If you've only time to read one thing, make sure it's this round-up of the most important parenting developments of 2011, from the change to baby and child painkiller doses to caesareans on demand
Receiving big coverage was the change to caesareans guidelines in the UK in November. You're now able to choose to give birth by c-section on the NHS. Home births also hit headlines in November when it was revealed that NHS cost-cutting reduced mums' birth options, meaning only 2.5% babies are now born at home, despite 11% of mums hoping for a home birth.
In the same month, some newspapers printed headlines claiming home births were the more dangerous option for first time mums. This prompted the National Childbirth Trust (NCT) to express concerns that women having their first baby may not look into a more natural, midwife-led birth for fear of rare complications arising. The NCT called on the Government to make more amenities available to give mums-to-be greater choice when it comes to labour.
