Woman gives birth to 15 pound baby

At eight months, a doctor warned Wendi Dolton her baby was going to exceed ten pounds. But nothing could prepare her for the big bundle of joy that arrived last week.

"They said 15.6 and I thought I was kind of groggy I was on pain killers, I didn't know if it was 15.6 the time," said Dolton.

Wendi and her husband Mike, from Racine, Minn., named their baby Axel Laverne.

"I had some clothes ready for him, and yep, he's outgrown them already," said Dolton. "And my family bought clothes and they won't fit him."

© Copyright 2000 - 2009

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Plastics Chemical Phthalate May Shorten Pregnancy

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Pregnant women who are exposed to higher levels of an increasingly controversial chemical in certain plastics may deliver their babies slightly earlier than women with less exposure, results of a study hint.

"The magnitude of the effects seen," the study team wrote in today's issue of Pediatrics, "might be associated with adverse health effects in newborns."

The chemical, DEHP -- short for di(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate -- is a "plasticizer" used widely in consumer products to help make vinyl plastic soft and flexible.

"Exposures (to DEHP) are ubiquitous," Dr. Robin M. Whyatt from Columbia Center for Children's Environmental Health in New York City told Reuters Health. DEHP breakdown products "have been detected in 95% of the general U.S. population."

By Megan Brooks Copyright © 2009 ABC News

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Diabetes research partnership launched

TWO UNIVERSITIES and two State health organisations have formed a cross-Border partnership on research into diabetes.

The Atlantic-Alliance for Co-operation on Research into Diabetes grouping involves NUI Galway, the University of Ulster, the Health Service Executive West and its Northern counterpart, the Western Health and Social Care Trust.

Diabetes is to be targeted because of its “increasing prevalence and the associated healthcare costs”, the grouping says.

Participants will include researchers and clinicians with their patients, and allied health professionals, including dieticians, podiatrists, diabetes specialist nurses, information technology specialists and psychologists.

By Lorna Siggins © 2009 irishtimes.com

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Obesity is now the main cause for rise in Caesarean births

Growing obesity levels among mothers-to-be are driving up caesarean section rates, the Master of the Rotunda hospital has said.

According to Dr Sam Coulter-Smith, obesity in pregnant women is contributing to an increase in the number of C-sections being carried out.

The delivery method has reached record levels in the Rotunda and Dublin's two other main maternity hospitals.

Dr Coulter-Smith explained that a dramatic change in lifestyles over the past generation had lead to increasingly overweight women giving birth.

By Andrew Phelan © Herald.ie 2008

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Swine Flu Vaccine: Physicians' Rejection of the Injection

One senior physician at Pediatric Village is refusing to recommend H1N1 shots or nasal spray to any of her patients. She is one of a small cadre of outliers who remain skeptical about the government's unprecedented immunization campaign, citing doubts about the risks presented by the H1N1 virus or the safety of the vaccine.

"My feeling is that this is all being over-hyped," said Laurence J. Murphy, a pediatrician in Burke who also will not inoculate his patients. "Most people who get this virus do beautifully. I believe the vaccine hasn't been tested enough. I just think the benefit of it at this point is not outweighed by the possible risk."

Murphy said he has no reason to think the vaccine is unsafe -- he, like many of the skeptics, said he generally supports vaccinations. But he wonders whether it was tested enough.

"They just didn't have the time to do that properly. They mean well and they are not doing anything to mislead people in any direct way. The reality is no one knows. I'm not pretending to know. I don't think they should pretend to know," he said.

By Dr. Mercola © Copyright 2004-2009 foodconsumer.org

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MS progression and pregnancy

"Having children could slow down the progression of multiple sclerosis (MS)," The Independent reported. It said researchers have found that, compared to women with MS who have never had children, those who had children after the onset of the disease were 39% less likely to have progressed to a stage where they needed assistance when walking 100m.

This research looked at the medical records of women attending an MS clinic in Belgium. The study has a number of limitations. One of these is that, rather than childbirth slowing down the progress of MS, an alternative explanation is that women who have less severe MS are more likely to decide to have children than those who have a faster-progressing disease.

Due to these limitations, this study does not provide conclusive evidence about the effects of pregnancy on the long-term progression of MS. Further, larger studies that examine this question are needed.

©2009

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Holy Family parish créche takes top award

A DUNDALK childcare facility has been named the top crèche in the country at the Maternity and Infant Magazine 2009 Awards ceremony.

Holy Family Parish Community Crèche in Muirhevnamor and it's subsidiary pre-school service based at Claddagh Park scooped the "Maternity and Infant Crèche of the Year Award".

Holy Family was honoured at a glittering event held in the Shelbourne Hotel for the quality of service it offers to local children and their families.

"This has been a fantastic year for the Crèche. We have recently won the Best Training Initiative from the Dundalk Chamber of Commerce Awards," said Holy Family Crèche Manager Christine Brennan.

By Tamara O'Connell ©2009

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Does exercising while pregnant put the baby at risk?

For women who are avid exercisers, pregnancy can present a challenge in terms of making necessary modifications to ensure baby's safety. Lisa Druxman, who specializes in pre- and postnatal fitness, says that pregnant athletes don't have to completely overhaul their normal routine, as medical guidelines for exercise are now much less conservative than in years past.

"Original guidelines for exercise during pregnancy cautioned women to never exceed a heart rate of 140 beats per minute, which most fitness enthusiasts would hardly consider a workout," Druxman states. "Now, more and more experts agree that pregnant athletes, when properly trained and monitored, can safely exercise beyond these guidelines and are actually typically more efficient at handling the stresses of exercise during pregnancy."

Druxman advises that it is still important for athletes to use caution when it comes to protecting their own health and that of their unborn babies.

By Marjie Gilliam © Copyright 2009 The Detroit News

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Exposure to tobacco smoke and lead while pregnant leads to ADHD in children

Researchers out of the Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center have found that when combined, tobacco smoke and lead, ingested while pregnant, create a significant risk of symptoms of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in children later in life.

The study, published today in the journal Pediatrics, focused on data collected from 2001 to 2004 on 3,907 children aged 8 to 15 in the United States. The researchers also polled mothers on their cigarette use during pregnancy.

Researchers found that when exposed to tobacco smoke prenatally, children were 2.4 times more likely to exhibit ADHD symptoms, and those exposed to lead were 2.3 times likely to have the symptoms. Researchers also pointed out that when looking at lead exposure in the blood, levels were found to be well below the Centers for Disease Control action level, suggesting that even small doses of the metal may have an effect on behavior.

When the two substances were combined in vitro, the team found an eight times higher risk of ADHD when compared to children not exposed to the two substances.

By Shawn Douglas Copyright © 2006-2009

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Self-heating baby milk bottle Yoomi arrives in UK stores

The bottle, which has already won a series of innovation and research awards, ensures that the milk is heated to between 32 and 34 degrees in just 60 seconds and stays warm for up to an hour.

It can be recharged up to 100 times and even features an anti-colic teat which allows a baby to latch on more easily.

It was invented by a husband and wife team who were tired of having to painstakingly heat milk to an exact temperature in the microwave or ask waiters for hot water to heat a bottle while out.

Jim and Farah Shaikh, an engineer and a solicitor, came up with the idea following the birth of their eldest son Danial. Six years ago, Mr Shaikh sketched out a plan on a pub napkin and the prototype was tested on their second son Niall, who is now two.

© Copyright of Telegraph Media Group Limited 2009

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Pregnant? Beware of alcohol!

Mums-to-be who consume high levels of alcohol in late pregnancy are likely to give birth to aggressive kids, a new study has revealed.

The research team from Perth's Telethon Institute for Child Health Research suggests that the amount and timing of alcohol consumption in pregnancy affects child behaviour in different ways.

“Mothers who reported what we would classify as heavy drinking in the first trimester of pregnancy were nearly three times as likely to report that their child suffered with anxiety and/or depression or somatic complaints,” said lead author Colleen O'Leary.

“Those who drank moderately during that first trimester were twice as likely to report those types of behavioural issues for their child. Exposure to moderate or heavy levels of alcohol in late pregnancy increased the risk of aggressive types of behaviours in the child. This research suggests that both the timing and the intensity of alcohol exposure in the womb affect the type of behaviour problems expressed,” she added

Copyright © 2009 HT Media Limited.

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HSE advise those affected by floods

The HSE South has advised people living in flood-affected areas how to protect their health when using emergency water supplies and how to clean up safely after floods.

“Infection problems arising from floods in the Republic of Ireland are rare. Usually, any harmful bugs in floodwater become very diluted and present a low risk, but there are a few precautions that can be taken,” said Dr Elizabeth Keane, HSE South director of public health.

The HSE also said that there are some basic precautions people can take to protect themselves and their families while cleaning up flooded homes.

It has advised that wherever possible, try to avoid coming into direct contact with floodwater. If you have to go into the water, wear waterproof gloves and rubber boots and remember to be careful of potentially concealed hazards.

By Joanne McCarthy Copyright © 2009

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New mum Lucy won't rush TV return

Reports that new mum Lucy Kennedy will be the face of RTE on Saturday nights have been trashed by the broadcaster.

It was claimed that the former sidekick of Podge and Rodge has been chosen to co-present a new chatshow with burly journalist Brendan O'Connor in January.

But an RTE spokesperson has said that no decision has been made in relation to the slot left behind by Ryan Tubridy.

"No announcement will be made about our entertainment show for Saturday nights in 2010 until next month," she said.

By Melanie Finn © Herald.ie 2008

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Taking care of baby teeth and beyond

Babies start to develop their teeth when they are growing in the womb. These milk teeth, or deciduous teeth, begin to emerge at around six months.

This process is known as teething and most children will have their full set of first teeth by the time they are two-and-a-half to three years of age. A full set of first teeth contains 20 in total.

As your child gets older, their permanent adult teeth will start to appear -- adults can have up to 32 permanent teeth.

Permanent teeth develop in the jaw -- they press on the roots of the first teeth and dissolve them so that the first tooth falls out and the adult tooth can come through.

By Eilish O'Regan ©Independent.ie

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Under-fives next for swine flu vaccine

By Conor McHugh

MORE than 17,600 people in Kildare and West-Wicklow have been given the swine flu vaccination since it was introduced on Monday, November 2.

Those vaccinated were in the at-risk group, including pregnant women, cancer patients and people aged under 65 with long term illnesses.

That's according to the HSE which says that, in the past week, it began writing to parents of children aged fr
om six months to under five years to let them know when it is time for them to bring their child to the HSE clinic for their vaccine.

Parents of children in this group will begin to receive letters this week and throughout November and into early December.

As part of the phased roll-out of the vaccine, people aged 65 and over will begin to be invited over the coming fortnight.

FULL STORY CLICK HERE © 2009 Johnston Press Digital Publishing

Insist your child gets medical attention, say bereaved couple

THE PARENTS of a 14-week-old baby who died of leukaemia have urged other parents to "kick down doors" to demand medical attention if they feel their child requires it.

Tom and Julia O'Connor, from Mallow, Co Cork, claim the health system failed their son Adam, their first-born, who died earlier this year on February 17th, just two days after he was diagnosed with leukaemia.

The death followed weeks of GP visits, calls to Cork's out-of-hours doctor service SouthDoc and two visits to the Cork University Hospital (CUH) accident and emergency department, all of which failed to detect any serious illness.

Adam was born on November 10th, 2008, and weighed a healthy 9lb 6oz, but within weeks he began to show signs of distress.

It was thought initially the child was suffering from colic or constipation. Repeated visits to their GP yielded only laxative medication.

FULL STORY CLICK HERE LOUISE ROSEINGRAVE © Irishtimes.com

Folic acid supplements carry cancer risk

Folic acid supplements could increase the risk of cancer, particularly lung cancer, researchers have found. However, folic acid has proven benefits for pregnant women, as it cuts the risk of babies being born with major deformities of the brain and spine. The doses of folic acid linked to cancer are higher, and were taken for longer, than the doses recommended for pregnant women.

What do we know already?

Our bodies use folic acid, also known as vitamin B9, to help build new cells. The natural form of the vitamin, called folate, is found in spinach, broccoli, beans, and peas. Most people get enough folate from food, but it's recommended that women who are pregnant or thinking of having a baby take folic acid supplements. Extra folic acid cuts the risk of birth defects like spina bifida.

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Pregnancy Complication May Be Linked to Thyroid Problems

New research offers bad news for women who develop a condition known as preeclampsia duringpregnancy: They're at higher risk of reduced thyroid function and may be more likely to have thyroid problems in later life.

Preeclampsia develops in the second half of pregnancy and can cause serious problems such as extremely high blood pressure. The causes aren't clear, but may have something to do with high levels ofproteins in the body.

Researchers in the United States and Norway looked at two groups of pregnant women: those who developed preeclampsia and those who didn't, and published their study findings in the Nov. 18 online edition of BMJ.

READ FULL ARTICLE CLICK HERE Copyright ©2009 U.S. World and News

Exercising during pregnancy good for mum and baby

Exercising up to the end of pregnancy has no harmful effect on the weight or size of a baby, a new study has found.

According to researchers from the Polytechnic University of Madrid, low-level physical activity during pregnancy has positive effects on the health of both mother and baby.

The study of 160 healthy women aged 25 to 35, also found that women who were overweight before becoming pregnant, and did not partake in any exercise, gave birth to heavier newborns.

According to experts, babies with excessive weight (more than 4 kg) are more at risk of developing diabetes and certain types of cancer as adults, in addition to complications that may occur at birth.
By Olivia Fens

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Never too young to go potty

DURING a recent trip to Ireland, actress Natascha McElhone commented in a radio interview that she had amazingly toilet trained her youngest son, Rex, when he was just eight months old.

The Californication star was inspired by techniques that she saw mothers using in Africa. These mothers used a system of signing and sounds that enabled their babies to communicate when they needed to go to the toilet.

The movie Meet the Fockers also highlighted this unusual method of infant toilet training, albeit in a more comedic manner.

Jack Byrnes, played by Robert de Niro, has high hopes for his one-year-old grandson Little Jack, and only communicates with the toddler using sign language, including when he needs to use the potty.

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Swine-flu mum and baby out of danger

A MUM who underwent an emergency Caesarean to save the lives of herself and her unborn baby after contracting swine flu is returning to health.

Audrey Murray, from Newbridge, Kildare, was rushed into hospital for an operation after the rapid onset of the deadly virus.

Baby Robert, who was delivered at just 28 weeks, has been kept in the neonatal unit of the Coombe Hospital.

Audrey is now stable in St James Hospital and her sister, Annette Akerlind, said that each day she is making positive steps.

By Claire Murphy

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HEALTH Stretch marks and skin care in pregnancy

It’s official, there’s a baby boom on. The highest number of births since 1896 were recorded last year, and if my own circle of pals are any indicator – five bundles of joy have arrived in the past ten weeks! – the boom is continuing.
Aromatherapy has a very supportive role to play during pregnancy, helping to reduce anxiety, aches and pains, fluid retention and the big one brought on by bumps, stretch marks.
Firstly, though, the most important point with regard to using essential oils during pregnancy is to use them in a much lower concentration (1 per cent or less) – they may be natural, but this doesn’t mean you can lather them on. Wine is made from grapes, but it doesn’t mean you can wash down a gallon of it without ill effect. ‘Everything in moderation’, especially when pregnant.
Another important point: It is generally recommended to use essential oils after the first 12 weeks of pregnancy. At around 12 weeks, the first scan normally takes place and many women find nauseous symptoms have passed and their sense of smell, which often triggers nausea, is settling down. Essential oils have potent aromas, and like some foods, they may be too intense for some people in the first trimester.
Obviously, the skin stretches in pregnancy, but the effects of that stretching depends on the elasticity available. Every woman’s skin is different, and just like different fabrics (think of a cotton pillow case verses a cotton t-shirt) it will be affected in a different way.

By Ellen Cox

READ FULL ARTICLE CLICK HERE Copyright © 2005 - 2009 The Mayo News.

Brooke Shields recalls suicidal thoughts after pregnancy: 'The baby would be better off without me'

Brooke Shields' bout with post-partum depression was far more serious than she ever let on.

While accepting an award Monday at the Hope for Depression Research Foundation in Manhattan, the actress revealed that her well-publicized struggles with the disease had her contemplating suicide, reports People.com.

Shields admitted that after she stopped taking medication for her condition, she almost drove her car into a wall while driving on the highway - with her baby daughter in the backseat.

Shields, 44, told the audience she felt like she "should not exist" after the birth of Rowan, now 6, in 2003.

By Robert Dominguez

READ FULL ARTICLE CLICK HERE © Copyright 2009 NYDailyNews.com.

Vaccine's the best defence in flu battle

IT has been one of the worst weeks yet for swine flu. The seemingly inexorable march of the H1N1 virus has seen it infect tens of thousands more of our citizens.

Thankfully, most will recover, but the first death of a pregnant woman with the virus was recorded in the East of the country.

The story of five-year-old Ruby Ayoub, wrongly diagnosed as having swine flu, but who was then found to be suffering from meningitis, also touched the nation's heart.

Hospital staff, young children and those over 65 as well as at risk groups were among those protected against the virus this week as the phased roll-out of the vaccination campaign continued.

READ FULL ARTICLE CLICK HERE © Herald.ie 2008