Jul
20
2011

Mom-to-be Addicted to Furniture Polish

Touch Wood, Baby Will Be OK

Mom-to-be Addicted to Furniture Polish

Thought you had strange cravings when you were preggers? Forget pickles and peanut butter, a British mom-to-be found herself addicted to consuming furniture polish and other cleaning products. Believe it or not, this disorder has a name: pica.

26-year-old Emma Veness is totally aware of the harm she's doing to her unborn child by ingesting cleaning products, but she just can't help herself. The cravings apparently began when Veness' pregnancy was only two months in.

Pica -- which is Latin for 'magpie', a bird known to eat virtually anything -- is a condition where the expecting mom craves non-food items, and is said to be caused by mineral deficiencies, particularly iron. Unfortunately pica can cause autism or another developmental disorders in the unborn child.

Veness' pica habit apparently dates back to her own childhood when she drank bubbles during bath time. Her mother and grandmother have also been known (as was my mother-in-law, strangely) to eat coal when they were pregnant.

Initially Veness starting sniffing the polish which eventually led to her "snacking straight from the can" and turning to her sink cupboard to satisfy her bizarre cravings.

She even confessed to preferring certain brands of furniture polish. "It's quite embarrassing; I've tried all different brands, but Asda Smart Price polish is the one that does it for me. The others are too perfumed.”

Little knowledge about pica means little support for people like Veness. "I just wish someone could help me stop, but no one seems to know how to help me or what to do. Most people have never even heard of pica."

She might want to dump her cleaning supplies and think about hiring Molly Maid at least until her baby is born.

Jul
20
2011

Court Steps in to Name 2-Year-Old Girl

Nameless in Australia

Court Steps in to Name 2-Year-Old Girl

While Canada famously has a genderless child, Australia appears to have a nameless one.

If you and your partner reached a stalemate when it came to naming your baby, spare a thought for a two-year-old girl who was named by the Family Court of Australia because her parents couldn't agree on what to call her.

The parents' relationship reportedly broke down before her birth could be registered, leading each parent to call her by a different name.

Though the child could ultimately choose her own name, Justice Colin Forrest decided that the mother could choose, and legally register the girl's first name since she'd already adopted her father's surname. He was also asked to determine the custody arrangements for her and her brother after the parents split.

"I am drawn to the conclusion that the father's opposition to the name (chosen by the mother) is yet another example of his determination to control the mother and her parenting of these two children," Justice Forrest said.

Even though the mother offered to hyphenate the names as a compromise, the father vehemently opposed the suggestion, claiming the mother's choice was blasphemous in Islam.

An imam gave evidence claiming there was nothing offensive about the mother's chosen name, though he couldn't be sure about the father's choice because he did not know its meaning.

Perhaps they could have agreed on this name? Petty Spite. You must admit, it does have a ring to it...

Jul
19
2011

RECALL: Dutailier Drop-Side Cribs

Risk of Slats Detaching from Rails

RECALL: Dutailier Drop-Side Cribs

Following a reported case, Dutailier has recalled the following drop-side cribs, after the slats detached from the top and bottom rails. No one was injured. Affected models are those ending with 01-94:

- E1230C2
- E3500C2
- E3540C2
- E5100C2
- E5140C2
- E5530C2
- E9000C2
- E9100C2

Consumers are advised to carefully examine the drop-side rails for signs of damage. If rails are broken, loose, missing, or deformed, consumers should immediately stop using the recalled cribs and find an alternative safe sleeping environment for their baby.

From August 8th, 2011, consumers should contact the Dutailier Group to receive a free repair kit at 1-450-772-5526.

Approximately 313 of the drop-side cribs, which were manufactured in China and distributed in St-Pie, Québec, were sold across Canada from January 2009 through February 2010.

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