play helps children develop in a way that makes them curious, resilient and ready for the future.Brought to you by LEGO DUPLO - the fun way to create and connect.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When it comes down to it, there are only two ways to give birth: vaginal or cesarean. If you're opting for a vaginal birth you may still end up with a cesarean, but it's good to know what to expect anyway. Professor Hannah Dahlen from the School of Nursing and Midwifery at Western Sydney University takes us through the basics: does perineal massage actually work? What are the options when it comes to pain relief? Does everyone poo?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Mothercraft nurse Chris Minogue answers your parenting questions. This episode features:How important is it to achieve the 1.5-2 hour naps recommended for a 3.5-month-oldManaging expectations when a 2.5-year-old really wants to go to big schoolTeaching 9, 7 and 3-year-olds to respect each other7-month-old wake up timesHow much milk does a 10.5-month-old needWhy a 7-month-old would be waking earlier than normalSibling fights between a 3-year-old and their 9-month-old sister,20-month-old twins who wake every morning at 3:30amManaging the daylight savings transition with a 16-month-old.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When you're pregnant joining a mother's group can seem like your biggest nightmare. Fast forward to when the baby's born and you can start to feel isolated and lonely. Natalie Bolger moved from the UK to Australia in 2016, and started her family in a small town in Queensland. She talks about finding her tribe, and how much difference it made to her life.This episode of Feed Play Love is in partnership with Mama Tribe. Check out their awesome Pop Up Parties coming to Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne and the Gold Coast; helping mums connect with other likeminded women, and find their "tribe". Full details at mamatribe.com.auSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dr Joanne Orlando is an expert in digital technologies and children. She was also once a writer for Play School. Jo explains how to tell whether your child is watching TV that is good quality, and what to do when those viewing preferences head online to places like YouTube.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Of the many subjects our children take at school, digital literacy must be one of the most important skills they will learn. But what exactly are our youngest students learning in this class? James Curran is the Director of the Australian Computing Academy at Sydney University and an Australian Digital Curriculum Writer. He explains what young children learn in the class, and why it's still not in every school in the country.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The 'morning after' pill is not the only way to avoid an unwanted pregnancy. Dr Sneha Wadhwani explains the contraception options available in an emergency.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Azure Rigney is the President of Maternity Choices Australia. After having her second baby at home, Azure has become a passionate advocate for women having birthing choices. Azure talks about why she decided to have a home birth, and the options pregnant women in Australia currently have.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Chances are that when you were in preschool or kindy, the internet was not used as widely. The way the world looked then, and how it looks today is completely different. So how do we teach our children about the way the internet works, when we learnt about it as adults? Shona Innes is a clinical psychologist and an author who has written a book called The Internet is Like a Puddle. Shona explains why this metaphor works well for children, and how it helps to keep them safe online.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Chris Minogue is a mothercraft nurse with over 30 years of experience. Every week she comes on Feed Play Love to help you find solutions. This week, she answered the following questions: when a three-year-old refuses to sleep, how to transition a six-month-old from a swaddle to a sleep bag; the best way to use a dummy with a 16-week-old, getting a 13-month-old into a sound sleep pattern between daycare and home, helping a two-year-old get to sleep independently, and daycare separation anxiety for a 15-month-old. Ask Chris your questions by emailing helpline@theparentbrand.com.au.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Prue Gilbert is the CEO and founder of the Grace Papers, an organisation that's dedicated to workplace equality and helping parents manage the juggle between work and family life. Recently she realised that the girls at her daughter's school weren't getting as much time on the oval as the boys. She talks about what happened next.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Helicopter, free range, authoritative, passive. There are many different terms for parenting styles used in both the media and by psychologists. Warren Cann is the CEO of The Parenting Research Centre and a psychologist. He says that labelling parenting styles isn't always helpful, and often misses the point.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Did you know that most people aren't taking the pill correctly? According to Dr Sneha Wadhwani it's not always the safest form of contraception. Sneha explains what short term contraception is and how to use it properly.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sarah Hunstead from CPR Kids is a former pediatric emergency nurse. She has seen a huge array of head bumps in her time. In this interview she explains when a bump is minor and your child just needs some ice and TLC, and when it's time to visit the emergency department.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Most parents want to protect our children from shame, but psychotherapist Joseph Burgo says that's not always the right approach. In his book Shame, Free Yourself, Find Joy and Build True Self-Esteem Joseph says shame is a complex emotion that is often misunderstood. In this interview he explains how shame manifests and how it can help our children build real self esteem.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What kind of family rituals did you have growing up? It may have been pancakes on a Sunday, or Friday movie night. Whatever it was, Derek McCormack from The Raising Children Network says that family rituals are a really important part of life. He explains why we all should have rituals, and how you can make your own.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.