Feb
29
2016

RECALL: WHAM-O Super Elastic Bubble Plastic Balloon Blowing Kit

Inhalation Hazard

RECALL: WHAM-O Super Elastic Bubble Plastic Balloon Blowing Kit

Bubble blowing kit recall | In the News | YummyMummyClub.ca

Red Planet Group has recalled the above balloon blowing kits with the UPC 8 95354 00262 2.

Such kits are prohibited in Canada, as children may inhale the vapours of the solvents in the balloons. Such inhalation may affect the central nervous system. Early symptoms such as "euphoria, hallucinations, dizziness, and difficulties with coordination of voluntary movements."

Prolonged exposure can lead to muscular twitching and unconsciousness, and even induce a coma.

Although neither Health Canada nor Red Planet Group has been notified of any incidents, customers are advised to immediately remove and dispose of the kits, ensuring they cannot be reused. 

For further information, customers may contact Red Planet Group by telephone at 514-631-7740, Monday to Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., or by email.

From February 2015 to February 2016, approximately 5,760 kits were sold in Canada.

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Feb
25
2016

Baby Name Theft is a Thing

plus: the 20 names you don't want to steal

Baby Name Theft is a Thing

Baby name stealing | YummyMummyClub.ca

Parenting is a murky business, and perhaps the first taste of that murkiness happens before your baby is even born: naming.

Much has been made of the enormous pressure involved in naming your progeny. Striking that oh-so-subtle balance between too common and too eccentric is no small feat. And heaven forbid you finally stumble upon the perfect name to describe your little darling, only to have someone come you know come along and 'steal' it as their own.

"Parents spend a lot of time thinking and dreaming about their child's name, and it's one way they become attached to their child before they even meet him or her," said Linda Murray, global editor-in-chief of BabyCenter. "It's an emotional process, so when you share your favourite baby name with someone and they 'take' your name, it feels like theft."

But what of the real duds? What if you choose badly, and your child winds up on a 'bogan' list?

Compiled by Australia's Kidspot, the 'bogan' list identified the top worst names back in 2014. A 2016 version of the 20 most "hideously repugnant and unintelligent" names has just been released.
  
Much of the list is tongue and cheek. Still, you can see what leads some names to warrant the 'bogan' title - complex or misspelled variations on classic names, as well as those derivative of celebrity names. 

BOY:

  • ARYAN
  • BLADE
  • BROGAN
  • DAXON
  • IZAAK
  • JATHON
  • J’ZAYDEN
  • KHODII
  • MACSEN
  • ZABRYN

GIRL:

  • BEAUTIFUL
  • BRAELYN
  • CHERYLDINE
  • D’NYELL
  • EVER
  • ENIVID
  • KYLY
  • McKYLA
  • TRUELY
  • YOUNIQUE

Yes, you almost want to throttle the parents of little J’zayden and Younique without having ever laid eyes on them.

Chose wisely, folks, chose wisely. And if you're concerned about someone appropriating your gem of a name, you may wish to keep it under wraps at least until the baby appears. After all, there's no such thing as copyrighting baby names.

"There's no law that says you [and others] can't both give your child the same name," said Murray. "...remember that in the long run, your child's own personality and character will make the name uniquely his or her own."

 RELATED: Don't Name Your Baby That 

Feb
24
2016

Hockey Officials Rethink Ritual After Infant Struck by Puck 

A freak accident

Hockey Officials Rethink Ritual After Infant Struck by Puck 

Baby injured by puck at hockey practice | YummyMummyClub.ca

It's a ritual that has thrilled kids for decades. At the end of a practice session, hockey players fire a puck toward the stands for a lucky fan to catch.
 
But hockey officials are rethinking that simple ritual after a puck flipped by Montreal Canadiens defenceman P.K. Subban struck a month-old infant in the crowd. The baby suffered a concussion, the mom revealed on social media.

"I don't know if it's bad luck or if it's something that teams should stop doing," says Canadiens captain, Max Pacioretty.

To be sure, it was a freak accident that is unheard of in the sport's history. 

Although the infant has recovered, the incident raises questions about whether puck tossing should be stopped or indeed whether infants should be allowed to attend hockey games and practice sessions.

Canadiens spokesman Donald Beauchamp claims the club is now reviewing its policies. 

It would be a shame if young hockey fans were denied the thrill of a captured puck. The dangers are there, obviously, and parents should be aware that flukes can happen. But hockey - and baseball, for that matter - are sports enjoyed by the whole family. It's up to parents to use their discretion when bringing infants to any sporting event. 

Mostly, I feel for Subban in this story. The Canadiens player, who is heavily involved with children's charities, reportedly felt awful when he heard what happened to the baby.   

The Canadiens have since invited the family, which has four kids, to watch a game at the Bell Centre in the Canadiens Children's Foundation suite.

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