The nesting phase of pregnancy is truly the most exciting part of the whole nine months. If you’ve found everything up until then a tad underwhelming don’t worry you are not alone. Let’s face it, lot’s of us can’t make out the baby’s face on the weird lava lamp-like foetal assessment scans. Peeing in a […]

10 years ago

Dublin-based businesswoman Sarah O’Connor is co-founder of The Cool Bean Company. Here’s her take on what it takes to be Queen Bean in the incredibly competitive food market. Having hit Irish supermarkets in September 2014, the Cool Food Company is rapidly becoming a household brand. With two Blas na hEireann (Irish Food Awards) on the mantlepiece already, […]

10 years ago

By measuring brainwaves, it is possible to predict what a child’s reading level will be years in advance. Researchers Sarah Laszlo and Mallory Stites from Binghamton University in New York, measured the brain activity of children and then compared it to their school report cards, their vocabulary and other signs of reading success two years later. […]

10 years ago

Ensuring your children’s car seats are fitted correctly is the law and it could save your child’s life. March is Car Safety Month, so HerFamily spoke to the car seat experts at Mothercare to find out exactly what parents need to know about car seat safety, rear facing car seats, and the latest EU legislation. So, […]

10 years ago

When you’re a sleep-deprived mama in the newborn trenches there may appear to be no rhyme or reason to your baby’s sleep pattern (or lack thereof). Fear not, your little one’s internal biological clock will take charge…eventually.  Here’s everything you need to know about sleep in your baby’s first year: Sleep is a vital part of […]

10 years ago

Does the word ‘camping’ fill you with abject horror? Or does it bring back happy memories of a childhood spent cosily tucked up in a tent with your siblings? Well, 2017 has replaced camping with glamping and HerFamily are here to give you the lowdown on what it’s really like to live in a teepee […]

10 years ago

A number of Irish primary schools have suspended the Goodness Me, Goodness You! religious education programme which controversially segregates children according to their religious faith. Goodness Me, Goodness You! is a multi-belief programme for children of all faiths and none. It is taught in Community National Schools (CNSs) and was developed by the National Council […]

10 years ago

Look, every parent loses it now and again. Fact. The reality of parenting is that sometimes it’s just really, really, hard to stay calm.  You know those moments when you’re burning the dinner while trying to listen to reading homework, and the other one is calling you to come and wipe their bum? You can […]

10 years ago

As if you needed a reminder, tomorrow is Mother’s Day and you know what that means. Yup, being woken up extra early to be inundated with homemade crafts and (an inedible) breakfast in bed. Aww bless their little cotton socks. Apart from gifts made out of painted toilet rolls, what do mums really want for […]

10 years ago

Inactive teens have weaker bones than those who are more physically active. Researchers at Canada’s Vancouver Coastal Health Research Institute, measured the physical activity and bone strength of 309 teenagers over a specific four-year period that is crucial for lifelong, healthy skeletal development. Lead researcher Leigh Gabel, who is completing her PhD in orthopaedics says the […]

10 years ago

Fans will get the opportunity to pay their respects to not one, but two Hollywood legends today at the public memorial of actress mother and daughter Debbie Reynolds and Carrie Fisher. Debbie Reynolds died as a result of a severe stroke last December, at the age of 84, just one day after her 60-year-old daughter […]

10 years ago

Children of older mums have fewer emotional and behavioural problems, according to a new Danish study. A new study of 4,741 mothers and children in Denmark, published in The European Journal of Developmental Psychology, has found that older mums resort less to verbal and physical punishment when compared with younger mothers. The research also demonstrated that children of […]

10 years ago

A shocking report released today by the Trade Union Congress, has shown that Ireland is at the bottom of the European league table when it comes to paid maternity leave. The Trade Union Congress, the umbrella organisation of Britain’s trade unions, has found Ireland is the worst country in Europe in relation to paid maternity leave. Responding […]

10 years ago

#superlunchnotes

10 years ago

This maternity photo shoot stars an extra-special guest. This maternity photo shoot may look like many others but these photos come with a rather lovely twist. This mum starred in the shoot alongside her husband and her egg donor. In a feature for Glamour, Dr Shannon Clark, the founder a website for older mums trying to conceive, […]

10 years ago

Prepare to feel old. Very old. Would you believe me if I told you that it’s been 26 years since Father of the Bride came out in cinemas? It’s true, unfortunately. For many of us ladies of a certain vintage, this daddy-daughter wedding movie holds a special place in our heart. The lovable George Banks’ […]

10 years ago

Sure a lot of the time we pretend we know exactly what we’re doing…but most of the time we’re delightfully clueless. Pregnancy: one of life’s great ‘just wing it and you’ll be grand’ events. And while experience, instinct, and educated guessing helps (along with the love and support of HerFamily, of course!), there is also a […]

10 years ago

What advice does one of Ireland’s top business women have for entrepreneurs? Go big, if you want to take the biscuit. This week on The Capital B business podcast, the co-founder and marketing/innovation director of the East Coast Bakehouse and RTE’s newest Dragon’s Den panelist, Alison Cowzer, shared some great advice for budding entrepreneurs. And admitted that […]

10 years ago

Media outlets frequently paint a shameful picture of the lives and experiences of Au Pairs as vulnerable workers exploited in a sector that is largely unregulated. HerFamily spoke to 25-year-old Claire* from Dublin, about her experience as an Au Pair in the Canary Islands looking after four-year-old twins. *Claire has chosen to remain anonymous in order […]

10 years ago

Want to get your mum something other than the usual box of Milk Tray and bunch of flowers this Sunday? All out of ideas for something a bit different? Or maybe it’s hubby hint-dropping time for some much needed mama time-out for yourself? Fear not, we’ve done the legwork for you and rounded up the […]

10 years ago

Meet the living dolls. The uncanny resemblance of these toddlers to their non-human doppelganger dolls is one of the funniest things we’ve seen all day. We had to share the weirdness… Obviously, the doll makers didn’t plan on finding an exact human representative of their lump of formed plastic, but hey, the world is a funny […]

10 years ago

This week, yet another gender pay scandal hit the headlines as news broke that Emma Walmsley, the new CEO of pharmaceutical powerhouse GlaxoSmithKline, will be paid 25% less than her male predecessor, Andrew Witty. The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines the word ‘scandal’ as “a circumstance or action that offends propriety or established moral conceptions.” In this […]

10 years ago

Dee McNamara and Jim Haide live in Blessington with their seven-year-old daughter Julianne, who has Down syndrome and has not been seen by a HSE Speech and Language Therapist in over 18 months. Today marks World Down Syndrome Day. Earlier this week, parents Jim Haide and Dee McNamara were pictured outside Leinster House with their seven-year-old daughter […]

10 years ago

We don’t tend to equate our mood with what we put in our mouth, but the mental health impact of an unbalanced diet is very real. Lifestyle, and in particular a balanced diet, is one of the pillars of positive mood and mental health. People with heart problems, diabetes, and other physical illnesses are educated about […]

10 years ago

A BBC School Report survey shows 70% of 11-16 year olds have experienced one or more negative feelings in the last 12 months, ranging from feeling upset and unhappy to feeling anxious, frightened or unsafe. The survey of more than 1,000 students was conducted by ComRes as part of BBC School Report’s annual News Day, […]

10 years ago

A hairdresser has shared a touching professional experience, after she helped a woman with depression to feel good about herself and her appearance. Kate Langman, a hair stylist at the Ulta Beauty Salon, has shared a moving story about a client with depression. The hairdresser posted the story to Love What Matters, a website that encourages people […]

10 years ago

Untreated sleep apnoea in children can harm brain cells tied to cognition and mood. A study comparing children between 7 and 11 years of age who have moderate or severe sleep apnoea to children the same age who slept normally, found significant reductions of grey matter (brain cells involved in movement, memory, emotions, speech, perception, […]

10 years ago

Childhood bullying can be particularly difficult to tackle as it can be subtle in nature and therefore harder for adults to detect. Bullying is (usually) repetitive and bullies typically use a variety of means to scare or establish control over other children. It can range from hurtful statements, to verbal threats, social isolation or rejection. […]

10 years ago

A heartbroken mum has issued a stark warning to parents about the dangers of big bow headbands after her 14-week-old baby girl suffocated while wearing one. Leanne Wilson posted the warning to Facebook on behalf of a friend whose daughter tragically died as a result of a headband slipping over her nose and mouth while she lay sleeping in […]

10 years ago

Almost half (46%) of children point blank refuse to eat their veg, according to a new study of parents. Researchers who surveyed parents about their children’s eating habits have found that a staggering 75% of mums and dads have concerns about their little ones’ fussy eating. A further 52% claimed their child’s refusal to eat healthy […]

10 years ago

A one-year-old boy has tragically died after being found with injuries at a flat in the Finsbury Park area of North London. A girl of the same age remains in a critical condition. Police were called to Wilberforce Road in Finsbury Park on Saturday night and discovered the toddlers who were subsequently rushed to a hospital […]

10 years ago

Thousands of families and young children were forced to queue in the rain for long periods before being turned away from GamerCon yesterday. There were chaotic scenes at Dublin’s Convention Centre yesterday as thousands of families were forced to wait to gain entrance to the gaming convention ‘GamerCon’. After queuing in bad weather conditions for extended periods, […]

10 years ago

A four-year-old girl was seriously injured in a two vehicle crash in Co Clare yesterday morning. The collision took place on the Ennis to Ennistymon road in Clare on Wednesday morning at approximately 9am, the Irish Independent reports. Emergency crews, including three ambulances, two units of the Ennistymon fire brigade, and a paramedic unit attended the […]

10 years ago

A group of high school students in the US have formed a club to ensure no student eats alone at lunchtime. Denis Estimon, a senior student at Boca High in Florida, told CBS News that he founded the ‘We Dine Together’ club based on his own experiences of lunchtime isolation as a Haitian immigrant. With 3,400 of the […]

10 years ago

For any bread addicts who try not to eat too much to maintain a healthy weight or to avoid gluten, we think this little recipe might just change your life.  Brought to you by one of the coolest foodie sites on the planet, Food52 (we’re officially obsessed with their recipes), it’s bread, but not as you know […]

10 years ago

This year for Mother’s Day, you can give your Mum a unique personalised card, illustrated by award winning artist Linda Byrne AND help the LauraLynn Children’s Hospice. It’s win-win. On March 16th, 18th, 19th, 24th and 25th, award-winning artist Linda Byrne will be in Arnotts between 11am and 4pm doing live illustrations on Mother’s Day cards. Linda trained in […]

10 years ago

Women who undergo fertility treatments, but do not get pregnant, have a higher risk of developing long-term heart disease, compared with women who become pregnant. A new study published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal has demonstrated a link between failed fertility treatments and an increased risk of cardiovascular disease later in life. Dr Jacob Udell, the study’s lead […]

10 years ago

A six-year-old Chicago girl begged her mum and dad to feed the homeless instead of spending their money on throwing her a birthday party. Armani Crews, who turned six this month, spent months begging her parents to feed her community’s homeless. Her mum, Artesha, told ABC News that her daughter chose to buy food and put together care […]

10 years ago

One of Dublin’s most famous schools is set to transform itself into a Gaelscoil from next September. Synge Street CBS, one of the country’s most celebrated Christian Brothers Schools and situated in Dublin 8, is going as Gaeilge from September. The famous boys’ school’s board of management has announced that they will also be opening their doors to […]

10 years ago

Whether you remember it vividly or not, I think it’s safe to say that none of us have particularly fond memories of puberty. Hands up who remembers the über excitement of buying your first bra (32AA bless!), or the page-turning wonder of the Girl’s Talk book? Although puberty can mark a happy entry to being […]

10 years ago

Child homelessness increased by 55% from December 2015 to December 2016, despite Government efforts to tackle the housing crisis. The children’s charity Barnardos, who work directly with families caught in the crisis, say that child homelessness in Ireland is increasing at an unfathomable rate. These first-hand accounts of parents and children living in temporary (and totally […]

10 years ago

Well looks like hindsight really is 20/20. A new survey by IllicitEncounters.com has revealed that 59 percent of women regularly fantasise about sex with their ex. Surprisingly, men rank lower coming (heh heh) in with 48 percent. Both sexes agreed that love was the most crucial ingredient in building a memorable encounter. The study also […]

10 years ago

Uh-oh

10 years ago

Prominent pro-life campaigner Katie Ascough has been elected President of the UCD students’ union. The third year Science student won 46% of the student vote in a four-way race to become the university’s union president. Runner-up Philip Weldon came in at 23%, Rebecca Hart at 20%, and Rónán Bartley won 19% of first preference votes. Katie’s father, Tom Ascough, sits on […]

10 years ago

A horrifying and potentially lethal new craze has gone viral on Russian social media. The dangerous new online craze encourages children to secretly turn on the rings of their kitchen hobs, and promises that they will become ‘fire fairies’ if they follow the sinister instructions: “At midnight, when everyone is asleep, get out of your bed […]

10 years ago

Children’s charity Barnardos has launched a new guide for parents on choosing childcare and what to look for in an early years service. Barnardos has launched a new guidebook to help parents choose an early years service for their child. With over 170,000 children attending an early years service in Ireland, the handy guide provides parents with […]

10 years ago

The Workplace Relations Commission has ordered a restaurant to pay a female employee €30,000 after she was sacked within weeks of telling her bosses she was pregnant. Gordon Deegan of the Irish Times reports that the manager of a seafood restaurant was told she had lost her job because “business is business” and to enjoy her […]

10 years ago

A new report from the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention in the US has warned that hand sanitisers should be kept away from young children, particularly if they contain alcohol. The newly-published report warns that hand sanitisers, often containing up to 95% ethyl alcohol, are frequently combined with scents that appeal to young children. The […]

10 years ago

Car parking charges continue to financially cripple cancer patients. Despite a petition of over 3,000 signatures and a national campaign last December, no hospital in Ireland has changed its parking pricing policy for cancer patients. The Irish Cancer Society is calling for free or subsidised parking for all cancer patients receiving treatment. In December, a report […]

10 years ago

A study has found that taking paracetamol during pregnancy could affect the fertility of your unborn child. According to The Independent, researchers at the University of Edinburgh’s MRC Centre for Reproductive Health gave a number of pregnant rats both paracetamol and indomethacin. It was discovered that their female offspring had smaller ovaries and fewer eggs […]

10 years ago