When Virginia State Police pulled over a suspected drunk driver at the side of the road, they did not expect to find a one-year-old baby in the back seat. The tiny infant, covered in vomit, was rescued from the vehicle at a routine traffic stop and brought back to the station. Faced with a wait […]

10 years ago

A group of Texas Home Depot employees put their heads together to help solve a problem for a very special young customer this week.  The workers were determined to help mum Jessica Johnson, whose two-year-old son Silus was born with Norrie Disease, an inherited eye disorder that leads to blindness in male infants at birth or […]

10 years ago

Police investigating after a small boy was allegedly pulled from his bicycle into a black van during rush hour in Redhill, Surrey yesterday evening have discounted a van they initially believed to be involved. While there are no reports of a missing child in the area, witnesses say the little boy, described as white, aged […]

10 years ago

‘Finish your dinner!’ and ‘just eat one more bite!’ are two of the most common refrains heard daily at family dining tables, but while mums and dads live in fear their kids will go hungry, expert advice suggests the opposite. Busy lifestyles and ready access to convenience foods (coupled with our very Irish tendency to […]

10 years ago

A mother of three has issued a warning to other parents after her five-month-old baby suffered a nasty burn from a phone screen.  Rebecca Gleeson, from Yorkshire, was out for a stroll with her baby daughter Rose and sons Evan and Kian when the baby started to cry and she noticed a red mark on […]

10 years ago

We’ve seen some strange baby gadgets in our time but we’d never come across one that attaches to a vacuum cleaner before… until we discovered the Baby-Vac. Described as a “nasal aspirator” the €18.99 device is sold for use with a domestic home vacuum cleaner. So how does it work? “The Baby-Vac Nasal Aspirator was […]

10 years ago

UPDATE: Van found. More here… Police in the UK are investigating after a small boy was pulled from his bicycle into a black van during rush hour in Redhill, Surrey yesterday evening.  While there have been no reports of a missing child in the area yet, witnesses say the little boy, described as white, aged […]

10 years ago

As another long summer draws to a close, it’s highly likely you’ve grown weary of visiting the same parks and doing the same old activities.  If only there was something fun to do; something original, something that would get their brains engaged, an activity that was exciting, giggle-worthy and (most importantly) free. Luckily for you, […]

10 years ago

Wannabe wizards from all over Europe will be flocking to County Mayo this October, where Ashford Castle is currently enrolling for its Halloween Wizard School. Running from October 29 to November 5, the two-day programme includes a Forbidden Forest Family Treasure Hunt, a visit to the hiding place of Dingle the Owl, an afternoon Chamber of Art and a Wizards […]

10 years ago

Lots of people tell you lots of interesting facts and tips when you’re pregnant, but, as anyone who has given birth knows, they’re not exactly giving you the entire story. Many mums quite rightly see no reason to trouble a pregnant mate with the nitty gritty of the delivery room, but one mum blogger is […]

10 years ago

The death toll from Wednesday’s devastating earthquake in Italy has reached 247. According to Italy’s national news agency ANSA, rescue teams are struggling to reach victims in remote towns such as Amatrice, the town at the centre of the earthquake, which the mayor has said ‘is no more’. Dozen of people, many children, are also reportedly […]

10 years ago

In a world where we are more connected than ever, we are increasingly distracted from our loved ones; something that has been shown to have a negative effect on kids’ emotional development. The culprit? In a word: technology. With an average of twelve internet connected gadgets per household, two thirds of parents (66 per cent) […]

10 years ago

Cabin fever setting in? Fear not; the persistent showers and grey clouds will make way for a little August sunshine later this week.  According to Met Eireann, the rain will continue to develop in Munster today and will make its way through the rest of the country turning persistent and heavy at times with highs of […]

10 years ago

From the contents of your hospital bag, to the necessary and unnecessary items for after baby is born, pregnancy is a whirlwind of lists. Long before nappy bins and nipple cream become must-have items however, there are a few simple things that can make a big difference to your comfort levels as you tick those […]

10 years ago

Kate and Caleb Tipton were understandably worried when doctors warned them that their triplets were likely to be born premature and extremely underweight. In a happy surprise however, last month the Tennessee couple welcomed two sons and a daughter who are the second heaviest set of triplets on record globally. Makin’ it work ??? A […]

10 years ago

Britain’s biggest abortion clinic group Marie Stopes has suspended half its scheduled procedures with immediate effect due to concerns raised during an unannounced inspection.  The Care Quality Commission’s ‘immediate concerns’ were made public after officials visited the organisation’s London headquarters. The issues in question include staff training and competence, concern over the treatment of under […]

10 years ago

It’s the augmented reality game that became a global phenomenon this summer, but one Irish charity is warning parents that playing Pokémon Go unsupervised could put children in serious danger.  The sex abuse charity One In Four says the game provides the perfect cover for predatory paedophiles. In the game, players use a mobile device’s GPS capability […]

10 years ago

Two Irish women flew to Britain this morning to secure an abortion, sharing the experience through live updates on Twitter. The women, who left Ireland this morning en route to a Manchester clinic, set up the Twitter account @twowomentravel in an effort to show Taoiseach Enda Kenny what the long journey looks like for at least […]

10 years ago

Police in the United States are appealing for the public’s help in tracing twin siblings who were last seen thirteen years ago, when they were just three or four years-old.  The children’s disappearance came to light when police in Pittsburgh were asked to serve an emergency protective custody order for four of Patricia Fowler’s children, […]

10 years ago

We all know someone who remembers their very first spoon of ice cream or trip to the zoo, but for most of us, early childhood memories tend to be hazy at best, non-existent at worst.  The common belief is that memories disappear over time, pushed out of our minds by the ever evolving mental detritus […]

10 years ago

Monitoring a baby’s level of spatial awareness in infancy can predict how they will approach math problems in later life.  According to a new study published in Psychological Science, spatial reasoning measured in infancy predicts how children do at math at four years of age. “We’ve provided the earliest documented evidence for a relationship between spatial […]

10 years ago

Do you find it almost impossible to sleep on a plane or on a long car journey? If so, this new invention could change the way you travel forever. The brainchild of frequent flier Paula Blankenship from Kentucky, the NodPod is essentially a hammock for your head. According to the makers, “The reason it’s hard […]

10 years ago

It was always a fail safe for the Rose with two left feet, but this year organisers have banned the poetry recital from the Rose of Tralee competition.  This year the ladies who take to the stage in Kerry will have to pull out all the stops when it comes to the ‘party piece’ segment, […]

10 years ago

If you grew up in Ireland there’s a good chance you finished your entire education without ever encountering a mention of a clitoris at all, whether in sex ed, English or biology.  These days, things have moved on. In France, at least. The sexually sophisticated French are forging ahead with plans to make a 3D […]

10 years ago

It was glorious while it lasted, but it looks like summer 2016 could be coming to an end, with sunny skies making way for thick clouds this week.  Kicking off with thundery showers across most of the country, especially across the midlands and north and northwest, at least temperatures will remain between 17 to 20C […]

10 years ago

It’s Leaving Certificate results day today, with a bit of bad news on the horizon for more than 4,000 students who have failed their maths exams. A fail in maths will prevent many students from achieving the points necessary to take on their choice of college course, with many subjects requiring at least a pass […]

10 years ago

Their iconic portrayal of Tito (commonly mispronounced Tayto) and Ossie in the 1992 hit film Into The West won them a forever place in the hearts of a generation. Jim Sheridan’s heart-wrenching story of two inner-city Dublin children and their epic adventure on horseback turned Ciarán Fitzgerald and Ruaidhri Conroy into overnight stars, sharing a screen […]

10 years ago

Yes! We have no bananas. For years we’ve been slicing them, mashing them and baking them into lovely moist breads without a second thought, but our devil-may-care use of the humble banana might be about to change forever. Scientists have warned that a worsening group of fungal diseases is threatening to wipe out the global […]

10 years ago

The summer might be nearing an end, but there’s more fun in store for Prince George and his little sister Princess Charlotte this autumn. In July, Kensington Palace announced that Prince William and Kate would be returning to Canada in September, taking in British Columbia and the territory of Yukon as part of their visit. […]

10 years ago

Shop owners who sell cigarettes to children are to be named and shamed as part of a new Bill that will also see offenders face business suspensions if they are caught. The Department of Health is considering the introduction of on-the-spot fines for people who sell cigarettes to youngsters illegally, and their details would later […]

10 years ago

The news that the fail safe fruit, post-gym treat and portable kid snack could be under threat has hit us all hard here at HerFamily HQ. There’s only one thing for it: enjoy the yellow stuff while you still can. This banana bread is so moist and sweet that no added sugar is needed. It’s literally […]

10 years ago

A baby boy died in a hot car after his father forgot to drop the child off at day care on his way to work.  Six-month-old Dillon Martinez was accidentally left in the back seat of the SUV when his father drove to Walmart in San Antonio, Texas, where he is an employee, at 6.15am. […]

10 years ago

An innovative baby bed that mimics the feeling of being in the mother’s womb has raised more than €70,000 in Kickstarter funding.  The Crescent Womb, a flexible mesh that can be attached to any cot, was invented by Florida dad James Spencer, who claims his design also minimises the environmental risk factors associated with SIDS and Flat […]

10 years ago

With one on four households with young children struggling to meet back to school costs, it will come as no surprise that being a parent is an expensive business. According to a new report however, it’s probably more expensive than we ever really imagined. According to a report in the Irish Times, Irish parents of […]

10 years ago

The average parent is thrilled if they manage to any food at all into their kids in the morning, but one dad has found a (labour intensive, completely unfeasible) method to ensuring his children are always excited about breakfast. Adam Perry was inspired to get seriously creative with his serving techniques when one of his […]

10 years ago

We’re in for some blissfully warm weather this weekend, but pasty Irish humans in Speedos aren’t the only mildly terrifying thing heading for our coastline. Swimmers have been warned to avoid some beaches in the east and south of the country after venomous Portuguese man o’war and lion’s mane jellyfish washed up on the sand. A […]

10 years ago

At least four people are dead and thirty-five people, including ten tourists, have been injured in a series of coordinated bomb blasts in Thailand. Two bombs rocked the busy seaside resort of Hua Hin last night, with another explosion there this morning. Five further explosions have been reported in Phuket, Trang, Phang Nga and Surat Thani, […]

10 years ago

Better prevention education has led to a significant drop in the number of babies dying from sudden infant death syndrome. The latest figures from Britain show that the number of cot deaths recorded there dropped from 207 in 2004 to 128 in 2014, proof that mums and dads are carefully heeding the advice being given to […]

10 years ago

Sure, the annual uniform shop and book gathering process is a pain. But in just a few weeks, parents across Ireland will breathe a sigh of relief when kids of all ages head back to the classroom. For many, the start of a new school year heralds the return of something else too: a teeny […]

10 years ago

Mother nature is a notoriously crafty mistress, but don’t be fooled into thinking the summer is over just yet. This week’s cooler temperatures, mists and rain showers are about to give way to another spell of balmy weather by the end of the weekend. A warm European weather system will boost temperatures as high as […]

10 years ago

A two-year-old boy who fell from the sixth-floor balcony in Limerick has made a miraculous recovery. Little Neil Shanahan was at a coffee morning with his mum at the Strand Hotel in Limerick on July 2. While playing in the foyer, he wandered into an open elevator, which traveled up to the sixth floor of the […]

10 years ago

Rarely a day goes by without a breastfeeding mother being asked to leave a restaurant or cover up in a public place.  As joyous and empowering and natural and beautiful as it is to choose to breastfeed your baby, there are people out there who still view it as taboo. Many mums find themselves hiding […]

10 years ago

The humble t-shirt has always been the staple of any toddler’s wardrobe. Pop one on for finger painting or jam sandwich eating and another in the changing bag for later and you’re good to go. These days however there’s a wealth of choice when it comes to your toddler tee design. This little lot will […]

10 years ago

Up to twenty-four newborn babies were killed when a fire ripped through a Baghdad maternity hospital on Tuesday night. The tragedy, initially thought to have claimed 11 lives, is thought to have been caused by faulty electrical wiring. Ahmed al-Rdainy, a spokesman for the Iraqi Health Ministry, confirmed the babies died of suffocation. Firefighters battled the […]

10 years ago

Parents who feed their children ‘inadequate’ diets could face jail sentences of up to four years in Italy.  The new legislation has been proposed by Elvira Savino, of the Forza Italia party, in light of a number of cases in Italy where children were found to be malnourished after their parents fed them a strict vegan […]

10 years ago

Become the neighbourhood Nigella overnight

10 years ago

Incorporating a new baby into your life is no easy feat. In fact, many a new mum and dad would admit that the adjustment left them a little more sensitive to everyday issues than usual. Then there are those who feel that, now that they’ve become parents, no argument will be left un-aired when it […]

10 years ago

Guess who’s back…

10 years ago

New guidelines on how hospital staff should deal with parents who have lost a baby will be launched this morning. The Health Service Executive guidelines will help staff support around 14, 500 parents who are bereaved in Ireland’s maternity services each year. The document will advise on how maternity unit staff can best respond to […]

10 years ago

Newsflash: There has been a whopping increase (36 per cent!) in the birth of twins in Ireland since 2004. Even with no twins in your immediate family, the chance of conceiving a double bundle of joy in a natural conception is one in 80. Add In Vitro Fertilisation (IVF) into the mix and the chance of […]

10 years ago