Baby Addiction in The News

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/29163803/wid/11915773?GT1=31036

In the wake of the mother of octuplets in California, there has been quite a bit of discussion over whether Ms. Suleman may suffer from "baby addiction" given how many children she already had even before the 8 new arrivals.

A century ago it was perfectly normal for a family to have a handful, or even a double handful, of children. Of course, mortality rates were far higher back then, and children were expected to contribute to helping provide and care for the family; as a family grew larger life could become easier for everyone in later years through collaboration of efforts.

In today's society, things are substantially different, and families with more than a few children are looked at skeptically. But what is the difference between a desire to have a big family and "baby addiction"? The answer seems to primarily rest in the psychology of the mother.

Women who become addicted to that absolute dependence, or to the feelings associated with having a newborn around, may be perfectly content with their families... up until there isn't a newborn present any longer, and then the urge to have a new baby sets in. It's when those urges run counter to the best interests of the family, especially with regard to the capability to provide and care for more children, that baby addiction becomes harmful.

Experts are quick to point out that there are plenty of big, happy families that are not the result of baby addiction. They also emphasize that children in small families can suffer emotional scars, too, from absentee or otherwise poor parents.

Court Ruling Vindicates Vaccines

http://health.usnews.com/articles/health/healthday/2009/02/12/court-says-vaccine-not-the-cause-of-autism.html

The Office of Special Masters, part of the US Court of Federal Claims, issued a ruling in mid-February that three families who sought compensation from a federal fund failed to prove their case. The court stated that the weight of scientific research and authority indicates that there is no connection between vaccines and autism.

In a preview of future rulings, one went so far as to state that there was no evidence that thimerasol-containing vaccines contribute to autism or other neurological disorders. The ruling is seen as a setback for those trying to promote the idea of a connection.

Most doctors and virtually all public health officials cite vaccines as being one of the most important medical advances of all time, eradicating in the US such maladies as Measles, rubella & polio.

Various $1-5 Toys Recalled

http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml09/09136.html

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with the firm named below, today announced a voluntary recall of the following consumer product. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed.

Name of product: Fishing Games, Rattles, Pull-A-Long Cars, Mini Pull Back Cars, and Cartoon Bubble Guns

Units: About 39,000

Importer/Distributor: CBB Group Inc., City of Commerce, Calif.

Hazard: The fishing games, baby rattles and pull-a-long cars contain small parts, which can detach and pose a choking hazard to children. The mini pull back cars and bubble guns have surface paints which contain excessive levels of lead, violating the federal lead paint standard.

Incidents/Injuries: None reported.

Description: The recalled toys are described in the chart below:

Fishing Games: Model KK-4296 UPC# 782468042968
Model PT-2006 UPC# 830002020061
Model T-8112 UPC# 704291081129
Model KK-4461 UPC# 782468044610

6-Piece Rattle Set: Model ET-1293 UPC# 800323012939

6-Piece 3” Pull Back Cars: Model KK-4382 UPC# 78246804382

3-Piece Rattle Set: Model ET-1388 UPC#800323013882

Pull-A-Long Car: Model ET-1041 UPC# 800323010416
Model KK-4218 UPC# 782468042180

Battery-Operated Cartoon Bubble Gun: Model KK-4275 UPC# 782468042753
Model KK-4276 UPC#782468042760

Battery-Operated Dolphin Bubble Gun: Model OR-2238 UPC# 868333022386






Sold at: Dollar stores and toy stores nationwide from July 2007 through December 2008 for between $1 and $5.

Manufactured in: China

Remedy: Consumers should take the recalled products away from young children immediately and return them to the place where purchased for a full refund.

Consumer Contact: For additional information, contact CBB Group, Inc. toll-free at (866) 628-6238 anytime, or visit the firm’s Web site at www.cbbgroup.com

Old Navy Stuffed Toy Recall

http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml09/09134.html

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission and Health Canada, in cooperation with the firm named below, today announced a voluntary recall of the following consumer product. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed.

Name of product: Stuffed Animal and Creature Toys

Units: About 35,500 in the United States and 5,400 in Canada

Retailer: Old Navy LLC, of San Francisco, Calif.

Hazard: The stuffed toys have two button eyes that could detach from the toy, posing a choking hazard to young children.

Incidents/Injuries: None reported.

Description: The stuffed animal and creature toys are made out of cotton and have plastic button eyes. They come in a variety of styles, such as a rabbit, penguin and reindeer. The recalled toys and style numbers are listed below:

Type of Stuffed Toy	Style Number
Brown Plaid Creature (Stubby Stuberson) Pink Striped Dove Grey Dog Hot Pink Creature (Lucy Toothy) White Dog (Dr. Poopsie) Brown Penguin Light Pink Rabbit Brown Reindeer Dark Pink Rabbit (Honey O’Bunny)	612756 600571 600572 612800 612738 612672 612671 612728 612806

The style number is located on a white label sewn into the side seam of the toy.


Sold at: Old Navy stores and on the Web at www.oldnavy.com from July 2008 through February 2009 for between $6 and $10.

Manufactured in: China

Remedy: Consumers should immediately take the recalled stuffed toy away from young children and return it to any Old Navy store for a full refund. If purchased online, contact Old Navy for instructions on returning the toy for a full refund. Consumers who return the toy before July 1, 2009 will also receive a $5 coupon toward a future Old Navy purchase.

Consumer Contact: For additional information, contact Old Navy toll-free at (866) 580-9930 between 9 a.m. and 9 p.m. ET Monday through Friday, or between 12 p.m. and 7 p.m. ET on Saturday, visit the firm’s Web site at www.oldnavy.com, or e-mail the firm at custserv@oldnavy.com

Evenflo Activity Centers Recalled

http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml09/09131.html

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with the firm named below, today announced a voluntary recall of the following consumer product. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed.

Name of Product: Evenflo Activity Centers

Units: About 213,000

Manufacturer: Evenflo Co. Inc., of Miamisburg, Ohio

Hazard: When used as an activity table, the cap on one end of the product can loosen and fall off, posing a fall hazard to a young child.

Incidents/Injuries: Evenflo has received 11 reports of dislodged end caps which resulted in nine minor injuries, including bumps and bruises. Evenflo has also received a report of a dislodged end cap that resulted in a child suffering a broken collarbone in Canada.

Description: The recall involves Evenflo ExerSaucer Triple Fun stationary activity centers made between October 2006 and December 2008. The model number is 6231711. Stage 3 position involves converting the product into an activity table. No other ExerSaucer models use end caps and, therefore, no other models are included in this recall.


Sold at: Juvenile product and mass merchandise stores nationwide, including Toys ‘R Us and Burlington Baby Depot, from October 2006 through February 2009 for about $120.

Manufactured in: United States

Remedy: Consumers should immediately stop using the activity table in Stage 3 and contact Evenflo to receive a free replacement end cap. The product may continue to be used in Stages 1 and 2 without changes.

Consumer Contact: For additional information, contact Evenflo at (800) 233-5921 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. ET Monday through Friday or visit the firm’s Web site at www.exersaucertriplefun.com

Controversies Around Mother of Octuplets

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/front/6255420.html

Among the new information being revealed about the mother of octuplets in California is the common news that she already had 6 children before giving birth. Newly released information shows that she was already receiving $490 per month in food stamps to care for the previous 6.

More controversial is the news that the fertility clinic that she had her in vitro fertilization procedures done by has a dismal success rate, with Ms. Suleman being the only real success story. Of the 61 procedures performed at the clinic, only 5 resulted in pregnancies, and only 2 in births, which experts call absurdly low. Dr. Kamrava places more embryo's per procedure than most other clinics.

His history of poor results comes despite Kamrava placing more embryos per procedure than all but 10 of the nation’s 426 fertility clinics for patients under 35. In 2006, he averaged 3.5 embryos per in vitro fertilization treatment, compared with the national average of 2.3.

iPhone Application for Taking Baby Pictures

http://news.cnet.com/8301-17938_105-10159831-1.html

A new application available for the iPhone plays sounds to draw your baby's attention to the phone for you to use the built-in camera for taking the picture. The application makes realistic sounds of everything from a bell to a rattle or familiar melodies. For anyone who's ever found it difficult to get the baby to look toward the camera instead of watching someone else in the room it might be a great deal at the usual iPhone App price of $0.99.

Tiger Woods Welcomes Birth of Baby Boy

http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,25033572-11088,00.html

The world's best golfer, Tiger Woods, announced on Tuesday that he and his wife Elin have welcomed a new baby boy to their family; Charlie Axel. Tiger & Elin already have a daughter named Sam Alexis who was born in June of 2007.

Blood Test Provides Early Indication of PostPartum

http://health.usnews.com/articles/health/healthday/2009/02/02/blood-test-may-predict-postpartum-depression.html

A new study published in the February issue of Archives of General Psychiatry has discovered that measuring the levels of a hormone produced by the placenta during pregnancy might be able to predict whether a woman is likely to develop postpartum depression.

With a simple blood test it would be possible to correctly identify 75 percent of women who would later develop postpartum. If this new research holds up it's entirely likely that a blood test at 25 weeks into the pregnancy will become standard practice. Earlier intervention may help to alleviate some of the troubles that come with postpartum.

12 Fingers, 12 Toes For Baby Born in January

http://www.findingdulcinea.com/news/health/2009/feb/12-Fingered-12-Toed-Baby-Born-With-Rare-Case-of-Polydactyly.html

A baby born in San Francisco, Kamani Hubbard, was born with 12 fingers & 12 toes in early January, in what doctors are calling a "beautiful variation" of polydactyly. Typically parents will opt to remove the often useless extra digits because they're mislocated or malformed, but in this case the parents & the doctors have decided to leave the extra digits.

Woman Gives Birth in Denver Library

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5gLwrVTDg0-_ZsC6c-jkoAvd7QaLAD95VS89G0

A woman in Denver walked into a public library on the last Tuesday of January and said that she'd been riding the city bus and was going into labor. There wasn't any time to get her past the entrance, and she gave birth right there in the library. Paramedics arrived and took both mother and newborn to Denver Health Medical Center.

Safety 1st Stair Gates Recalled

http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml09/09117.html

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with the firm named below, today announced a voluntary recall of the following consumer product. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed.

Name of Product: Safety 1st SmartLight Stair Gates

Units: 100,000

Importer: Dorel Juvenile Group USA, of Columbus, Ind.

Hazard: The hinges that hold the stair gate in place can break, posing a fall hazard to children if the gate is placed at the top of the stairs.

Incidents/Injuries: None reported.

Description: The recall involves the Safety 1st SmartLight Stair Gate with model number 42111, which is printed on a sticker under the handle panel. The gates, which were manufactured before December 31, 2007, are white metal with a gray handle and a motion sensor nightlight that illuminates on approach. The manufacture date is located below the gate’s handle as a date wheel imprinted in the plastic; an arrow indicates the month, and the year is stamped inside the circle. The manufacture date is also printed on a sticker inside the battery door.



Sold at: Mass merchandise and juvenile product stores nationwide, including Babies R Us and Wal-Mart, from January 2005 through December 2007 for about $60.

Manufactured in: China

Remedy: Consumers should stop using the recalled gate and contact the company to obtain a free repair kit.

Consumer Contact: Consumers can call the toll-free number 1 (866) 690-2540 Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m EDT; complete an online order form on the Dorel Juvenile Group Web site at www.djgusa.com/safety_notice/ to obtain their free repair kit; email the company at Smartlightgate@djgusa.com, or send a fax to (800) 207-8182. Consumers should not return product to retail stores.