A philosophy designed to help women give birth naturally and without medical intervention, HypnoBirthing classes are experiencing a significant spike in popularity. In fact, so many women are turning to self-hypnosis in the UK that midwives there believe that HypnoBirthing will be standard antenatal practice within the next ten years. According to a report in […]

11 years ago

The majority of Irish parents believe the Government should do more to help Irish families with back-to-school costs. The cost of putting a child through their first year of secondary school has increased substantially for September 2015, with parents of teenage children now expected to shell out €785, an increase of €50 on 2014, and now […]

11 years ago

If there’s one thing we talk about more than anything else here at HerFamily.ie HQ, it is dessert. Most recently we’ve been swooning over miniature Poptarts and Ferrero Rocher cupcakes, then there was donut-topped milkshakes and a peanut butter mug cake, the best no-bake fudge squares, oh… and the Nutella ice pop. And that’s just August. […]

11 years ago

Parents have been urged to check children’s rooms for an IKEA nightlight that’s been recalled due to concerns over its safety. The brand’s PATRULL nightlight, which has an orange sensor bulb, has been sold in Europe and North America since 2013. Today parents have been warned to unplug the light and stop using it immediately. […]

11 years ago

Unless you’ve witnessed it with your own eyes, you would never believe the sheer speed at which an unattended child can conjure up a mess that will leave you so awe-struck you can’t even get mad.  Five chubby fingers and one tiny pot of Sudocreme can go an impressively long way, for instance. And you […]

11 years ago

A confronting image of a newborn baby lying under its mother’s Caesarean-section wound has been shared millions of times all over the world, with many women saying it has helped them to accept their own C-section scars.   The photographer who caught the black and white image, Helen Aller, from Guernsey, was asked to visit […]

11 years ago

Oliver and Amelia have been revealed as the year’s top baby names in England and Wales. Despite the growing popularity of the name George, in honour of his royal highness Prince George of Cambridge, and Lily, which replaced Mia in the top 10 most popular girls’ names, Amelia has been in the top spot since 2011 while […]

11 years ago

Leaving Certificate students are only just beginning to contemplate their CAO offers, but according to a new survey, their parents may have been planning for their college days for more than 18 years. The majority of Irish parents (51 per cent) started saving for their children’s college fund when their children were infants or even before […]

11 years ago

Chatty (little) Man

11 years ago

A Mayo family is painting the town of Ballinrobe pink after welcoming the first female addition to the bloodline in 117 years.  Baby Saoirse Grace May arrived on Thursday at Galway University Hospital, breaking a tradition that has stood since 1898 and giving parents Leanne and Laurence the surprise of their lives. Speaking to The […]

11 years ago

Learn from the barbecue masters Herbert Park, Dublin, August 13-16 After a sell-out first year, The Big Grill BBQ & Craft Beer Festival is back in Herbert Park, Ballsbridge this weekend. Meet some of the world’s best BBQ stars and pitmasters at their demos and talks, check out Ireland’s first USA style slow ‘n’ low BBQ competition, drop […]

11 years ago

Improvements to the tune of €1 million are to to go ahead at the Rotunda, despite plans to move the facility to the Connolly Hospital campus in Blanchardstown at some stage in the near future. The money is to be spent on redeveloping mortuary services, specifically post mortem services, for maternity units in Drogheda and Cavan. […]

11 years ago

A woman who was abandoned in a cardboard box as a baby has launched a fresh appeal for information on her birth parents. Elizabeth Ryland (57) was only five days old when she was discovered by a passer-by on Grafton Street, Manchester, in March, 1958. The 5 pounds 8 ounce baby was taken to a children’s […]

11 years ago

Part of the magic of having kids is watching them figure out the world around them, marveling at each and every little discovery.  In this outrageously adorable video, little Teddy, safely clad in his very own life jacket, catches his very first fish using a miniature fishing rod from a wooden jetty. Thing is, he […]

11 years ago

Women who suffer one miscarriage or have one abortion are 30 per cent more likely to have problematic pregnancies in the future, according to an unnerving new study. Researchers at Tel Aviv University studied 15,000 deliveries over five years, comparing data from women who had a single previous first trimester interruption and those who had […]

11 years ago

A group of researchers at University College Cork are recruiting hundreds of first-time mums to take part in a study they hope will help save lives in the future. The IMPROvED study, funded by the European Union, is being run in Ireland through the INFANT Centre in UCC and participating pregnant women will receive free […]

11 years ago

Cork grooms-to-be top the league of big spenders on engagement rings, with more men in the Rebel County dropping up to €3,500 on a sparkler than anywhere else in Ireland. The Leeside lovers were closely followed by Dublin men, who spend an average €2,149 on the diamond, Galway guys, who blow an average €1,449 on […]

11 years ago

Keira Knightley welcomed her first child with musician husband James Righton at the start of the summer, but the pair have only just decided to share their baby daughter’s name with the public.  In an interview and cover story with Elle magazine to mark her 30th birthday, the actress revealed they called their baby girl […]

11 years ago

The hit Channel Four TV show Gogglebox is to replace its entire cast of real-life TV critics… with children. Series favourites such as Scarlett Moffat, Leon and June and Steph and Dom will enjoy a week off as an opinionated bunch of under-13-year-olds take over for a once-off Christmas special. According to Tim Harcourt, Creative Director […]

11 years ago

When Dawn Ardolino-Policastro’s identical twin sister Allison discovered she was unable to have another baby, the doctor had barely finished delivering the heartbreaking news before she had come up with a selfless solution.  As the oncologist gave his professional opinion (Allison had beaten breast cancer but her treatment left her unable to carry another baby) Dawn […]

11 years ago

If you feel like a cross between Martha Stewart and Nigella every time your cut the crusts off your kids’ toast, it might be best to look away now.  Melbourne mum Laleh Mohmed is gaining a devout following on Instagram for her lunchtime creations, each one lovingly made in the likeness of a cartoon character for […]

11 years ago

If the forecasters are to be believed there’s some warm weather on the way, but with the autumn stock arriving in stores daily, it might be a little late to go sourcing shorts for lazy days and barbecues.  But worry not: with a little creativity, you could be rocking a new pair every day for […]

11 years ago

If you’ve been earning extra income by renting out part of your home to Airbnb guests, you could be about to receive a rather large tax bill.  The website, which allows travellers to rent accommodation from local hosts in more than 190 countries, is about to hand over client details for 9,000 Irish properties listed […]

11 years ago

An eye-opening new photo collection shows the mind-numbing effects television has on children. In ‘Idiot Box’, Australian artist Donna Stevens’ stark images show kids slack-jawed and expressionless as they stare at the screen. The Brooklyn-based creative says the series (shot while children watched TV) was an exploration into the ‘co-dependent yet contradictory relationship’ we all share with technology and […]

11 years ago

Salt: Not just for sprinkling on chips

11 years ago

This sweet-toothed twosome are mad about marshmallows

11 years ago

Put down that coffee cup: the scent of lemon could be all you need to improve your concentration and make you more alert. It’s just one of the amazing health benefits scientists have discovered in the sunniest citrus fruit, alongside its powerful antiseptic properties and the hefty dose of immune-boosting Vitamin C the fruit contains. […]

11 years ago

You heard it here first: paper garlands are the new bunting. The must-have piece of DIY decor for a baby shower entryway or a wedding dessert table, these strings of prettiness can set you back up to €50 a piece online, but with some euro-store crepe, a scissors and some creativity, you can whip up […]

12 years ago

When his little girl was about to get her second cochlear implant, Alistair Campbell came up with a novel way of making her feel more comfortable about the operation. The New Zealand dad had a cochlear implant tattooed on the side of his head, much to the delight of six-year-old Charlotte, who deemed it ‘cool’. […]

12 years ago

We’re the ‘want it now’ generation, with almost everything available overnight or to-go, but when it comes to meeting your new baby, there’s no bypassing that nine-month wait. Until now, that is; these days expectant mums and dads can order a 3D printed model of their unborn child… while it’s still in the womb. The […]

12 years ago

There’s nothing like sloughing away all your dull dead skin in the shower to make you feel like a smoother, softer, more goddess-like version of yourself.  Organic brands charge up to €40 a jar for their exfoliating and moisturising mixtures, but they’re deceptively easy to make at home… and a whole lot cheaper too. All […]

12 years ago

Netflix is the latest company to change its policies in support of parents, announcing “unlimited” paid maternity and paternity leave for employees during the first 12 months after a birth or adoption.  The generous move, announced on the Netflix blog, is part of a bid to attract more talent to the company and will take […]

12 years ago

They’ve carried us through the ups and the downs, the letting loose and the growing up, the births and the babies and the bumps in the road.  So why then, has the wrong light or a summer sundress or a dodgy mirror got the power to make us feel so damn bad about our bodies? […]

12 years ago

It’s almost back-to-school time and for us that means new stationery and pencil cases… even for the grown-ups.  Here’s our pick of the cutest bags for stowing pens and pencils this September… Cheeky Seagull Pencil Case, €17, Poppy Treffry Geek Pencil Case, €14.42, TillyAnna Bunny Pencil Case, €17, RawXclusive Positive Message Pencil Case, €10.65, Claire […]

12 years ago

As far a melt-ability and chocolatey-ness are concerned, you can’t beat an Oreo as an accompaniment to that 11am cuppa. Now the game has been upped significantly with the launch of two new Oreo flavours: the Golden Oreo (a creamy vanilla biscuit not a million miles away from the custard cream) and (thrillingly), a limited […]

12 years ago

Singer Gwen Stefani and rocker husband Gavin Rossdale are to divorce after 13 years of marriage. The Hollywood couple cited irreconcilable differences for the split and have applied to share custody of their young sons Kingston, 9, Zuma, 6 and one-year-old Apollo. A statement read: “While the two of us have come to the mutual decision that we […]

12 years ago

It’s easy, being green

12 years ago

We like this kid’s style.

12 years ago

Drink & Draw Tuesday & Thursday fortnightly, Franciscan Well, Cork A bi-weekly gathering of local artists, Drink & Draw allows Leeside creative types to socialise and share ideas, skills and inspiration. All skill levels and all ages welcome (over 18s only). Bring your own art supplies. Details here. Feel the beat The Beatyard, Dun Laoghaire, August […]

12 years ago

A family photo taken by a doting Daddy has gone viral… for all the wrong reasons.  At first glance, the snap is a sweet picture of the man’s partner with their tiny newborn baby asleep on her chest, the infants tiny feet peeking out under the blanket. Carefully cropped however, the image looks like something […]

12 years ago

Corral your pins in one place

12 years ago

Ten soups have been recalled by Musgrave Retail Partners because they may contain plastic.  The warning about the soups, made by Ballymaguire Foods and stocked in SuperValu and Centra stores, was issued after Musgrave “initiated a precautionary product recall on a number of its Own Brand soup varieties due to the possible presence of hard particles, […]

12 years ago

A new proposal would see streets closed off for certain amounts of time to allow children to play freely in their own neighbourhoods. The play order is the brainchild of Dublin City Councillor Deirdre Heney, who will trial the idea in the Northside suburb of Donnycarney in the coming weeks. Under the plan, communities would […]

12 years ago

A four-year-old boy has died following an accident on a Co. Mayo farm.  The scene, at Ballinaboy near Belmullet, has been sealed off by investigators after the tragedy, which happened at around 8.30pm last night. Unconfirmed reports suggest the child may have been hit by a farm vehicle. He was rushed to Belmullet hospital but pronounced […]

12 years ago

He’s the fist-pumping baby that launched a thousand positive memes: 11-month-old Sammy Griner was the adorable face behind one of the original viral images. Incredibly, that was almost eight years ago. These days, Sammy is more Success Boy than Success Baby. Sammy’s mum Laney Griner, from Jacksonville, Florida, sent the following throwback tweet to her […]

12 years ago

Newsflash: the Cronut is well and truly over. The flaky illegitimate child of the croissant and custard donut has been ousted from its No. 1 spot by a bolder, better treat. Oh yes. The most fashionable confection to be Instagrammed with these days is the Macaronut: a delectable macaron/donut hybrid. The deep-fried piece of heaven first […]

12 years ago

An eight-year-old boy from Philadelphia has received a double hand transplant, becoming the youngest patient ever to undergo the procedure.  Zion Harvey’s hands and feet were amputated when he contracted a life-threatening infection at age two. The brave Baltimore youngster also survived a kidney transplant and went on to live a full life despite his […]

12 years ago

Doctors (and experience) have told us that eating for two during pregnancy leads to excess weight gain. But new research suggests there might be another (sneaky) reason why the extra calories consumed during those nine months have such a lasting impact on a woman’s BMI. Scientists have discovered that hormones released during pregnancy appear to […]

12 years ago

Life can be a wild ride sometimes. Between the drop-offs and the collections, navigating bath times and cutting the soldiers for the boiled eggs, you can lose track of what’s important. These little tricks will help ensure your brood (and the various adults in your life) are well taken care of emotionally as well as […]

12 years ago

Having played an imaginary friend himself in the hit TV show Moone Boy, there are few people better equipped to advise youngsters on how to manage their own invisible mates than actor Chris O’Dowd.  And now London’s Heathrow Airport has enlisted the help of the actor, producer, new Dad and all-round comedy genius in making a […]

12 years ago