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“It’s not personal”: New mum shares divisive list of rules

<p dir="ltr">An expecting mum has divided opinions with an extensive list of strict rules her family and friends must follow if they want to meet her new baby. </p> <p dir="ltr">KIIS FM hosts Kyle Sandilands and Jackie O read out the list live on air, as they debated the rules and regulations put in place by the pregnant woman. </p> <p dir="ltr">The rules included not touching the baby, being vaccinated and only going to see the child if you've been asked, with the hosts asking listeners if they thought the rules were “too strict” or “reasonable”.</p> <p dir="ltr">“We're drawing closer to the birth of our daughter, and we couldn't be more excited, but unfortunately we have to implement some boundaries. We hope you can respect our wishes and no one takes these personally,” the mum's announcement read.</p> <p dir="ltr">First, the mum declared that there will be no information about the baby put online, including photos and information of the child’s name, or even an announcement that she had given birth. </p> <p dir="ltr">“If we want you to know, you'll know,” the mum outlined. </p> <p dir="ltr">Next, she said that only those who have “checked in” with the expecting parents since the announcement of the pregnancy will be notified of the birth. </p> <p dir="ltr">The mum took a brutal swing at anyone else she hasn't heard from and wrote, “Otherwise we have taken your silence as not being interested in our friendship and it is also reciprocated.”</p> <p dir="ltr">The couple went on to add that for the first two weeks following the birth, they will not be having any visitors. </p> <p dir="ltr">“No exceptions, no texts, no calls,” the mum wrote in capital letters, further explaining that no visitors will be welcome at either the hospital or at home. </p> <p dir="ltr">The couple also expect those who want to meet the baby to be vaccinated. </p> <p dir="ltr">“Don't be offended if we ask for proof. We will not be putting her health at risk,” the point read. </p> <p dir="ltr">The mum also asked visitors to “not smell of cigarettes or wear cologne or perfume that is too strong when meeting the baby”. </p> <p dir="ltr">Lastly, if family or friends visit the couple at home they will need to bring their own snacks and drinks.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Please do not expect to be hosted. Mum will probably be tired,” the list read. </p> <p dir="ltr">After sharing a video on TikTok, some mentioned the number one parenting rule of all: “their baby, their rules”. </p> <p dir="ltr">“Not a single one of those rules is unreasonable,” one person commented online. </p> <p dir="ltr">“The people triggered over this are the type of people these boundaries are intended for,” another added. </p> <p dir="ltr">However, others deemed the list as “passive aggressive”.  </p> <p dir="ltr">“Yeah right, nice knowing ya,” one wrote, while another said, “I hope she knows what she's doing.”</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p>

Family & Pets

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Crown Princess shares adorable snaps of new baby

<p>Malaysia's Crown Prince Tengku Muhammad Faiz Petra and his wife Crown Princess Sofie Louise Johansson have shared a few adorable snaps of their newborn son. </p> <p>The couple welcomed their first child, a healthy baby boy Johan, on July 17  at the University Science Malaysia Hospital. </p> <p>Just two weeks after his birth, Princess Sofie took to Instagram to share a few snaps from her son's recent Aqiqah - an Islamic tradition performed after a child is born, where they sacrifice an animal and share the meat to the poor as a way of celebrating a new life and expressing their gratitude to Allah for blessing them with a child.</p> <p>"Today we had the Aqiqah for baby Johan," she began the post. </p> <p>"Normally the Aqiqah takes place on either the 7th day or the 14th day after birth." </p> <p>The ceremony was held at the royal palace in Kelantan's capital Kota Bharu.</p> <p>In the photos, baby Johan was pictured sleeping peacefully in a white cot, while in another photo he was resting on a padded stool in a bed surrounded by flowers. </p> <p>In another photo, a family member is pictured giving baby Johan a taste of honey as part of the Aqiqah, as it is believed to reflect the sweetness of the Qur'an. </p> <p>The baby's birth was announced just over a week ago in an official statement released by the Kelantan Sultan Office. </p> <p>"Her Highness and the royal baby are both in good health," the statement read. </p> <p>"HRH the Crown Prince and HH the Crown Princess would like to thank all the employees at [the hospital] who were involved and to all the Kelantanese who prayed for their well-being and the safe delivery of their child."</p> <p>The Crown Prince and Princess wedded in a lavish ceremony attended by over 300 people in 2019. </p> <p>They first met each other in England,  when the Crown Prince was studying history at the London School of Economics and Political Science and University College London. </p> <p>The Crown Princess was working as an au pair during that time. </p> <p><em><span style="font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif;"> Images: Instagram</span></em></p>

Family & Pets

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Lindsay Lohan is a mum!

<p dir="ltr">The actress has given birth to her first child, a son named Luai, with her husband Bader Shammas, according to a statement shared by a representative on Monday.</p> <p dir="ltr">“The family is over the moon in love,” the representative told <em>Page Six</em>.</p> <p dir="ltr">The baby was born in Dubai, although his exact date of birth is not yet known.</p> <p dir="ltr">The name Luai carries a beautiful significance, as it is an Arabic name which means “shield” or “protector” and can also mean “strong” and “steady”.</p> <p dir="ltr">The Mean Girls star first announced her pregnancy in March with a picture of a “coming soon” onesie and the caption: “We are blessed and excited”.</p> <p dir="ltr">Stars like Amanda Seyfried and Paris Hilton took to the comments to congratulate the couple on the “wonderful” news.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Congratulations love! So happy for you. Welcome to the Mummy Club!” fellow new mother Paris Hilton wrote at the time.</p> <p dir="ltr">Lohan and Shammas first made their relationship public in February 2020 and got <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/lifestyle/relationships/lindsay-lohan-is-engaged" target="_blank" rel="noopener">engaged in November</a> of the following year.</p> <p dir="ltr">They secretly tied the knot in April 2022.</p> <p><em>Images: Instagram</em></p>

Family & Pets

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Naomi Osaka shares first snaps of newborn daughter

<p dir="ltr">Tennis star Naomi Osaka has shared a few updates for the first time since <a href="https://www.oversixty.co.nz/lifestyle/family-pets/naomi-osaka-is-a-mum" target="_blank" rel="noopener">giving birth</a>.</p> <p dir="ltr">The 25-year-old could not hide her excitement of being a mum as she took to Instagram to share a snap of her newborn daughter and a few other photos - including a glimpse into her nursery</p> <p dir="ltr">“Well that was a cool little intermission, now back to your regularly scheduled program 🎾✌🏾💕” she captioned the photo.</p> <p dir="ltr">Her newborn baby girl wore a white baby romper embroidered with green and pink tennis rackets and tennis balls.</p> <p dir="ltr">In the second photo she shared another picture of her baby bump with a stunning background view from her Beverly Hills house.</p> <p dir="ltr">She shared a few other snaps including one from her hospital bed, and another of her celebrations at home - complete with pink balloons that spell out “mom” and rose petals adorning the picnic blanket.</p> <p dir="ltr">This is Naomi’s first child with her rapper beau, Cordae, who she’s been in a relationship with since 2019.</p> <p dir="ltr">Fans took to the comments to share their well-wishes to the first time mum.</p> <p dir="ltr">“A Girl Mom. Nothing will ever top that official title that you now bestow on ,” wrote one fan.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Congratulations Naomi and Cordae! Naomi you’re already the best momma 💗💗🥰 bet she’s gonna be as beautiful as you are,” wrote another.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Congrats Mama you did it! Couldn’t be happier for you,” commented a third.</p> <p dir="ltr">Just a few hours after the initial update, she posted a gallery of her nursery which had sky-inspired decor and a gender-neutral colour scheme which was complimented by a few personal touches.</p> <p dir="ltr">Aside from the neutral colours and wood used to decorate the room, she added a few fun touches including cloud shaped pillows and a Totoro plushie.</p> <p dir="ltr">Many fans have praised Naomi for her “beautiful” design choices.</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Images: Instagram</em></p>

Family & Pets

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Mum sparks fury for admitting to tanning newborn

<p>A young mother split the internet in half when she shared the shocking news on social media that she was self-tanning her four-month-old son. </p> <p>In a clip posted to her TikTok, the 21-year-old could be seen holding her baby, with the text “when everyone is telling me to stop self-tanning my baby but the loving tan employees have families to feed” across the screen.</p> <p>The video hit viral heights, gaining over 1 million views along with its varied - and passionate - response. </p> <p>Many were quick to voice their outrage at the young mum and her “selfish” move, calling into question the health risks that such a tanning process might pose to Kylen Suttner’s son, Suede. </p> <p>“Gosh, those chemicals can hurt a little one's skin,” one dismayed user wrote. “Their skin is so sensitive when they're babies.”</p> <p>“Disgusting!” another declared. “So horrible.”</p> <p>One was concerned that Suede was going to “grow up thinking he isn’t good enough naturally, especially to the one person who would love him unconditionally”.</p> <p>“Why does a baby need a fake tan... so unnecessary,” someone else said. </p> <p>Meanwhile, another just wanted to know “is this a joke, I can't tell?"</p> <div><iframe title="tiktok embed" src="https://cdn.embedly.com/widgets/media.html?src=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.tiktok.com%2Fembed%2Fv2%2F7206061715535105326&display_name=tiktok&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.tiktok.com%2F%40kylensuttner%2Fvideo%2F7206061715535105326&image=https%3A%2F%2Fp16-sign.tiktokcdn-us.com%2Fobj%2Ftos-useast5-p-0068-tx%2F87e23b7fac564434b6df488f764e493f%3Fx-expires%3D1684490400%26x-signature%3DdBQQZLY5FaqakQuevOWiYIisLiM%253D&key=59e3ae3acaa649a5a98672932445e203&type=text%2Fhtml&schema=tiktok" width="340" height="700" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></div> <p>Others seemed of the opinion that it was, with some even replying to similar questioning comments to share that the baby reportedly had jaundice, and this was his mother’s way of making light of the situation. </p> <p>And it turns out that that was exactly the case. </p> <p>As criticism continued online, heating up as the story blew up across news outlets, Kylen made the confirmation with The Post that it had all been a joke. </p> <p>“He had jaundice and looked really tan when he was born,” she explained to the outlet. “Everyone commented on his colour, so I decided to make a joke about it. </p> <p>“I would never actually use self tanner on my baby.</p> <p>“I feel like most people understood it was a joke. But the few who didn’t were appalled that I would self tan my baby.”</p> <p>For those who understood the truth of the situation, it was an opportunity to get in on the fun with Kylen, with many making the announcement that this would be “me as a mum” too. </p> <p>“I love this,” one said. “I wish I had his skin colour.”</p> <p>“You gotta keep the tan up,” came one joke, referencing a popular Family Guy meme, “it’s a lifestyle Brian”.</p> <p>“So funny to me that people think you’re being Fr [for real],” another shared.</p> <p><em>Images: TikTok</em></p>

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Million dollar baby! Video of newborn covered in money sparks outrage

<p>The bizarre moment a new father covered his newborn child in $100 bills has gone viral, sending social media into a frenzy over the strange act. </p> <p>The video shows a sleeping newborn in a crib in a hospital's nursery, while an adult covers the baby boy in $100 bills. </p> <p>Despite a blanket covering the baby's body, many were quick to point out just how many germs and bacteria live on cash notes, with many worried about the child picking up an infection from the dirty money. </p> <p>According to <a href="https://content.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,1914560_1914558_1914544,00.html" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noreferrer noopener">TIME</a>, paper money can reportedly carry more germs than a household toilet - and hundreds of species of microorganisms can live on the cash for days. </p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">Man covers his new born baby with hundreds 😳 <a href="https://t.co/AFEYajIY6N">pic.twitter.com/AFEYajIY6N</a></p> <p>— Daily Loud (@DailyLoud) <a href="https://twitter.com/DailyLoud/status/1650660162930196485?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 25, 2023</a></p></blockquote> <p>People took to Twitter to show their outrage at the germs, with one person saying, "Bro just created a bacteria blanket for a newborn."</p> <p>Another shared the same sentiment, writing, "Unless those are brand new bills straight from the bank, he just covered his baby in a blanket of germs."</p> <p>Another person said, "Very very unhygienic I hope baby doesn't get sick..." while a fourth added, "Money is full of pathogens, I wouldn't compromise the baby's health."</p> <p>Others cut the happy parent some slack, saying it was a strange decision to shower the baby with money, but said they could understand the person's excitement over the bundle of joy. </p> <p>One person said, "Probably a proud first-time father and isn't thinking about how ridiculous this is. Down the line he'll show his baby the picture and they'll have a good laugh out of it."</p> <p>Another wrote, "An unusual way to wish prosperity to the newborn but again different stroke for different folks!"</p> <p><em>Image credits: Twitter</em></p>

Family & Pets

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“My whole heart”: Paris Hilton shares new photos of baby boy

<p dir="ltr">Paris Hilton took to Instagram to share a series of intimate mother and son portraits with her newborn, Phoenix Barron Hilton Reum.</p> <p dir="ltr">The heiress, 42, simply captioned the photos with: “My whole heart. #MommyMonday”.</p> <p dir="ltr">Hilton uploaded four black and white photos showing her cradling her baby boy in both candid and posed shots.</p> <p dir="ltr">"I feel like my life is so complete now," she said.</p> <p dir="ltr">Friends and fans took to the comments to share their love.</p> <p dir="ltr">“You were made to be a mom Paris 💗💗💗,” commented celebrity hairstylist, Brittney Conkle.</p> <p dir="ltr">"Paris. Beautiful mummy, two angels love you," wrote one of her friends.</p> <p dir="ltr">“So happy for you!!! He’s absolutely precious!!!” commented another.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I can already tell that you're an amazing mum!! ❤️ Phoenix is so lucky to have you as a mother,” wrote another.</p> <p dir="ltr">Hilton and her husband Carter Reum welcomed their baby boy via surrogate early this year, after admitting that they hoped to start a family following their wedding in 2021.</p> <p dir="ltr">The star has previously gushed about her son in an appearance on The Drew Barrymore Show, where she called him a "little angel".</p> <p dir="ltr">"I'm so obsessed with him. My whole heart feels so full," she said, adding that her life feels “complete” now.</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Images: Instagram</em></p>

Family & Pets

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“Music somehow stays”: Great-grandma with dementia recalls lullaby in heartwarming moment with newborn great-grandson

<p>When Connie Lynn uploaded a touching video of her mother singing to her Instagram account, she didn’t expect it to reach so many people or to warm so many hearts. </p> <p>The clip features the moment 89-year-old Elinor Hanson got to hold her one-day-old great-grandson, Grayson. Elinor, who had been diagnosed with dementia years before but whose condition had worsened since 2020, delighted the whole family when she began to sing a beloved lullaby to the newborn. </p> <p>"Okay, it goes like this,” she tells the swaddled baby, before asking, “now, are you listening?" </p> <p>In the moments to follow, Elinor begins her heartfelt rendition, singing as she rocks him in her arms, “I love you, a bushel and a peck. A bushel and a peck and a hug around the neck. A hug around the neck and a barrel and a heap. A barrel and a heap and I'm talking in my sleep about you, about you, 'cause I love you.”</p> <p>A teary-eyed Elinor trails off to look up at the camera, and with an emotional chuckle tells her family, “I’m going to cry.” </p> <p>“Great grandma meeting and holding her newest great grandson and singing a song she sung to all the grandkids,” Connie Lynn captioned the post. </p> <p>“A song my kids know very well. I love you a bushel and a peck,” she continued, “this night made her so happy. It’s amazing how the brain can lose so much but music somehow stays. Music really is amazing for healing and memory.”</p> <p>Connie’s comments section was flooded with grateful messages from those who had watched the video, with many of them opening up about their own experiences with family members who had and have dementia, and the beautiful moments they shared over babies and music as well. </p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/reel/CnhhHCnJnxA/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/CnhhHCnJnxA/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Connie Lynn Hanson (@fsvivace)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>“I saw this on the Good News feed. It warmed my heart and broke it at the same time,” one admitted, “my parents became great-grandparents near the end of their lives. The babies brought them such joy. My dad had dementia but when he saw the babies his eyes would light up and he would come back to life again, just for a moment. Thank you for sharing this with us.”</p> <p>“Isn’t it amazing the things that can trigger a bit of normalcy,” another agreed, “a song, a baby, a photo.”</p> <p>“The sweetest video ever. Both my dad and my brother suffered from Dementia,” a fellow grandmother shared, “it is such a cruel disease. I’m so glad this family will have this video to remember this sweet lady for years to come.”</p> <p>Speaking to <em>Today.com</em>, Connie confessed that it was the moment right before her mum began singing that took her back to before she had dementia. </p> <p>“It’s when she says, ‘okay, it goes like this, now you’re listening?,” she said, “that’s my mum that I remember.”</p> <p>Connie opened up about her mother’s involvement in the lives of her children and grandchildren, calling her “the cookie-baking kind of grandma”, and a “musical lady” who liked to spend her time singing with choirs and at weddings. </p> <p>With another great-grandchild on the way, Connie is positive that they’ll soon get another chance to hear Elinor’s sweet songs when the two meet. </p> <p><em>Images: Instagram</em></p> <p> </p>

Caring

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“So full of love”: Chrissy Teigen reveals newborn daughter’s name

<p>Chrissy Teigen and her husband, singer John Legend, have revealed the name of their newborn daughter in a touching Instagram post. </p> <p>The couple recently welcomed their new baby, with John reportedly announcing the birth at a private concert on Friday the 13th, declaring it “a blessed day”. </p> <p>“She’s here!” Chrissy captioned her post, to an outpouring of love and celebration from fans and friends, “Esti Maxine Stephens - the house is bustling and our family could not be happier.”</p> <p>Of their new addition and the experience of becoming a family of five, she added, “Daddy sheds nightly tears of joy seeing Luna and Miles so full of love, and I am learning you still need diapers with a c section!? We are in bliss. Thank you for all the love and well wishes - we feel it all!”</p> <p>John posted the same photo as Chrissy, honouring his wife and his family with the caption, “on Friday, we welcomed Esti Maxine Stephens to our family, and our house is overflowing with love and joy. I’m in awe of Chrissy’s strength and resilience and I’m so thrilled to see how Luna and Miles embrace their baby sister. I’m so, so grateful, but that doesn’t seem like a big enough word.”</p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/Cnm4W4mPPVy/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/Cnm4W4mPPVy/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by chrissy teigen (@chrissyteigen)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>The image shows the couple’s children Luna, six, and Miles, four, cradling their new little sister. </p> <p>The family’s blessing comes three years after the tragic loss of their third child, and their supporters were eager to share their love amidst the good news, with many fellow famous faces among them. </p> <p>“Congratulations!!!” Wrote actress Rosario Dawson to Chrissy, along with a string of red hearts. </p> <p>Reality TV star Kris Jenner chimed in to share that she “can’t wait to meet her!!!”</p> <p>To John, actress Viola Davis wrote, “Aaaaaahhh!!!! Mazaltov!!!! Blessings to you and yours!!! Beautiful.”</p> <p>Chrissy and John’s comment sections were flooded with hearts, well wishes, and congratulations, with many gushing over their baby’s name: Esti Maxine Stephens. </p> <p>Legend’s legal name is John Roger Stephens, explaining Esti’s new surname. Fans of the couple believe Esti’s middle name, Maxine, is a tribute to John’s late grandmother, Marjorie Maxine Stephens.</p> <p>Announcing her pregnancy last August, the model and cookbook author wrote, “the last few years have been a blur of emotions to say the least, but joy has filled our home and hearts again.”</p> <p>The couple’s latest updates assure their supporters that their home and hearts are full, as they settle in to enjoy life with their newest family member, little Esti. </p> <p><em>Image: Getty Images</em></p>

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Why is newborn baby skin-to-skin contact with dads and non-birthing parents important? Here’s what the science says

<p>Soon after a baby is born, it’s getting more common these days for the father or non-birthing parent to be encouraged to put the newborn directly on their chest. This skin-to-skin contact is often termed “kangaroo care”, as it mimics the way kangaroos provide warmth and security to babies.</p> <p>Mothers have been encouraged to give kangaroo care for decades now and many do so instinctively after giving birth; it has been <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27552521/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">shown</a> to help mum and baby <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0882596316000531?casa_token=QBk4MOx7VIMAAAAA:3DIH_RF_PdsZDqHkKSYgbM37Tgsau5GpTBPqUowy4kDN3tOwtnnPvpXCGkpBI8lJEQIqSorp" target="_blank" rel="noopener">connect</a> and with <a href="https://connect.springerpub.com/content/sgrnn/27/3/151.abstract" target="_blank" rel="noopener">breastfeeding</a>.</p> <p>So what does the evidence say about kangaroo care for other parents?</p> <p><strong>A growing body of research</strong></p> <p>A growing body of <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/361591701_Fathers_providing_kangaroo_care_in_neonatal_intensive_care_units_a_scoping_review" target="_blank" rel="noopener">research</a> shows kangaroo care brings benefits for both baby and parent.</p> <p>One <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/apa.14184" target="_blank" rel="noopener">study</a> that measured cortisol (a stress hormone) levels and blood pressure in new fathers found:</p> <blockquote> <p>Fathers who held their baby in skin-to-skin contact for the first time showed a significant reduction in physiological stress responses.</p> </blockquote> <p>Another <a href="https://www.hindawi.com/journals/nrp/2017/8612024/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">study</a> in Taiwan involving fathers and neonates (newborn babies) found benefits to bonding and attachment:</p> <blockquote> <p>These study results confirm the positive effects of skin-to-skin contact interventions on the infant care behaviour of fathers in terms of exploring, talking, touching, and caring and on the enhancing of the father-neonate attachment.</p> </blockquote> <p>A <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/361591701_Fathers_providing_kangaroo_care_in_neonatal_intensive_care_units_a_scoping_review" target="_blank" rel="noopener">paper</a> I co-authored with the University of South Australia’s Qiuxia Dong found:</p> <blockquote> <p>Studies reported several positive kangaroo care benefits for fathers such as reduced stress, promotion of paternal role and enhanced father–infant bond.</p> </blockquote> <p>Qiuxia Dong also led a <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1111/jocn.16405" target="_blank" rel="noopener">study</a> (on which I was a co-author) exploring the experiences of fathers who had a baby in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at Women’s and Children’s Hospital in Adelaide.</p> <p>This study found kangaroo care helps fathers connect and bond with their baby in an intensive care environment. This had a positive impact on fathers’ confidence and self-esteem. As one father told us:</p> <blockquote> <p>I think after all the stress, when I have skin-to-skin I can actually calm down a little bit. I sit down and relax, I can cuddle my child and it’s just a little bit of a happy place for me as well as him to calm down, not to do any work all the time, not to be stressed out. There’s other things on my mind all the time but it’s time to relax and turn off a little bit.</p> </blockquote> <p>Another told us:</p> <blockquote> <p>She nuzzled around a bit, kind of got my smell I guess and then literally fell asleep. It was great. It was very comforting for both I guess for her and myself.</p> </blockquote> <p>As one father put it:</p> <blockquote> <p>Of course, they can hear your heartbeat and all that kind of stuff, of course warmth […] it’s being close with your baby, I think that would be the best way of building a relationship early.</p> </blockquote> <p>However, this study also reported that some dads found giving kangaroo care challenging as it can be time-consuming. It is not always easy to juggle with commitments such as caring for other children and work.</p> <p><strong>Involving both parents</strong></p> <p>One study noted <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21820778/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">dads</a> can sometimes feel like a bystander on the periphery when a newborn arrives.</p> <p>Encouraging and educating all non-birthing parents, including fathers, to give kangaroo care is a <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21820778/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">valuable way</a> to get them involved. And if a caesarean birth makes it difficult for the mother to give kangaroo care while still in theatre, the father or non-birthing parent is the next best person to do it while the mother or birthing parent is not able.</p> <figure class="align-center zoomable"><a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/480777/original/file-20220824-22-j9lpxl.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=1000&amp;fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/480777/original/file-20220824-22-j9lpxl.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/480777/original/file-20220824-22-j9lpxl.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=401&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/480777/original/file-20220824-22-j9lpxl.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=401&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/480777/original/file-20220824-22-j9lpxl.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=401&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/480777/original/file-20220824-22-j9lpxl.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=504&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/480777/original/file-20220824-22-j9lpxl.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=504&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/480777/original/file-20220824-22-j9lpxl.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=504&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 2262w" alt="" /></a><figcaption><em><span class="caption">A caesarean birth sometimes makes it difficult for the mother to give kangaroo care while still in the theatre.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Isaac Hermar/Pexels</span>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">CC BY</a></span></em></figcaption></figure> <p><strong>More research needed</strong></p> <p>There is a need for broader research on these issues, especially around the experiences of fathers from culturally diverse backgrounds and other non-birthing parents.</p> <p>But the research literature on kangaroo care shows there is good reason for dads and non-birthing parents to do some kangaroo care when a baby is born. As we concluded in our <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1111/jocn.16405">study</a>, in the challenging neonatal intensive care unit environment, kangaroo care can serve:</p> <blockquote> <p>as a silent language of love.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/188927/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /></p> </blockquote> <p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/mary-steen-970055" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Mary Steen</a>, Adjunct professor of Maternal and Family Health, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-south-australia-1180" target="_blank" rel="noopener">University of South Australia</a></em></p> <p><em>This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/why-is-newborn-baby-skin-to-skin-contact-with-dads-and-non-birthing-parents-important-heres-what-the-science-says-188927" target="_blank" rel="noopener">original article</a>.</em></p> <p><em>Image: Getty Images</em></p>

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Man slammed for wanting to get "proper night's sleep" away from newborn baby

<p>A mother has sparked outrage online for considering letting her adult son move home in order to "get a proper night's sleep" away from his newborn baby. </p> <p>An anonymous woman based in the UK shared a post to the parenting forum Mumsnet to garner opinions on her dilemma, which was met with overwhelming criticism. </p> <p>She admitted she is not "enamoured with this idea", but explained he wants to "concentrate on going to work".</p> <p>Explaining the situation, the woman wrote, "[My son, 27] and his girlfriend recently had a baby. As you'd expect they are being woken up during the night."</p> <p>"[My son] has asked if he can move back in Monday - Friday so he can get a proper night's sleep so he can concentrate on going to work and do his job effectively."</p> <p>"[My husband] thinks the idea is outrageous and he should just 'get on with it', I feel a bit confused as to why he is even asking."</p> <p>"Surely other new parents don't do this? I get sleep deprivation is hard, but I am not overly enamoured with this idea. But I don't want to be unsupportive either - how would you respond?"</p> <p>The post welcomed a flood of criticism, with many saying her son should be responsible and she should "tell him to grow up".</p> <p>One wrote, "Your husband is right. How would you have felt if he'd left you 5 days a week when your son was a baby?! Have a word with your son and tell him to grow up."</p> <p>Another said, "You say no for the sake of his girlfriend's wellbeing. You could also sit him down and explain this is what everyone else with kids goes through."</p> <p>Someone else explained, "I'd respond that if he abandons his partner with a newborn, it's likely to end his relationship. So, no."</p> <p>Another person agreed, "Wow. How about he thinks of his wife's need to get some sleep too and takes the time to do his share of the night-time care?"</p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p>

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Readers Respond: What was one struggle you had with your newborn and how did you overcome it?

<p dir="ltr">Though they may be bundles of joys, caring for newborns also comes with plenty of struggles, including sleepless nights, difficulties with breastfeeding, crying, and bouts of colic.</p> <p dir="ltr">When we asked about the struggles of looking after your newborn, here’s what you had to say.</p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>Rosemary Moreland</strong> - My youngest had no idea about breastfeeding. It took a month of dedication to the art before he caught on.</p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>Moira Thurgood</strong> - My second babe cried continuously for ten months. I just had to be patient and hope things would improve.</p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>Christine Veitch</strong> - My first baby would scream and hold her breath with wind pain (when) I was breastfeeding her. I stopped eating peas and her wind went away.</p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>Mick Gilbert</strong> - Colic, she eventually grew out of it nine months later…</p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>Marianne Prendergast</strong> - Colic with the first, eczema with the second, can’t remember if there was anything with the other two.</p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>Lizze Bartlett</strong> - She didn’t sleep much and the longest would be an hour and a half.</p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>Dan Robinson</strong> - My son had colic for 14 months and all you could do is hold him. Then he got quiet. It was a nightmare but my other two boys were great.</p> <p dir="ltr">To read what else you said, head <a href="https://www.facebook.com/oversixtyNZ/posts/pfbid0NA58pWtU6rh4zU4i1ok3GFXYUPMjUMcESbHDxFpr3WfhwaAiNJMb4HdAC51yvNMQl" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>.</p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-7c8d7511-7fff-7598-12c3-3b48b70ad1c8"></span></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: Getty Images</em></p>

Caring

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First pic of Ronaldo's new baby daughter

<p>Cristiano Ronaldo and partner Georgina Rodriguez have shared the first photo of their baby daughter.</p> <p>The couple welcomed their newborn girl home, following the tragic death of their son. The twins were both on April 18th.</p> <p>Ronaldo, aged 37, shared on Instagram, a sweet photo of his family and held his daughter in his arms.</p> <p>"Home sweet home. Gio and our baby girl are finally together with us. We want to thank everyone for all the kind words and gestures," he wrote.</p> <p>"Your support is very important and we all felt the love and respect that you have for our family. Now it's time to be grateful for the life that we've just welcomed into this world."</p> <p>Ronaldo posed with Rodriguez, his son Cristiano Jr, twins Eva and Mateo, Alana, and his unnamed newborn daughter.</p> <p>Rodriguez gave birth on April the 18th, however Ronaldo announced their newborn son had tragically died just a few days later.</p> <p>Ronaldo's first photograph of his youngest daughter welcomed a wave of supportive messages and love from fans and friends. He has yet to confirm his daughter’s name.</p> <p><em>Image: Instagram</em></p>

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"We said just do it": Mum recalls moment her newborn son fought for his life

<p dir="ltr">After a seemingly straightforward birth, Brooke Ryan didn’t expect the almighty commotion that saw her son fighting for his life.</p> <p dir="ltr">Brooke gave birth to her third son, Kaiden, in 2016 and said there were initially “no problems or issues”.</p> <p dir="ltr">“They did notice some of his vitals were changing, his blood sugar was fluctuating, and his APGAR (newborn screening test) score was worse than it was at first so they said they needed to take him away to monitor him,” the 36-year-old told <em><a href="https://honey.nine.com.au/latest/cerebral-palsy-baby-brain-bleed-surgery-recovery/952f16da-b508-4361-b13e-2910d635d760" target="_blank" rel="noopener">9Honey</a></em>.</p> <p dir="ltr">It wasn’t until later that she and her husband Julian heard and saw the hospital sirens and lights go off, only to find out Kaiden had stopped breathing and that medical staff were attempting to resuscitate him.</p> <p dir="ltr">Kaiden was then treated for meningitis, a worse-case scenario, while staff investigated what caused the sudden change.</p> <p dir="ltr">The next day, he was transported to Randwick Children’s Hospital, and Brooke had to discharge herself from the hospital she’d given birth in to be with him, her husband, and her sister Ashley.</p> <p dir="ltr">“When we got there the surgeon told us Kaiden had suffered a massive bleed on the back of his brain and that they would need to operate to remove the blood or he wouldn’t survive,” Brooke said.</p> <p dir="ltr">“They also said in all likelihood he wouldn’t survive the operation because he was only hours old and he only had so much blood in him.</p> <p dir="ltr">“We said just do it.”</p> <p dir="ltr">With no apparent alternatives, Kaiden went into surgery, but his parents were only able to see him after it finished.</p> <p dir="ltr">“He was so swollen and he had all these tubes and machines and everything just all around him,” Brooke recalled. </p> <p dir="ltr">Kaiden survived the surgery and “got stronger and stronger every day”, but there was no mention of brain damage at any of his monthly checkups.</p> <p dir="ltr">“They told us a blood vessel in his brain had burst and ruptured but they didn’t know why,” Brooke said.</p> <p dir="ltr">“When we got to about eight weeks we were telling them he was wobbly and had a floppy neck. It wasn’t getting stronger. They kept telling us he’d had major brain surgery and they’d had to cut through the muscle in the back of the neck and it would take a long time for him to recover.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Eventually doctors picked that something was amiss and began to suspect Kaiden had Cerebral Palsy (CP).</p> <p dir="ltr">“When I thought of CP I thought of people in wheelchairs who can’t do anything for themselves,” Brooke said.</p> <p dir="ltr">The family soon connected with the Cerebral Palsy Alliance (CPA) when Kaiden was seven months old and he was able to start physiotherapy and occupational therapy.</p> <p dir="ltr">Kaiden wasn’t formally diagnosed with the condition until he was 18 months old.</p> <p dir="ltr">Now five-years-old, Kaiden only needs assistance physically, and he receives plenty from his parents, two older sisters, and the CPA.</p> <p dir="ltr">“(His sisters) are very protective of Kaiden, very, very, very motherly,” Brooke said.</p> <p dir="ltr">“But they are so compassionate, patient and understanding. They would give him anything. I keep saying we are so lucky to have him.”</p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-2d8cf53f-7fff-ce9b-cd1c-5fbbabdbed31"></span></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Images: 9Honey</em></p>

Caring

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Couple’s list of demands for visiting their newborn goes viral

<p dir="ltr">A couple have been slammed online for their list of demands for any family or friends wanting to visit their newborn child. </p><p dir="ltr">The list asks guests to do chores around the house, buy them groceries, purchase gifts and not wear deodorant or perfume, along with many more. </p><p dir="ltr">The demanding mother took to Reddit to ask if she was in the wrong for refusing to bend the rules for her sister-in-law, who, as a student, couldn’t afford to pay for gifts or groceries, so instead offered to do more chores. </p><p dir="ltr">The list of rules from the picky parents begin with reasonable requirements for meeting a newborn, such as being up to date with all vaccinations, no smoking, staying away if the visitor feels sick, and not picking up the baby without the parents’ consent. </p><p dir="ltr">However, the list of demands soon becomes outlandish, with the parents requiring that guests arrange a visiting time and date a week in advance, only visit for one hour a maximum two times a week and not take selfies or dish out advice. </p><p dir="ltr">“If you visit the first time you will be expected to give mom (me) a gift card and a gift for baby from our approved list,” one of the rules states. </p><p dir="ltr">“Before you ever come no matter how many times you will be given a list of either food or groceries to bring with you AND a chore for a list of your choosing,” said another. </p><p dir="ltr">The 34-year-old mother said the list was intended to keep visits to a minimum and prevent friends and family complaining about “favouritism” over the new child. </p><p dir="ltr">However, when the new father’s sister wanted to pay a visit, things in the family descended into chaos. </p><p dir="ltr">“My sister-in-law who studies in a different part of the country and is rarely home asked to visit last week before she had to go back to school,” the mum wrote. </p><p dir="ltr">“So we set up a date with a link to our gift list then sent her the takeout we’d like including the chores she can choose from.”</p><p dir="ltr">The new aunty responded with the dire state of her finances, and offered to do extra chores instead of buying things, but the parents refused. </p><p dir="ltr">“Me and my husband talked about it and came to the decision that if we bent the rules for one person, everyone would want the same treatment,” the woman wrote. </p><p dir="ltr">“We told her no, that we were very clear about our rules and maybe next time she could visit.”</p><p dir="ltr">Devastated by her sister-in-law’s response, the woman even offered to clean the whole house for a chance to meet her new nephew, but the parents wouldn’t budge on their rules. </p><p dir="ltr">“She left this morning and we got multiple texts from my in-laws belittling us for using our child as a cash grab,” the mum said. </p><p dir="ltr">“My husband simply replied it was our rules and no one deserves special treatment, then told his family they were on a time-out and blocked them.”</p><p dir="ltr">The post on the social media site explaining the story has since gone viral, with comments slamming the new parents for their “money grabbing” tactics. </p><p dir="ltr">“Your rules went from 0 to 60. Like smoking and vaccines, yeah. But gift cards and chores? The entitlement is strong with this one,” one user commented. </p><p dir="ltr">“Gift item and food? You had a baby, you can’t cook for yourself? I mean I understand friends VOLUNTEERING to bring a meal, but to demand food, gifts and a chore? Try having a toddler and a newborn, working full time. You both sound insufferable,” another person said. </p><p dir="ltr"><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p>

Family & Pets

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Listening out for respiratory issues in newborn babies

<p>Researchers at Monash University have developed software that, used in conjunction with a digital stethoscope, improves screening and monitoring capability and more accurate diagnosis of respiratory issues in vulnerable newborn babies. Their findings were <a href="https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/9684869" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">published last week in <em>IEEE Access</em></a>.</p><div class="copy"><p>The software removed surrounding noise from chest recordings. Such noise may come from the external environment, internal body sounds or the device itself, and can affect the quality of chest sound obtained with stethoscopes. Low-quality chest sound can make monitoring and diagnosis challenging, or lead to misdiagnosis. </p><p>“Respiratory issues are common in preterm babies,” says Dr Faezah Marzbanrad from the Monash University Department of Electrical and Computer Systems Engineering.</p><p>“The software we’ve created removes all of the surrounding noise from chest recordings so the heart and lung sounds are separated and very clean. This enables doctors and nurses to listen to them very clearly without interference and better diagnose any potential issues.”</p><p>The team collected 207 chest sounds from 119 preterm babies, each 10 seconds long. They used a deep learning model called YAMNet, pre-trained on sound classification to automatically detect heart and respiratory rate.</p><p>They fine-tuned YAMNet on the 207 chest sounds and found that the model could predict heart and respiratory rates with about 57% and 51% accuracy. They also found that increasing sound quality reduces vital sign error, prompting the development of the new software that improves chest sound quality.</p><p>“Chest sounds in newborn babies are very difficult to assess and interpret, especially in preterm or sick babies,” says Associate Professor Atul Malhotra, Senior Neonatologist and Head of Early Neurodevelopment Clinic at Monash Children’s Hospital.</p><p>He says small chest size, fast breathing and heart rate, and additional noise from neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) equipment can affect chest sound quality. “We rely a lot on chest X-rays and invasive blood gas monitoring to indicate and monitor cardio-respiratory illness in babies,” he adds. “This software gives us a much better resolution to interpret, assess and monitor newborn’s illness.”</p><p>The neonatal period is the most vulnerable time for a baby, with 1.7% of live births resulting in deaths. Stethoscope-recorded chest sounds contain crucial cardiac and respiratory information that helps clinicians timely assess for signs of severe health risks.</p><p>Marzbanrad says the software is easy to use for hospital staff and parents and would be precious in rural and remote regions and low- and middle-income countries where health resources may be limited. A baby’s chest sound can be recorded and sent to a specialised doctor for real-time analysis.</p><p>“It’s not always practical to get to a doctor, and on many occasions, breathing problems happen overnight when you can’t get to a doctor,” she says. “This ensures that you can record the sound in real-time, and it’s something useful for the doctor to assess.”</p><p>The team will trial the software in conjunction with new digital stethoscope hardware at the Monash Children’s Hospital and expect it to be available worldwide in the following months.</p><img id="cosmos-post-tracker" style="height: 1px!important;width: 1px!important;border: 0!important" src="https://syndication.cosmosmagazine.com/?id=181098&amp;title=Software+might+improve+outcomes+for+newborns+with+cardio+and+respiratory+issues" width="1" height="1" data-spai-target="src" data-spai-orig="" data-spai-exclude="nocdn" /></div><div id="contributors"><p><em><a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/health/medicine/listening-respiratory-issues-newborn-babies/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">This article</a> was originally published on <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Cosmos Magazine</a> and was written by <a href="null" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Cosmos</a>, a quarterly science magazine. </em></p><p><em>Image: Getty Images</em></p></div>

Technology

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Tragic final moments of newborn captured

<p>Heartbreaking photos have emerged of a baby taking her last breaths in the hospital after her father allegedly beat her while her mother was in the hospital.</p> <p>Del’Shawn Banks, 23, is accused of killing seven-week-old Del’Luna Banks after she suffered a fractured skull.</p> <p>The baby's mother, Cortney Jones, had been in hospital with birth complications and received a call saying her baby "wasn't breathing".</p> <p>“I’m sitting in the wheelchair waiting to get rolled back to the room and I get the call my baby wasn’t breathing and the dad’s crying,” she told US news outlet <a href="https://www.wave3.com/2021/06/25/complete-monster-louisville-mother-mourning-7-week-old-daughter-childs-father-charged-with-murder/"><em>Wave3</em></a>.</p> <p>“They tell me her heart has stopped and she’s not breathing and they are going to do a CT scan to see what’s wrong.</p> <p>“They do the CT scan and see she has bleeding in her head, she has a skull fracture, and that they believe somebody hurt her.”</p> <p><img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7842154/baby-2.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/ec169c2c5d064d1bbee6b86df3fddd90" /></p> <p>The father allegedly admitted to shaking his baby daughter and throwing her on the ground.</p> <p>Cortney is disgusted by him, calling him a "monster".</p> <p>“I don’t understand how you could hurt our baby girl in any shape, way or form,” she said.</p> <p>“The one time I’m gone for more than two hours, this happens. A complete monster.</p> <p>“You’re expecting to live a long life with your child, to make memories, and I have only two months’ worth of memories.</p> <p>“That’s just not enough.”</p> <p>Banks appeared in court on Tuesday, with his bail set for $332,000.</p> <p><a href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/justicefordelluna-funeral-expense-fund"><em>Photo credit: GoFundMe</em></a></p>

Caring

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When the Queen met Lilibet

<div class="post_body_wrapper"> <div class="post-body-container"> <div class="post_body"> <div class="body_text redactor-styles redactor-in"> <div class="post_body_wrapper"> <div class="post-body-container"> <div class="post_body"> <div class="body_text redactor-styles redactor-in"> <p>Queen Elizabeth has seen her new great-grandchild via a video chat that was scheduled between herself and the Duke and Duchess of Sussex.</p> <p>Harry and Meghan were "very excited and couldn't wait to share that their daughter arrived", especially to the woman that their daughter Lilibet is named after.</p> <p>An insider told<span> </span><a rel="noopener" href="https://people.com/royals/meghan-markle-prince-harry-introduced-baby-lilibet-to-queen-in-video-call/" target="_blank"><em>PEOPLE</em></a><span> </span>that the Queen was informed about Harry and Meghan's name choice for their daughter and it was a very special moment.</p> <p>Royal historian Robert Lacey said that Prince Harry and Queen Elizabeth share a "remarkable bond".</p> <p>"She was a sort of stepmother for both Harry and William," notes Lacey. "We have all focused on her coaching of William as the future King, but we are realizing now the importance of the emotional bonds that she's been able to establish with Harry and their ability to talk to each other directly. That affection remains."</p> <p><img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7841727/megs-queen-1.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/f9d9809d82bd470993d1b0cc7c16bd3e" /></p> <p>The royal family were told about the birth of Lilibet before the public announcement on June 6th, two days after she was born.</p> <p>Harry and Meghan informed the public of their daughter's birth via their website.</p> <p>"It is with great joy that Prince Harry and Meghan, The Duke and Duchess of Sussex, welcome their daughter, Lilibet 'Lili' Diana Mountbatten-Windsor, to the world," the statement read. "Lili was born on Friday, June 4 at 11:40 a.m. in the trusted care of the doctors and staff at Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital in Santa Barbara, CA.</p> <p>"She weighed 7 lbs 11 oz. Both mother and child are healthy and well, and settling in at home.</p> <p>"Lili is named after her great-grandmother, Her Majesty The Queen, whose family nickname is Lilibet. Her middle name, Diana, was chosen to honor her beloved late grandmother, The Princess of Wales.</p> <p>"This is the second child for the couple, who also have a two-year-old son named Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor. The Duke and Duchess thank you for your warm wishes and prayers as they enjoy this special time as a family."</p> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div>

Family & Pets

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What title will Prince Harry's newborn daughter take?

<div class="post_body_wrapper"> <div class="post-body-container"> <div class="post_body"> <div class="body_text redactor-styles redactor-in"> <p>As Meghan Markle and Prince Harry welcomed their new daughter Lilibet into the world on Friday, royal fans are dying to know what Lilibet's official royal title will be.</p> <p>The decision is up to the parents, as Meghan and Harry are likely to forgo giving her a title as this is what happened with their firstborn son Archie.</p> <p>However, the royal rules state that Lilibet will be eligible to use the title of Lady, but she could decide to follow her brother's footsteps and go by "Miss" as he goes by "Master".</p> <p>Meghan and Harry explained in that iconic Oprah interview that they were initially cautious about giving a title to Archie, but they found out that he wouldn't be eligible for security if he didn't take on a title.</p> <p>The rules technically stipulate that Archie is eligible to use Harry's subsidiary title, the Earl of Dumbarton, but the Palace told her that they wanted to "change the convention for Archie".</p> <p>Meghan was concerned about the title as she would be the first royal member of colour in the family but "wouldn't be titled in the same way as the other grandchildren would be".</p> </div> </div> </div> </div>

Legal

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Mum causes family rift after “insensitive” baby name choice

<p><span>One woman has taken to social media to ask if she is in the wrong or not after she decided to name her newborn after her biological mother, which left her step mum seething.</span><br /><br /><span>Taking to reddit, the new mum wondered if her decision was “insensitive” to not include her step mother in the baby name.</span><br /><br /><span>"I had my daughter last month," she explained.</span><br /><br /><span>“I named her after my mum because she and I are so close and I loved the idea of my daughter having my mum's name.</span><br /><br /><span>"I honestly did not think of my stepmum when I was picking the name, but she was upset when we announced the name and she made it very clear that I was insensitive because she has been in my life since I was 5 and she felt like if I could honor one mom, why not honor both."</span><br /><br /><span>The mum went on to say that speaking to her mother was a “really awkward conversation” because she wasn't a huge part of her life.</span><br /><br /><span>"I spent most of my time at my mum's growing up and really I was more focused on my relationship with my dad as a kid," she said.</span><br /><br /><span>However, even when the mum explained that “it had not been intended as anything against her”, the step mum got even more upset.</span><br /><br /><span>“told me the least I could have done was warn her," the new mum wrote.</span><br /><br /><span>“I guess now I'm just wondering if she was right that at the very least I should have given her a heads up?</span><br /><br /><span>Things are pretty explosive now and she's angry and sad."</span><br /><br /><span>Redditers were quick to jump to the new mum's defence, with one writing: "You are not responsible for your step mother's feelings or expectations.You've named your daughter honoring both sides of her family, how many names was she expecting you to give your daughter?"</span><br /><br /><span>"She is trying to guilt-trip you," another wrote.</span><br /><br /><span>"A true mother wouldn't make such a big whoop about a grandchild being named after her," a reddit user said.</span><br /><br /><span>"You get to name your kid whatever you want to, and please, don't give her a thousand middle names, just to please people.</span><br /><br /><span>“Having a lot of names can be a real drag."</span></p>

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