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As we are approaching a cold winter, what a better way to share some Traditional easy made chicken soup. An old family favourite, the ultimate cure for anything.

It’s an oldie but a goodie. Chicken soup for the soul really does take on a whole new meaning.

Traditional chicken soup

Prep: 15 mins 

Cook: 4hrs

25 mins for the 25 kreplach (dumplings)

10 mins for the soup

Serves: 8-10

Ingredients:

  • 2 chicken bottoms (drumstick and thigh)
  • 2 carrots
  • 2 onions
  • 3 celery stalks
  • 1 sweet potato
  • 1 zucchini
  • 6 cloves garlic (optional)
  • 1 tbsp. salt, or to taste
  • 12 cups water
  • 1 parsnip
  • beef bones with meat or chicken
  • table spoon pepper and salt

Method:

    1. Peel the carrots, sweet potato and onions. Leave the peel on the zucchini.
    2. Cut the vegetables into chunks, not too small.
    3. Put all ingredients in the pot and bring to a boil. As soon as it boils, turn it down to a very low simmer, and cook for 4 hours.
    4. after 10 minutes skid off the scum that surfaces
    5. Refrigerate the soup overnight. The fat will rise to the top and harden, so you can easily remove it.
    6. After you remove the fat, reheat and serve the soup.

Optional: dumplings to go with the soup. 

Kreplach (dumplings)

Small dumplings filled with ground meat, mashed potatoes or another filling, usually boiled and served in chicken soup, though they may also be served fried.

Method for pastry:

    1. In a bowl add plain flour and egg mix with water to form dough.
    2. Add flour if it’s too sloppy.
    3. Add more water if it’s dry and keep mixing.
    4. Roll into a ball wrapped in plastic.
    5. Refrigerate for half an hour.

Method for filling the dumpling:

    1. Cut up beef meat and chicken meat taken from the bones chopped finely.
    2. Add fried onions stirred with chicken or beef meat.
    3. Make pastry into squares, add mixture.
    4. Fold over small square pastry, press down to seal.
    5. Two other points are bought together and sealed.
    6. Poach in water, later add it to the soup.

Time to serve

    1. Get a warm dish and add a few dumplings.
    2. Cover kreplach with chicken soup.
    3. Season to taste.
    4. Garnish with dill and presto. The ultimate cure for anything
    5. Wine companion : Australian wine.

NOTES:

  • soup keeps for several days in fridge.
  • Kreplach is best eaten after cooked.

Recipe provided by Shalom Greenwald.

10 MINUTES BEFORE BED SERIES

Age18 months +

Author: Rhiannon Fielding

Illustrator: Chris Chatterton

Three beautifully illustrated stories follow the enchanting adventures of three adorable protagonists – Splash the Mermaid, Twinkle the Unicorn, Belch the Monster – which will have little ones drift off into a peaceful slumber!

FURFINS: TINYTAIL AND THE LOST TREASURE

Age: 3 years +

AuthorAlison Ritchie

Illustrator: Aless Baylis

Dive into this charming underwater adventure and explore a magical kingdom filled with Furfins and other friendly sea creatures, in the first series of collectable, glittery picture books.

ELLA AND THE OCEAN

Age: 4 years +

AuthorLian Tanner

Illustrator: Jonathan Bentley

Join Ella as she helps her farming family find joy in life’s simplicities with a family adventure to the ocean as they are struggling from the drought. Upon returning home from the ocean, life doesn’t seem quite so hard: the land, while still dry, is a beautiful colour, and the birds are singing!

NINJA KID 4

Age7 years +

AuthorAnh Do

IllustratorJeremy Ley

Nelson is every child’s nerd-to-ninja hero! As he auditions for the circus, Nelson will need to use all of his ninja skills to pull off his greatest escape act yet!

PROMISE

Age: 12 years +

Author: Alexandra Alt

Follow teenage lovers Lene and Ludwig as they navigate the complexities of love and war. As Ludwig is recruited onto the Easter Front by Nazi Germany, Lene moves to Hanover and the couple becomes estranged, that is, until Lene returns to Germany years later on a quest to find out what happened to her lost love.

THE ART OF SELF-KINDNESS

Age: Adult

Author: Rebecca Ray

Reconnect with yourself in an age where social media causes you to lose sight of what is important in life. This book will guide you as you face the world with courage, grace and heart.

Choosing where to give birth is one of the biggest decisions you will make during your pregnancy. Whether you are contemplating public or private care, there are several important factors, as well as possible alternatives, to consider when choosing the best maternity care option for you and your family.

Finding out you are going to be a parent is a very exciting time, but making decisions about the right maternity care for you and your new baby can be a bit overwhelming. We take a look at some of the maternity care options available.

Private Care

If you have maternity care included in your private health package, you may wish to choose private care for you and your baby. If you receive care through the private system, you choose a private obstetrician, who will care for you from your antenatal appointments, right through to the birth and postnatal check-up.

Dr Stephen Lane, president of the National Association of Specialist Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (NASOG), says in the private system, the baby is delivered by very experienced caregivers, with obstetricians going through six or more years of specialist training, on top of their five or six-year medical degree.

He says the most common reason many people choose to have a private obstetrician is continuity of care.

Dr Lane says some considerations expectant parents think about when choosing an obstetrician include:

Gender (for some women, choosing a female obstetrician is important)

Location (“Is there a suitable carpark that is accessible? Are the rooms easy to get to? I think these things are important to consider,” says Dr Lane)

The obstetrician’s desk staff (“If the desk staff are friendly and approachable that is a good sign,” Dr Lane says. “It gives a good feel that they are a mirror of the person you will be seeing.”)

Cost (Dr Lane says the majority of obstetricians and gynaecologists in Australia charge well below the Australian Medical Association’s rates, with the average out-of-pocket cost for delivering a baby throughout Australia around $2000).

Note: Ask about your chosen obstetrician’s fee schedule and check with your health cover provider to find out exactly what is covered so you can be prepared for any out-of-pocket expenses.
“Australia is recognised as one of the safest countries in the world to have a baby, and this is a reflection of the world class education our specialist obstetricians and gynaecologists undertake, with many completing more than 12 years of study and training,” he says. “NASOG believes that the care provided by specialist obstetricians and gynaecologists is worth every cent to the patients who enjoy improved health outcomes as a result of our professional care.”

Katie Lavercombe says she chose a private hospital because she wanted to be able to access any pain relief that she wanted during childbirth and was afraid her wishes might not be respected at a public hospital.

“I loved giving birth at a private hospital, the care was great, it was never too busy, and the staff were attentive,” she says. “We loved being able to stay together as a couple and have time to bond with each new baby.”

Katie is currently pregnant with her fourth child and does not have the right level of cover to choose a private hospital this time, so is receiving care through the public system.

“We are utilising the public system, and while it is full of hard working doctors and midwives, there are long wait times at each appointment, meaning a large chunk of my time is taken up by waiting for medical appointments,” she says.

Crystal Henderson decided to have her daughter at a public hospital because her GP recommended it. “We had planned to go Private, but when he recommended it, along with many of our friends, who shared their very positive birth stories after giving birth in public hospitals, we thought we should at least look at it,” she says. “When we went to the public hospital, and they took us through the rooms and birth suites, we were blown away.”

Ms Henderson says she was very happy with the care she received. “There (were) some minor complications during the labour and I needed extra medical assistance, however I felt very safe, in control and informed of everything the whole time,” she says

Shared Antenatal Care

If you have a great relationship with your trusted family GP, then shared antenatal care might be an option to consider. In a nutshell, antenatal shared care involves a woman’s appointments being shared between maternity care providers (usually GPs, midwives and obstetricians), and is most commonly between a GP and maternity staff in a public hospital.

Dr Wendy Burton, chair of The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners’ antenatal/postnatal care specific interest group, says women choose to have shared antenatal care with their GP for a number of reasons.

“They may have a good relationship with their GP and are confident that they will be well taken care of,” she says. “The GP’s rooms may be closer or more convenient than the hospital/obstetrician or GPs may work extended hours, making appointments easier to plan around work commitments.


“Antenatal shared care involves a woman’s appointments being shared between maternity care providers – usually GPs, midwives and obstetricians.”

“The best models of shared antenatal care involve a collaborative team effort with well-informed GPs communicating effectively and efficiently with the other providers of care,” she adds. “If your usual GP is not up-to-date with current best practice for antenatal care, they may be able to recommend another GP who is better placed to provide care for you.

Work is currently underway to create digital records and an app for women, which will give additional options for the sharing of the pregnancy health record.”

Your Support

Who will be your support person when you welcome your baby into the world?

Many women will choose a partner, family member (such as their Mum) or a close friend to be their support person. However, there are some options to consider.

For example, a midwifery student is a good choice. They will attend antenatal appointments with you and, if you consent, can also attend the birth.

Another support option is a doula (a professional, non-medical birth and/or postnatal companion who is able to provide continuity of care, and emotional and physical support during pregnancy, birth and the postpartum period).

Michelle Perkins, chairperson of Australian Doulas, says many women hire a doula after experiencing a negative or traumatic previous birth experience.

“Some hire a doula to help them understand the maternity/obstetric systems. Some hire a doula to provide emotional and physical support if they do not have a partner, or if they believe their partner may also need support and guidance.”

Home Birth

Do you want to have your baby at home?

Grace Sweeney, coordinator at Homebirth Australia, says a woman who chooses to birth at home is guaranteed to receive continuity of care from a known midwife.

Ms Sweeney says the most important thing that a woman considering homebirth needs to do is to seek out a midwife as soon as possible.

“Nearly a decade of a sustained witch hunt against homebirth midwives has meant that midwives in private practice are scarce, and book out early,” she says. “It’s worth doing research on midwives in your area before you’re pregnant and making a booking as soon as your pregnancy is confirmed.”

Dr Lane says NASOG does not support home births in Australia.

Sarah Purvey decided she wanted a homebirth for her first child. “I had two private midwives,” Sarah says, when asked about her care. “A primary midwife came to my house regularly in pregnancy, so I built a very close relationship with her in that time and all the options for tests and injections were managed by her, with my consent and our discussions about them first. My primary midwife was there during the birth and then I had a second midwife attend shortly before my babies were born. For my first birth, I was also supported by a private obstetrician. I saw her a few times during pregnancy and she was open to supporting me, if I needed to transfer to hospital, if I needed more medical support from home.”

She says her experiences were wonderful and empowering.

“My first birth was very tough, long and in the end, I did transfer to the private hospital with my obstetrician, as I had a long second stage. In the end, I had an episiotomy, which couldn’t be done at home. This was handled beautifully by my midwives and by my obstetrician. I spent about 30 minutes continuing to labour in the private hospital, once I arrived, then we all discussed the option to do an episiotomy. I consented and this was done well. I felt wonderful when my baby arrived, despite 18 hours of active labour and a previous night of no labour.”

“Second time was much easier – four hours of active labour and my baby was born in to the water, straight into my arms and onto my chest.”