Prof. Afif EL-Khuffash
@profafif.bsky.social
Neonatologist Paediatrician & IBCLC.
Professor of Paediatrics in RCSI Ireland.
Expert in newborns and infant health.
My research focuses on preterm infants' cardiovascular health.
Professor of Paediatrics in RCSI Ireland.
Expert in newborns and infant health.
My research focuses on preterm infants' cardiovascular health.
A birthkeeper at a recent inquest reportedly said she was “not there to make a birth safer.”
That sentence is the problem.
Women deserve autonomy and respect. But paid birth support without safety, accountability or responsibility is dangerous.
open.substack.com/pub/profafif...
That sentence is the problem.
Women deserve autonomy and respect. But paid birth support without safety, accountability or responsibility is dangerous.
open.substack.com/pub/profafif...
Freebirth and the Danger of Risk Without Responsibility
There is a sentence from a recent inquest in Australia that has stayed with me.
open.substack.com
June 16, 2026 at 9:57 AM
A birthkeeper at a recent inquest reportedly said she was “not there to make a birth safer.”
That sentence is the problem.
Women deserve autonomy and respect. But paid birth support without safety, accountability or responsibility is dangerous.
open.substack.com/pub/profafif...
That sentence is the problem.
Women deserve autonomy and respect. But paid birth support without safety, accountability or responsibility is dangerous.
open.substack.com/pub/profafif...
We spend so much time talking about birth plans…
But not enough time talking about what happens when things don’t go to plan.
This week on The Baby Tribe, Anne walks through something every parent should understand… escalation of care after birth.
But not enough time talking about what happens when things don’t go to plan.
This week on The Baby Tribe, Anne walks through something every parent should understand… escalation of care after birth.
April 28, 2026 at 7:03 AM
We spend so much time talking about birth plans…
But not enough time talking about what happens when things don’t go to plan.
This week on The Baby Tribe, Anne walks through something every parent should understand… escalation of care after birth.
But not enough time talking about what happens when things don’t go to plan.
This week on The Baby Tribe, Anne walks through something every parent should understand… escalation of care after birth.
We spend so much time talking about birth plans…
But not enough time talking about what happens when things don’t go to plan.
This week on The Baby Tribe, Anne walks through something every parent should understand… escalation of care after birth.
But not enough time talking about what happens when things don’t go to plan.
This week on The Baby Tribe, Anne walks through something every parent should understand… escalation of care after birth.
April 26, 2026 at 6:13 PM
We spend so much time talking about birth plans…
But not enough time talking about what happens when things don’t go to plan.
This week on The Baby Tribe, Anne walks through something every parent should understand… escalation of care after birth.
But not enough time talking about what happens when things don’t go to plan.
This week on The Baby Tribe, Anne walks through something every parent should understand… escalation of care after birth.
We all assume we’ll have children… until life doesn’t go that way.
This week on Baby Tribe, we sat down with Aideen McQueen for one of the most honest conversations we’ve had.
From always imagining herself as a mother…
to facing the reality that it might not happen…
This week on Baby Tribe, we sat down with Aideen McQueen for one of the most honest conversations we’ve had.
From always imagining herself as a mother…
to facing the reality that it might not happen…
April 21, 2026 at 7:02 AM
We all assume we’ll have children… until life doesn’t go that way.
This week on Baby Tribe, we sat down with Aideen McQueen for one of the most honest conversations we’ve had.
From always imagining herself as a mother…
to facing the reality that it might not happen…
This week on Baby Tribe, we sat down with Aideen McQueen for one of the most honest conversations we’ve had.
From always imagining herself as a mother…
to facing the reality that it might not happen…
We all assume we’ll have children… until life doesn’t go that way.
This week on Baby Tribe, we sat down with Aideen McQueen for one of the most honest conversations we’ve had.
From always imagining herself as a mother…
to facing the reality that it might not happen…
This week on Baby Tribe, we sat down with Aideen McQueen for one of the most honest conversations we’ve had.
From always imagining herself as a mother…
to facing the reality that it might not happen…
April 19, 2026 at 5:03 PM
We all assume we’ll have children… until life doesn’t go that way.
This week on Baby Tribe, we sat down with Aideen McQueen for one of the most honest conversations we’ve had.
From always imagining herself as a mother…
to facing the reality that it might not happen…
This week on Baby Tribe, we sat down with Aideen McQueen for one of the most honest conversations we’ve had.
From always imagining herself as a mother…
to facing the reality that it might not happen…
Everyone’s talking about wellness… but no one’s admitting this:
Sometimes it just makes you feel worse. In this upcoming episode of thew Baby Tribe Podcast, we sat down with Clare McKenna to talk about how “being healthy” has quietly become another pressure for parents.
Sometimes it just makes you feel worse. In this upcoming episode of thew Baby Tribe Podcast, we sat down with Clare McKenna to talk about how “being healthy” has quietly become another pressure for parents.
April 14, 2026 at 7:03 AM
Everyone’s talking about wellness… but no one’s admitting this:
Sometimes it just makes you feel worse. In this upcoming episode of thew Baby Tribe Podcast, we sat down with Clare McKenna to talk about how “being healthy” has quietly become another pressure for parents.
Sometimes it just makes you feel worse. In this upcoming episode of thew Baby Tribe Podcast, we sat down with Clare McKenna to talk about how “being healthy” has quietly become another pressure for parents.
Everyone’s talking about wellness… but no one’s admitting this:
Sometimes it just makes you feel worse. In this upcoming episode of thew Baby Tribe Podcast, we sat down with Clare McKenna to talk about how “being healthy” has quietly become another pressure for parents.
Sometimes it just makes you feel worse. In this upcoming episode of thew Baby Tribe Podcast, we sat down with Clare McKenna to talk about how “being healthy” has quietly become another pressure for parents.
April 12, 2026 at 5:04 PM
Everyone’s talking about wellness… but no one’s admitting this:
Sometimes it just makes you feel worse. In this upcoming episode of thew Baby Tribe Podcast, we sat down with Clare McKenna to talk about how “being healthy” has quietly become another pressure for parents.
Sometimes it just makes you feel worse. In this upcoming episode of thew Baby Tribe Podcast, we sat down with Clare McKenna to talk about how “being healthy” has quietly become another pressure for parents.
👉 Your baby isn’t broken.
In this upcomiong episode of the Baby Tribe, we break down:
What normal baby sleep actually looks like
Why night waking is biologically expected
What sleep training really does (and doesn’t do)
And why the industry has quietly rebranded itself
In this upcomiong episode of the Baby Tribe, we break down:
What normal baby sleep actually looks like
Why night waking is biologically expected
What sleep training really does (and doesn’t do)
And why the industry has quietly rebranded itself
April 7, 2026 at 4:02 AM
👉 Your baby isn’t broken.
In this upcomiong episode of the Baby Tribe, we break down:
What normal baby sleep actually looks like
Why night waking is biologically expected
What sleep training really does (and doesn’t do)
And why the industry has quietly rebranded itself
In this upcomiong episode of the Baby Tribe, we break down:
What normal baby sleep actually looks like
Why night waking is biologically expected
What sleep training really does (and doesn’t do)
And why the industry has quietly rebranded itself
“Why won’t my baby sleep?”
🎧 Available Tuesday on all platforms
Proudly sponsored by @happytummy.ie and @biogaiaireland
🎧 Available Tuesday on all platforms
Proudly sponsored by @happytummy.ie and @biogaiaireland
April 5, 2026 at 5:03 PM
“Why won’t my baby sleep?”
🎧 Available Tuesday on all platforms
Proudly sponsored by @happytummy.ie and @biogaiaireland
🎧 Available Tuesday on all platforms
Proudly sponsored by @happytummy.ie and @biogaiaireland
How do you stay informed… without losing your mind?
We sat down with Hilary McGann (@newsbyhil) to talk about motherhood, information overload, and how parenthood changes the way you see the world.
We sat down with Hilary McGann (@newsbyhil) to talk about motherhood, information overload, and how parenthood changes the way you see the world.
March 31, 2026 at 7:02 AM
How do you stay informed… without losing your mind?
We sat down with Hilary McGann (@newsbyhil) to talk about motherhood, information overload, and how parenthood changes the way you see the world.
We sat down with Hilary McGann (@newsbyhil) to talk about motherhood, information overload, and how parenthood changes the way you see the world.
Becoming a parent changes how you see everything.
The world feels louder. Heavier. More personal.
In this episode, Hilary McGann from @newsbyhil shares her journey through a complicated pregnancy, fear, and what it’s like raising a child while making sense of a chaotic world.
The world feels louder. Heavier. More personal.
In this episode, Hilary McGann from @newsbyhil shares her journey through a complicated pregnancy, fear, and what it’s like raising a child while making sense of a chaotic world.
March 29, 2026 at 5:04 PM
Becoming a parent changes how you see everything.
The world feels louder. Heavier. More personal.
In this episode, Hilary McGann from @newsbyhil shares her journey through a complicated pregnancy, fear, and what it’s like raising a child while making sense of a chaotic world.
The world feels louder. Heavier. More personal.
In this episode, Hilary McGann from @newsbyhil shares her journey through a complicated pregnancy, fear, and what it’s like raising a child while making sense of a chaotic world.
Every parent wants a confident child, but maybe the goal isn’t to raise fearless kids. In the latest episode of Baby Tribe out Tuesday, we sit down with Dr David Coleman, clinical psychologist and author of Fear Less, to unpack childhood anxiety.
March 24, 2026 at 8:02 AM
Every parent wants a confident child, but maybe the goal isn’t to raise fearless kids. In the latest episode of Baby Tribe out Tuesday, we sit down with Dr David Coleman, clinical psychologist and author of Fear Less, to unpack childhood anxiety.
Every parent wants a confident child, but maybe the goal isn’t to raise fearless kids. In the latest episode of Baby Tribe out Tuesday, we sit down with Dr David Coleman, clinical psychologist and author of Fear Less, to unpack childhood anxiety.
March 22, 2026 at 6:07 PM
Every parent wants a confident child, but maybe the goal isn’t to raise fearless kids. In the latest episode of Baby Tribe out Tuesday, we sit down with Dr David Coleman, clinical psychologist and author of Fear Less, to unpack childhood anxiety.
This week on The Baby Tribe Podcast, we share an extraordinary story.
Emma McGuinness was pregnant when she was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma. Her baby was born at 36 weeks and spent his first days in NICU. Three weeks later, Emma began chemotherapy.
Emma McGuinness was pregnant when she was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma. Her baby was born at 36 weeks and spent his first days in NICU. Three weeks later, Emma began chemotherapy.
March 17, 2026 at 8:02 AM
This week on The Baby Tribe Podcast, we share an extraordinary story.
Emma McGuinness was pregnant when she was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma. Her baby was born at 36 weeks and spent his first days in NICU. Three weeks later, Emma began chemotherapy.
Emma McGuinness was pregnant when she was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma. Her baby was born at 36 weeks and spent his first days in NICU. Three weeks later, Emma began chemotherapy.
This week on The Baby Tribe Podcast, we share an extraordinary story.
Emma McGuinness was pregnant when she was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma. Her baby was born at 36 weeks and spent his first days in NICU. Three weeks later, Emma began chemotherapy.
Emma McGuinness was pregnant when she was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma. Her baby was born at 36 weeks and spent his first days in NICU. Three weeks later, Emma began chemotherapy.
March 15, 2026 at 6:04 PM
This week on The Baby Tribe Podcast, we share an extraordinary story.
Emma McGuinness was pregnant when she was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma. Her baby was born at 36 weeks and spent his first days in NICU. Three weeks later, Emma began chemotherapy.
Emma McGuinness was pregnant when she was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma. Her baby was born at 36 weeks and spent his first days in NICU. Three weeks later, Emma began chemotherapy.
When parents hear the word NICU, it can feel frightening. But the truth is that many babies who spend time there aren’t critically ill. Most are simply adjusting to life outside the womb. In this episode of Baby Tribe, we break down the most common reasons babies are admitted to NICU.
March 10, 2026 at 8:04 AM
When parents hear the word NICU, it can feel frightening. But the truth is that many babies who spend time there aren’t critically ill. Most are simply adjusting to life outside the womb. In this episode of Baby Tribe, we break down the most common reasons babies are admitted to NICU.
When parents hear the word NICU, it can feel frightening. But the truth is that many babies who spend time there aren’t critically ill. Most are simply adjusting to life outside the womb. In this episode of Baby Tribe, we break down the most common reasons babies are admitted to NICU.
March 8, 2026 at 6:03 PM
When parents hear the word NICU, it can feel frightening. But the truth is that many babies who spend time there aren’t critically ill. Most are simply adjusting to life outside the womb. In this episode of Baby Tribe, we break down the most common reasons babies are admitted to NICU.
We’re exhibiting Motherhood at Copper House Gallery, Dublin 8, March 12–14. I’ve written a short piece on Substack about the exhibition, how it came together, and what the work explores. If you’d like a bit more context before the show opens, you can read it now.
open.substack.com/pub/profafif...
open.substack.com/pub/profafif...
Motherhood, Memory
and Why We’re Putting It on Gallery Walls
open.substack.com
March 3, 2026 at 9:17 AM
We’re exhibiting Motherhood at Copper House Gallery, Dublin 8, March 12–14. I’ve written a short piece on Substack about the exhibition, how it came together, and what the work explores. If you’d like a bit more context before the show opens, you can read it now.
open.substack.com/pub/profafif...
open.substack.com/pub/profafif...
Epidurals and the Myth of the Intervention Cascade with Professor Rachel Kearns
Epidurals are often blamed for triggering a cascade of interventions, harming babies, and interfering with breastfeeding. But what does the actual evidence say?
OUT NOW!
Epidurals are often blamed for triggering a cascade of interventions, harming babies, and interfering with breastfeeding. But what does the actual evidence say?
OUT NOW!
March 3, 2026 at 8:02 AM
Epidurals and the Myth of the Intervention Cascade with Professor Rachel Kearns
Epidurals are often blamed for triggering a cascade of interventions, harming babies, and interfering with breastfeeding. But what does the actual evidence say?
OUT NOW!
Epidurals are often blamed for triggering a cascade of interventions, harming babies, and interfering with breastfeeding. But what does the actual evidence say?
OUT NOW!
Epidurals and the Myth of the Intervention Cascade with Professor Rachel Kearns
Epidurals are often blamed for triggering a cascade of interventions, harming babies, and interfering with breastfeeding. But what does the actual evidence say?
Epidurals are often blamed for triggering a cascade of interventions, harming babies, and interfering with breastfeeding. But what does the actual evidence say?
March 1, 2026 at 6:03 PM
Epidurals and the Myth of the Intervention Cascade with Professor Rachel Kearns
Epidurals are often blamed for triggering a cascade of interventions, harming babies, and interfering with breastfeeding. But what does the actual evidence say?
Epidurals are often blamed for triggering a cascade of interventions, harming babies, and interfering with breastfeeding. But what does the actual evidence say?
We were genuinely honoured to have Doireann Garrihy join us this Tuesday on the Baby Tribe!
In this episode, she speaks openly for the first time about her pregnancy, induction, C-section, and those raw early weeks of becoming Rosie’s mum.
In this episode, she speaks openly for the first time about her pregnancy, induction, C-section, and those raw early weeks of becoming Rosie’s mum.
February 24, 2026 at 8:03 AM
We were genuinely honoured to have Doireann Garrihy join us this Tuesday on the Baby Tribe!
In this episode, she speaks openly for the first time about her pregnancy, induction, C-section, and those raw early weeks of becoming Rosie’s mum.
In this episode, she speaks openly for the first time about her pregnancy, induction, C-section, and those raw early weeks of becoming Rosie’s mum.
We were genuinely honoured to have Doireann Garrihy join us this Tuesday on the Baby Tribe!
In this episode, she speaks openly for the first time about her pregnancy, induction, C-section, and those raw early weeks of becoming Rosie’s mum.
In this episode, she speaks openly for the first time about her pregnancy, induction, C-section, and those raw early weeks of becoming Rosie’s mum.
February 22, 2026 at 6:03 PM
We were genuinely honoured to have Doireann Garrihy join us this Tuesday on the Baby Tribe!
In this episode, she speaks openly for the first time about her pregnancy, induction, C-section, and those raw early weeks of becoming Rosie’s mum.
In this episode, she speaks openly for the first time about her pregnancy, induction, C-section, and those raw early weeks of becoming Rosie’s mum.
Baby Tribe Episode 117 is out now.
Sophia Wren joins us for a chat that starts with travel systems and ends up somewhere much deeper. We talk young motherhood, postpartum depression, intrusive thoughts, birth trauma and how comedy can be both coping mechanism and lifeline.
Sophia Wren joins us for a chat that starts with travel systems and ends up somewhere much deeper. We talk young motherhood, postpartum depression, intrusive thoughts, birth trauma and how comedy can be both coping mechanism and lifeline.
February 17, 2026 at 8:02 AM
Baby Tribe Episode 117 is out now.
Sophia Wren joins us for a chat that starts with travel systems and ends up somewhere much deeper. We talk young motherhood, postpartum depression, intrusive thoughts, birth trauma and how comedy can be both coping mechanism and lifeline.
Sophia Wren joins us for a chat that starts with travel systems and ends up somewhere much deeper. We talk young motherhood, postpartum depression, intrusive thoughts, birth trauma and how comedy can be both coping mechanism and lifeline.
Baby Tribe Episode 117 is comiong out Tuesday!
Sophia Wren joins us for a chat that starts with travel systems and ends up somewhere much deeper. We talk young motherhood, postpartum depression, intrusive thoughts, birth trauma and how comedy can be both coping mechanism and lifeline.
Sophia Wren joins us for a chat that starts with travel systems and ends up somewhere much deeper. We talk young motherhood, postpartum depression, intrusive thoughts, birth trauma and how comedy can be both coping mechanism and lifeline.
February 15, 2026 at 6:03 PM
Baby Tribe Episode 117 is comiong out Tuesday!
Sophia Wren joins us for a chat that starts with travel systems and ends up somewhere much deeper. We talk young motherhood, postpartum depression, intrusive thoughts, birth trauma and how comedy can be both coping mechanism and lifeline.
Sophia Wren joins us for a chat that starts with travel systems and ends up somewhere much deeper. We talk young motherhood, postpartum depression, intrusive thoughts, birth trauma and how comedy can be both coping mechanism and lifeline.
This week we’re joined by Sara Stokes, founder of SKN to SKN, to break down hormonal skin changes, what ingredients to be cautious with in pregnancy (without the panic), and a simple 3-step routine that’s realistic when you’ve got about five minutes.
Proudly sponsored by: @happytummy.ie
Proudly sponsored by: @happytummy.ie
February 10, 2026 at 8:03 AM
This week we’re joined by Sara Stokes, founder of SKN to SKN, to break down hormonal skin changes, what ingredients to be cautious with in pregnancy (without the panic), and a simple 3-step routine that’s realistic when you’ve got about five minutes.
Proudly sponsored by: @happytummy.ie
Proudly sponsored by: @happytummy.ie