A newly published trial has revealed that a widely available probiotic reduced average daily crying time in babies with colic by at least half in 82.6% of infants.  Colic is a very common condition that affects around one in five babies. Symptoms include excessive and inconsolable crying in a baby that otherwise appears to be healthy and […]

12 years ago

That “free education” offered to Irish children appears to be getting more and more expensive, with the average price of sending a child to a non fee-paying school topping €800 this year.  According to research by the Irish League of Credit Unions (ILCU), Irish mums and dads will fork out €816 for books and uniforms, […]

12 years ago

Not all parents are lucky enough to have a ready and willing relative to take on childcare full time, but according to the latest research, children who are looked after by a family member have better language skills by the age of three.  Kids who are looked after in a creche setting benefit in different […]

12 years ago

Whether it’s a drop of wine with dinner or a glass of stout “for  iron”, most of us have explained away the odd tipple consumed by a pregnant friend, but according to a new study, Irish women urgently need to address the relationship between bump and booze. More than 75 per cent of women in […]

12 years ago

Nipples. We all have ’em, but for some reason men can get their’s out in public while us gals must hide our’s away like some kind of terribly shameful anatomical anomaly. Until recently, Instagram and Facebook had a strict ‘no female nipples’ policy. You could post a photo of a beheading, sure. But a boob? […]

12 years ago

A leading obstetrician has warned pregnant women that ‘thinking too much’ can hinder labour. Dr Michael Odent says that switching off conscious thought increases the likelihood of the ‘foetus ejection reflex’, which allows the baby to be born with no conscious effort by the mother. Speaking to New Scientist, Dr Odent said: ‘The neocortex is useful for […]

12 years ago

We already rely on them for news, weather reports and keeping up with friends and family, but soon our smartphones could have one more important function: detecting pregnancies.  A team at the Hanover Centre for Optical Technologies (HOT), University of Hanover, Germany have developed a self-contained fiber optic sensor for smartphones with the potential for use […]

12 years ago

Browse and brunch on Leeside  Managed to nab yourself a Sunday sitter? Nice work. Now to make the most of that blissful child-free afternoon. Kick off with a nose through some records at Cork Record Fair at Cork Community Print Shop (from 11am). Afterwards hit Gulpd Café at the Triskel for brunch and as much […]

12 years ago

Changes to the One Parent Family Payment come into effect today, in a move Sinn Féin President Gerry Adams claims “ignores the valuable social and economic role that lone parents make in raising their children.” As of today, single parents who are in receipt of social welfare will be required to look for work or training […]

12 years ago

The parents of overweight children are paying more for school uniforms because their kids no longer fit into sizes designed for under 10s.  School uniforms for children under the age of 10 are exempt from VAT, but suppliers claim that some children as young as seven no longer fit into the largest under 10 sizes. […]

12 years ago

If you though sending them to school was expensive, try keeping the kids at home during the holidays: Irish parents expect to spend an average of €547 per child on entertainment this summer. Costs include extra toys, books and computer games, day trips, play dates and summer camps throughout the two month break. Those who […]

12 years ago

Its motto is ‘no news, no shoes’, but a Maldives hotel made headlines worldwide after being named the best hotel on the planet, this year. An intimate coral island set in a sparkling lagoon, with jetties threading across the water out to spacious luxury villas, Gili Lankanfushi is a slice of utter paradise in the North […]

12 years ago

Cheap as chips (and much tastier)

12 years ago

The daughters of working mothers grow up to be higher earners in more senior roles, according to a new study. A survey that spanned 25 developed countries revealed that the female children of women who work tend to be better educated. Their grown-up sons also achieved career success but also spent more time looking after children […]

12 years ago

For some it’s a hangover cure. For others, it’s a 1,000-calorie guilty pleasure only indulged in once a year, but whether you’re a fan of the McDonald’s Breakfast or not, it could soon be a lot easier to get your greedy hands on.  The problem with the Maccy D’s breakfast, you see, has always been […]

12 years ago

The summer holidays have officially started and what better way to keep the kids out of your hair (and out of your house) than with a fun outdoor craft project? These cute bracelets are made from little else but some popsicle sticks, available in any art supplies store. The best kind of crafts are the […]

12 years ago

A newborn baby snatched from a hospital nursery has been returned following a frantic search.  The baby girl was taken from the Pannadhay Wing at MB General Hospital in Udaipur city, Rajasthan on Sunday. The kidnapper, a middle-aged woman who told doctors she was bringing the infant to its mother to be fed, was captured […]

12 years ago

All children who have been diagnosed with cancer are now entitled to receive a medical card for five years.  The change, which comes into force today as the free GP care for under sixes scheme goes live, is retrospective, meaning all children who have received cancer diagnoses since 2000 are also eligible. Minister for Primary […]

12 years ago

The free GP care for under sixes scheme officially goes live today, with 79,000 out of a potential 270,000 eligible children registered.  The scheme is now fully operational for parents who have signed up and received a card, which entitles children under the age of six to free GP visits and asthma care, as well as assessments […]

12 years ago

Approximately 70 per cent of Irish householders registered with Irish Water ahead of yesterday’s deadline, claiming a €100 water conservation grant from the Department of Social Protection. While the figure is an estimation, roughly 1.3 million people are believed to have registered. A Government official confirmed the full figures will be published “in due course”. With yet […]

12 years ago

Three Dublin maternity hospitals are set to be relocated following a review of services.  According to plans due to be published today, the Rotunda hospital will be relocated to Blanchardstown, Holles Street will move to St Vincent’s, and the Coombe will move to St James’ Hospital. The plan is part of a Department of Health […]

12 years ago

Overall we’re more open-minded than ever before, but when it comes to the issue of pornography, it seems men and women simply can’t see eye-to-eye.  According to a new Gallup poll, while both sexes are finding more once-taboo behaviours “morally acceptable”, the issue of porn is the most divisive. The poll revealed that 43 per cent […]

12 years ago

It started as a joke, a bit of fun to break the stress of early parenthood. But one dad’s dark sense of humour has won him a slew of fans all over the world.  Dave Engledow started taking funny photos illustrating his lack of parenting nous four years ago, when his daughter Alice Bee was […]

12 years ago

It’s already one of the most popular apps among savvy Irish parents, but now BabyDoc has added even more features designed to help you get the most bang for your buck on the weekly shop. The free app, which brings supermarket special offers on baby products directly into the hands of shoppers via their smartphone, […]

12 years ago

Irish parents could receive an extra €60 in child benefit next year. Tánaiste Joan Burton is calling for an increase of €5 per month ahead of the Government’s final pre-election budget. Speaking to The Irish Times about the proposed increase, which would be the second in two years, the Minister for Social Protection said: “It […]

12 years ago

Amelia Freer literally glows with health. So intense is her radiance that no mortal woman could ever be pictured beside her without first enduring a six-week juice cleanse, a facial and a colonic. So I didn’t. Instead I sat in front of her and mined all the nutritional advice you could possibly squeeze from someone […]

12 years ago

Raise a glass to the G&T Dublin, assorted venues The Dublin Gin & Tonic Fest continues until tomorrow night, celebrating all things gin. Expect new tipples, fancy tonics and creative garnishes at 30 venues across Dublin city. Pick up a €5 wristband at any participating venue and enjoy a 30% discount on the special Irish Gin […]

12 years ago

A Malaysian company has launched a pair of trousers designed to ‘preserve the dignity of females’ during childbirth. As if pushing that poppet out of your lady bits wasn’t enough of a challenge, online shop MamaPride believe there should also be an option to do it while keeping your knees, thighs and even your ankles […]

12 years ago

A Cork family that took out a €37,500 bank loan to pay for their little boy’s operation has slammed the HSE for reneging on an agreement to pay for the surgery.  Two-year-old Josh Butler, who is deaf, is in Verona today, ahead of his scheduled auditory brain stem implant surgery tomorrow. The pioneering surgery is […]

12 years ago

There’s an ever-evolving selection of excellent children’s writers to choose from these days, yet Irish parents still prefer the classics, with Enid Blyton and Roald Dahl topping the list of favourite children’s authors.  According to a survey of Irish mums and dads, carried out ahead of the Bord Gáis Little Readers campaign, more than half […]

12 years ago

If you love nothing better than filling your trolley with flat-pack furniture (and your belly with cheap Swedish meatballs), but don’t fancy the stressful car journey to reach your nearest IKEA, this could change everything.  The bigwigs at everybody’s favourite house stuff stockists have decided to trial a smaller, high street version of the store, […]

12 years ago

A rapper has become an overnight internet sensation, after posting a photo of himself rinsing his wife’s breast pump on Facebook. Pro breastfeeding sites such as The Leaky Boob hailed Michigan Christian rapper George Moss for supporting his wife Michelle and helping to normalise breastfeeding, after he uploaded this image: If you ever wonder what […]

12 years ago

Actress Jennifer Love Hewitt and her husband Brian Hallisay have welcomed their second child. Atticus James Hallisay arrived yesterday, a brother to 19-month-old Autumn James. A classical name, Atticus has long been associated with intellect and learning. The best-known example is noble Atticus Finch in the book To Kill a Mockingbird. Speaking to American Baby recently, […]

12 years ago

Television weather forecaster Evelyn Cusack has warned Irish women to tone down their wardrobe if they want to succeed at work. The 50-year-old presenter, mum to 15-year-old daughter Fleur, said she feels being “too frivolously dressed” can hamper your career opportunities. Speaking to Woman’s Way, Cusack said: “It’s hard to take a woman seriously when you’re […]

12 years ago

A US mom has taken the concept of mortifying your teenagers to new heights, hiring a €647 billboard near her son’s school… to tell the world just how proud she is of him. Ovella O’Neil’s 18-year-old son Aljelani ‘AJ’ Igwe was celebrating his graduation, presumably with friends, in a nice, low-key fashion, when the gigantic […]

12 years ago

From luscious chocolate tones to the dreaded shade ‘mousey’, anyone with brown hair knows the importance of tone. Whether you’re between salon appointments or you’d like to give your natural hair colour a little lift, of all the tricks we’ve tried and tested over the years, these are the very best. MORE: Brightening Hair Hacks […]

12 years ago

One of our favourite suppliers of cool kitchen ware, gifts and mind-blowing candles, Industry is now serving up fresh food too. The Drury Street design mecca’s in-house menu starts with brekkie (8.30am) and signature dishes such as homemade breakfast Bircher Muesli (with oats soaked overnight in apple juice and spices, topped with Greek yogurt – […]

12 years ago

Professional rent-a-gob Katie Hopkins is at it again today, this time directing her wrath at breastfeeding women and stay-at-home mums.  Writing in her column for Closer magazine, Katie lets loose on society princess Tamara Ecclestone, who hit the headlines this week for posting a breastfeeding selfie on Instagram. All that swimming is thirsty work ? […]

12 years ago

A tweet from the HSE advising parents to take their children to the GP for “cuts, scrapes and allergies” has been deleted after it caused uproar among doctors. With many GPs still claiming the free GP care for under sixes scheme is unworkable and will lead to extra visits (544 have yet to sign up), […]

12 years ago

It’s tough being a celebrity parent. Money, fame, mansions and night nurses aside, thanks to social media the whole world is watching as you take your first clumsy steps into parenthood. Take Ryan Reynolds for example. There he was, enjoying a day out in nature with his baby daughter James and gorgeous wife, Blake Lively. […]

12 years ago

An Aussie grandfather believes he might have found a way to guarantee a full night’s sleep to stressed-out new parents. Queensland’s Frank Maunders, who is currently seeking Kickstarter funding for an audio device that mimicks the sounds heard by a baby inside its mothers womb, is seeking up to $57,000 to mass produce his invention, […]

12 years ago

The composer behind some of the biggest movie soundtracks in recent memory, including Braveheart and Titanic, has died in a plane crash in Southern California. American composer and conductor James Horner, 61, was killed when his light aircraft crashed in the Los Padres National Forest. Though the crash victim was not immediately identified, Horner’s attorney said, “we know it’s […]

12 years ago

The Health Service Executive has come up with a solution for parents who are finding it difficult to find a local GP to sign up their child for free visits. If a family has made three unsuccessful attempts, they will be assigned a doctor, it was confirmed yesterday. Only 73 per cent of all doctors […]

12 years ago

Looking at their innocent expressions, you’d imagine that butter wouldn’t melt in their mouths. In reality though, kids are smart. It doesn’t take them long to figure out how to transfer the blame for any misdemeanours to a little brother, a friend… a ghost. Watch these kids try (and fail) to explain away a variety […]

12 years ago

England is to become the first country in the world to offer the meningitis vaccine to all babies born in its hospitals.  The inoculation, which guards against meningitis and septicaemia caused by the meningococcal B (MenB) bacteria, will be rolled out nationwide in September after the UK government reached a deal with GlaxoSmithKline. The jab will […]

12 years ago

They are frequently cast as the joker, the comedian or the clown, but the Dad is becoming popular in advertising once again, particularly over the Father’s Day weekend. To celebrate, we’ve compiled our top three Dad ads. All of them are tear-jerkers, so don’t say we didn’t warn you… 1. Adult children raised by single […]

12 years ago

A collection of anonymous postcards written by strangers to their fathers reveals the hilarious and heartbreaking secrets sons and daughters could never tell their Dads. Jonny Biggins, Jason Bramley and Steve Hanson from personalised gift company The Book of Dad handed out 3,000 blank ‘What I never told my dad’ postcards. The completed cards reveal the […]

12 years ago

Trying for baby? A sun holiday could help speed up the process significantly, according to scientists.  Apparently, increasing your sun exposure one month before you conceive can boost your chances of becoming pregnant by up to one third. Researcher Dr. Frank Vandekerckhove of the University Hospital Ghent studied the IVF results of more than 6,000 women, […]

12 years ago

He’s the guy who flung you so high into the air that you thought you might disappear into the clouds forever; the man who stole your nose, put the batteries in the talking dolly on Christmas morning and stayed up until 2am to collect you from the nightclub.  Dads are many things to many people, […]

12 years ago

Members of the public are being invited to suggest improvements they would like to see in the new National Maternity Strategy. The Department of Health is hoping patients in particular will ‘make their views known’ about the plan, given the recent controversy over hospital standards in Ireland. According to Minister for Health Leo Varadkar, the […]

12 years ago