If you thought your labour was tough, spare a thought for Abby Wellington, who delivered her baby by candlelight in her New Jersey apartment during the thralls of Hurricane Sandy.
The 34-year-old pediatrician and her real estate agent hubby, Stephen, weren't exactly expecting to deliver their second child sans OBGYN. But it just goes to show what you can do under duress.
According an article in the Huffington Post, Abby's labor "came on as fast and furious as the hurricane winds that were blowing outside her door" last week.
Without warning, and also without power and running water, the couple went to bed but were awakened by Abby's sudden stomach pains. Even though she wasn't due to deliver until 30 October, and with the hurricane on its way, Abby and her husband prepared as best they could—by borrowing a pair of gloves from a neighbour and some potato chip clamps.
"...we were thinking—this is totally far-fetched, but at least we have [these things]," said Abby.
In a tiny bathroom, her husband, Stephen, spread out towels and lit some votive candles which, he hastens to add, weren't romantic.
That preparation was vital, as Abby went into what was called a precipitous delivery:
"She had, maybe, 15 contractions, 10 minutes of pre-labor, and 30 minutes of labor. When you're with someone like my wife," recalled Stephen, "it's sort of, in them you trust."
Soon enough, baby Henley was born, with "two potato chip clamps on each end of the umbilical cord."
A rare happy ending amidst the gulf of Sandy sadness.
Have a precipitous or extraordinary birth story? Spill it. We'd love to hear...
Health Canada has recalled the metallic fairy-shaped pendant by Ardene Glam Collection in style number 14152429, as it contains an excessive amount of lead.
Exposure to lead and cadmium can be toxic, particularly to children, with a host of serious adverse effects, even deaths.
While neither Health Canada nor Ardene Holdings Inc. has received any reports of incidents or illnesses related to the pendant, customers are advised to dispose of the item immediately.
For further information, customers can call Aredene's toll free Customer Service Line at 1-866-322-4442 or visit the company's website.
From July 2012 to September 2012, approximately 919 pendants were sold in Canada.
Overdo it a bit at a party this past Halloween? Worried about that dreaded Christmas and New Years fallout? Fear not. Science has the answer: a hangover patch.
According to an article in the UK Sun, similar in look to the nicotine patch, the Bytox Hangover Prevention Patch works by replenishing into the bloodstream "vitamins A, D, E and K, and acids lost through heavy boozing."
It used to be that I could drink and dance all night long, then wake three hours later and work all day. I don't know about you, but once you hit those middle numbers, the body doesn't bounce back as well as it once did. Now a big night for me is anything after 11pm involving more than a single glass of wine! These days the night out rarely warrants the bodily penance, so I rarely partake.
Clearly science wants us to be able to live it large without suffering unduly the next day. So plastic surgeon, Dr Leonard Grossman, invented the patch which he claims comes "second only to an intravenous drip."
Around 45 minutes before you're set to booze, you stick the patch on your arm and—voila—wait for the infusion of acai berry and B vitamins to work their magic, only removing the patch eight or so hours after the session.
Retailing at around $20 for a pack of five, the Hangover Patch already has a slew of happy and loyal customers in the US, and now it's hitting the shelves in the UK. This, in spite of the fact that the patch is still without medical endorsement.
“I tried it twice," wrote one punter. "Both times after nine or 10 Martinis. I can only account for myself. It works great.”
A license to binge drink or a viable detox for the odd lavish night? Would you try it if it were available in Canada?
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