Latest news with #SuddenInfantDeathSyndrome
Daily Mirror
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Geordie Shore star 'scared of going to bed' after having first baby
Geordie Shore's Holly Hagan-Blyth and Radio One DJ Charlie Hedges have teamed up to talk about babies, parenting and the 'fun' of potty training on CBeebies new podcast. Holly Hagan-Blyth recently lifted the lid on one of motherhood's biggest challenges as she admits she was scared of going to bed after welcoming her son Alpha-Jax. Geordie Shore star Holly Hagan-Blyth and BBC Radio One DJ Charlie Hedges may have become friends while recording a new CBeebies Parenting podcast, but there is one subject the two mums disagree on. 'I got a lot of advice from Charlie with regards to potty training, and she said it was really, really fun,' says Holly, 32, who is mum to two year old son Alpha-Jax. 'I don't think I am finding it as fun as she said it was!' She and Charlie, 38, have joined forces to host the Parenting Helpline podcast for CBeebies' new online parenting community, chatting to a different expert each week and helping parents answer those burning questions about pregnancy, birth and raising young children. 'It's about supporting parents and carers from pregnancy right up to starting school, which is where me and Holly are right now,' Charlie says. 'There is so much advice and stuff online, which is great, but I think as a new parent you kind of get lost in all of that. There's lots of information out there, but where? Where is the one solid place you can go to? I think the CBeebies parenting hub will be so helpful and I'm so proud to be part of it.' But there's another piece of advice Holly wishes she'd had before motherhood. ' I wish somebody had warned me about the baby blues, because oh my God, that hormone drop once I got home from hospital, I was crying for no reason.' 'I didn't realise I was going to feel all those emotions. It would get to 6pm, 7pm and I just burst into tears because I was scared of going to bed, I didn't want to be alone,' she says. 'It was very strange, but thankfully that passed after a week or so. But nobody warned me about that. I wish somebody had spoken to me about that, because that wasn't fun.' Holly has had her own experience of falling down the online advice rabbit hole and scaring herself as a new mum by reading stories about Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). 'I worried about febrile seizures and all of these things you didn't really know about before you had social media,' she says. 'It's great to get advice but it can be really bad for being able to see a lot of negative things. It feels like SIDS is a really common thing and I was absolutely terrified. Thinking that one day a baby might just stop breathing is terrifying to me. I even had an Owlet sock for the first year of his life that tracked his breathing and oxygen and heart rate because I am an anxious person.' Charlie, whose daughter Summer Rose will be three in August, is proud that she and Holly have shared their own experiences as mums of toddlers on the podcast, and have been joined by parents talking about their own challenges and triumphs. 'It has been beautiful to encourage people to ask questions and be open and honest, because that helps other people as well,' she says. 'I can't wait to reach the point where my daughter is old enough to understand that this is something I have done, because it's myself and Holly talking about our own personal situations.' The pair have also given advice to each other, but Holly admits that her experience with raising her son has been poles apart from Charlie's life with her daughter. 'Raising sons and daughters is completely different, they have different brain chemistry, they have different teaching styles,' Holly says. 'I also think temperament is a big thing as well, every child has a different temperament. I've got a very high temperament child, and I've made no secret that it has been a difficult journey with him from being around four months old. I'm getting to the point now where we're two years in and I feel like I am finally in the swing of motherhood, but it has taken me a long time to get there and be comfortable with it, it just turns your whole life completely upside down.' Things have definitely improved as Alpha-Jax has approached his second birthday – the age many other parents dread. 'For me, the 'terrible twos' have become the terrific twos,' Holly says. 'This is the best age I could ever imagine. So many people say 'Just wait,' but I think 'no, you don't realise what we have been through the last year and a half.' It's been really hard, he was very whingey, and nothing could please him. It was like he just hated being a baby. And now that he's able to communicate, he's speaking in full sentences, we're having conversations and he is just the best thing in the world.' Working together on the podcast, both Holly and Charlie have thought about the advice they themselves were given as new mothers. For Charlie, one of the best pieces of advice came from her own mum. 'I remember my mum saying to me, that everything is a phase,' she says. 'I've heard that many times but it is important. Baby's not sleeping through the night, or you're at the weaning stage and things are really tough. It's something to have in the back of your mind that whatever it is, it isn't going to go on for a long, long time. Nothing lasts forever.'
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Yahoo
Pennsylvania parents accused of putting their infants in unsafe sleep positions charged with felonies
Spotlight PA is an independent, nonpartisan, and nonprofit newsroom producing investigative and public-service journalism that holds power to account and drives positive change in Pennsylvania. Sign up for our free newsletters. HARRISBURG — Two sets of Pennsylvania parents face felony charges after police say their infants died in unsafe sleep positions. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now While experts and family advocates say young babies should sleep on their backs without anything in the crib, simply failing to follow the recommendations shouldn't amount to a crime. In both cases, brought in the past six months, law enforcement say the parents knowingly put their children at risk. Parents from Lebanon County are accused of putting their son to sleep on his stomach with a pillow in the crib (the mother told PennLive she put her son on his back, but that he had learned how to roll over). A mother from Luzerne County, meanwhile, was charged after police say she let her daughter sleep face down in a U-shaped pillow. Law enforcement argued in charging documents that the parents should have known better. They cited signed acknowledgements created as part of a 2010 law the state legislature passed to educate parents about Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). The law requires hospitals, birthing centers, and health care practitioners to provide educational materials, then ask the parents to certify they received them. The statement is voluntary, and there is a box noting if parents refused to sign. The lawmaker who championed the measure, former state Rep. Lawrence Curry (D., Montgomery), died in 2018. News reports from the time say the bill was written with input from two safe-sleep experts with Cribs for Kids, a Pittsburgh-based organization that seeks to prevent sleep-related deaths. Neither expert was available to comment, but other people dedicated to educating parents and preventing SIDS deaths oppose bringing criminal charges against grieving parents and note that there is no law against stomach sleeping. 'To charge them criminally is a crime, because they have already suffered the worst loss,' said Nancy Maruyama, the executive director of Sudden Infant Death Services of Illinois, a nonprofit organization that educates the public about safe-sleep practices and provides support to families who have experienced the loss of an infant. 'There's nothing else you could have done to me that would have caused any more pain than the payment I had,' said Maruyama, who lost her son in 1985. 'My heart's broken.' Safe-sleep experts stressed that these situations are not as cut and dried as a parent should have known better. They talked about potential contributing factors like the differences in time spent educating parents in the hospital, if someone a parent trusts tells them stomach sleeping is OK, and even images parents see online that show an infant sleeping on their stomach. The law 'says that families have to receive that education, but it doesn't say how that education is delivered, and it doesn't state how families' understanding or learning is evaluated,' said Devon George, chief programs officer at Cribs for Kids. (George was not involved in the drafting of the law.) Lebanon County parents charged for 3-month-old's death In Lebanon County, Gina and David Strause were charged in May with involuntary manslaughter, recklessly endangering another person, and endangering the welfare of children after the death of their son Gavin. Gina Strause told PennLive she put her son on his back, but that he was able to roll over. She told the outlet she did not recall taking home safe-sleep instructions. In Luzerne County, Natalee Rasmus was charged in December with third-degree murder, involuntary manslaughter, and endangering the welfare of children after her 1-month-old daughter, Avaya, died. Officers say they found the baby face down in a bassinet propped up on a U-shaped pillow linked to other infant deaths. 'Yeah, she wouldn't sleep, she'll just scream, so she has to be like propped up,' Rasmus, who was 17 at the time her daughter was born, told the investigating officer, according to the documents. Rasmus' public defender did not respond to requests for comment. Neither did the district attorneys in Lebanon and Luzerne Counties. Maruyama said it's her job to use evidence-based, peer-reviewed information to educate people with a baby about safe-sleep recommendations. 'But, you know, sometimes they're just so tired and they just want their child to sleep, and they know if they put them on their tummy, they'll sleep,' she said. In 1992, the American Academy of Pediatrics first recommended that infants sleep on their backs or sides. Four years later, the organization changed the recommendation to only back sleeping. Since then, SIDS rates have plummeted, although sleep-related deaths remain a leading cause of infant mortality. That's what prompted the 2010 law, which directed the Pennsylvania Department of Health to create and recommend safe-sleep materials. The 'information provided to parents must include risk factors associated with sudden unexpected infant death (SUID) and advise them about safe sleep practices,' a department spokesperson told Spotlight PA. The agency provides a brochure that complies with Act 73 in hard copy and electronic format. That brochure is two pages long and repeats recommendations from the American Academy of Pediatrics that babies should not sleep with others and should sleep on their backs in an uncluttered crib. The state also funds PA Safe Sleep, which provides birthing hospitals with services including patient education information and expert training, and safe-sleep education at the county level through children and youth agencies. George said it's important to question how hospitals are delivering information and evaluating what parents are learning. But the most important question about these situations, she said, should be: 'How are we helping families? How are we supporting families?' Of the 343 infant deaths reported in Pennsylvania in 2022 (the most recent year data is available), unsafe sleep factors were present in 68 cases, according to a state report. While education is crucial to drop the rates of these deaths, it is not enough on its own, said Michael Goodstein, a neonatologist at WellSpan hospital in York County. He is also the director of the county Cribs for Kids program and a member of an American Academy of Pediatrics subcommittee on sudden unexpected infant deaths. A parent who watches a video with their doctor and gets all their questions on safe sleep answered versus the parent who gets a handout will have a different level of understanding on the topic, Goodstein said. Like all experts who spoke to Spotlight PA, Goodstein said this is a complex issue that needs more attention, more awareness, and more research. 'It's really important to follow the safe-sleep recommendations,' Goodstein said. 'I'm not going to say it's easy to do. Babies get fussy and parents are sleep deprived, and at some point, they sometimes do things that might help the baby get back to sleep faster, so that they get some sleep, but in the end, is not a safe thing to do.' It's extremely rare for parents to be charged with a crime after their infants die sleeping on their stomachs, said Daniel Nevins, who has over 20 years of experience as a criminal defense attorney. Nevins said he couldn't name another case off the top of his head with similar facts. Spotlight PA identified a handful of criminal cases nationwide related to the deaths of infants sleeping in Boppy pillows, like the one police say Rasmus used. Charges have also been brought against parents who slept in the same bed as their child. In the recent Pennsylvania cases, Nevins said the burden of proof for prosecutors is high. To secure a conviction for involuntary manslaughter — which is punishable by up to 10 years in prison — prosecutors will have to prove that the parents acted dangerously or recklessly and that they should have known better. For third-degree murder — which can be punished with up to 40 years in prison — prosecutors do not have to prove that the death was intentional but do have to demonstrate malice. 'The commonwealth had better think long and hard about whether or not they have enough evidence to pursue these types of charges,' Nevins said. If you learned something from this article, pay it forward and contribute to Spotlight PA at Spotlight PA is funded by foundations and readers like you who are committed to accountability journalism that gets results. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Time of India
07-05-2025
- Health
- Time of India
'My womb becomes a tomb': South Carolina woman forced to carry dead fetus for weeks due to strict abortion laws
A South Carolina woman has gone public with her emotional and medical experience, alleging she was refused lifesaving medical care after suffering from fetal loss, as a result of the state's restrictive abortion law. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The woman, Elisabeth Weber, reports being required to carry a nonviable fetus for weeks, even though there was no heartbeat, because doctors were unwilling to deliver treatment within the limitations of the "heartbeat bill." Her experience illustrates how such legislation could accidentally delay necessary medical treatment for women with pregnancy loss. South Carolina woman forced to carry fetus with no heartbeat for weeks Elisabeth Weber, a 31-year-old mother of three from South Carolina, said that she was close to ten weeks pregnant when her doctor told her her fetus did not have a heartbeat anymore. She went in right away and asked for a dilation and curettage (D&C), a procedure applied to extract fetal tissue from the uterus following miscarriage or abortion. Even though the fetus was not viable, Weber was said to have been refused the procedure on the grounds that medical staff feared breaking the heartbeat law. "My baby has been sitting inside me dead for three weeks already," Weber posted on an Instagram video. "And now I have to wait another week knowing my baby is dead to do anything about it." Poll Do you believe current abortion laws adequately protect women's health? No, they do not. Yes, they do. South Carolina woman Weber complications suffered Weber has Hyperemesis Gravidarum (HG), a serious pregnancy complication that results in severe nausea and vomiting. While the fetus had ceased to grow, Weber's body still reacted as if she were pregnant, leading to ongoing illness and physical decline. "My body wasn't realizing that I wasn't pregnant anymore. I was still totally bedridden with nausea, vomiting all the time," she explained. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now "The baby hadn't developed at all. There is still no heartbeat. At that point, I was nearly 10 weeks pregnant." Weber also complained of frustration at being questioned about whether her pregnancy was "wanted," implying that such questioning was directed at ascertaining the lawfulness of providing care, and not her healthcare needs. Weber faces psychological trauma under strict abortion law Weber has had deep-seated grief in the past, having lost her infant son in 2018 to Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). She now has three daughters—Neveah, Story, and Finley. The psychological trauma of having a dead fetus, added to her background of loss and continued physical illness, has had a lasting effect. 'I can't believe that I'm being forced to carry around my dead baby. They know it's gone, they know it's dead, they know it's stopped developing. There's really no feeling like when your womb becomes a tomb,' she said. Weber's viral account exposes the real-life harm of abortion bans gone too far Weber's account has attracted nationwide attention, as reproductive rights advocates have pointed to her case as proof of the unintended damage of overly broad abortion bans. Her account has spread widely on media like Instagram and TikTok, where she has chronicled her experience in real-time. Those against the heartbeat bill contend that instances like these portray a perilous intersection of medicine and politics under which legal confusion and fear of prosecution discourage doctors from making effective, life-sustaining medical decisions in time. Medical workers, legal observers, and feminist groups have affirmed the necessity of clearer legislative terms that permit effective and humane care in miscarriages and fetal demise. South Carolina's abortion law sparks debate over medical judgment and legal risk South Carolina's "Fetal Heartbeat and Protection from Abortion Act," the so-called heartbeat bill, took effect in 2021. The act prohibits all but extremely rare abortions once fetal cardiac activity is identified, usually around six weeks into the pregnancy. Exceptions are provided, but only on a very tight basis, in cases of rape, incest, or if the mother's life is threatened. Yet, critics contend that the ambiguous language of the law and harsh legal sanctions have a chilling effect. Healthcare providers might be reluctant to provide timely treatment in cases of miscarriage or fetal death because of fear of legal repercussions—even when fetal viability is no longer an issue. Also Read |
Hindustan Times
07-05-2025
- Health
- Hindustan Times
South Carolina mom forced to carry fetus with no heartbeat for weeks due to strict laws: ‘My baby is dead'
A mother from South Carolina claimed that she was forced to carry a fetus with no heartbeat for weeks after being denied medical care due to the existing anti-abortion laws in the state. 31-year-old Elisabeth Weber said that she visited the ER to get a dilation and curettage - a procedure where the doctor removes tissue from the inside of a woman's uterus - but was denied care due to the heartbeat bill, reported People. A South Carolina mom claimed she had to wait for weeks to get medical help while carrying a fetus with no heartbeat. (Instagram/@elisabeth__hope) Weber shared a video on Instagram detailing her situation. 'I am posting my updates on Instagram, since I have only been updated on TikTok. I recorded this minutes after finding this information out, so not everything was worded correctly. I grew up in a very conservative household, but I have not been conservative since I was very young. I am not conservative and I did NOT vote for Trump. It was not my choice to stand outside planned parenthood. I grew up in a cult,' she wrote. In the video, she claimed that she came to know the fetus in her womb had no heartbeat, and she decided to seek medical help. 'My baby has been sitting inside me dead for three weeks already,' Weber said in the viral video. 'And now I have to wait another week knowing my baby is dead to do anything about it,' she continued. 'The baby stopped growing at 6 weeks and one day,' she told People. She added, 'With my HG and all of that, I'm so sick. I have three kids, and waiting around to go into a mini-labor is just hard.' Weber has three daughters Neveah, Story, and Finley. She had a son who died in 2018 due to Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). 'My body was not recognizing that I wasn't pregnant anymore. I was still completely bedridden with nausea, throwing up all the time,' Weber told the outlet, adding, 'The baby had not grown at all. There's still no heartbeat. At that point, I was almost 10 weeks.' Also Read: Woman's gender reveal party ruined after wrong paternity test led to abortion, only to find out it was incorrect 'My baby didn't have a heartbeat, and it still prevented me from getting care,' she said, recalling that she was asked by the medical professionals if her pregnancy was 'wanted'. 'I can't believe that I'm being forced to carry around my dead baby. They know it's gone, they know it's dead, they know it's stopped developing, and now I'm being forced to carry it… there's really no feeling like when your womb becomes a tomb,' she told the outlet.
Yahoo
04-05-2025
- Yahoo
Local deputy's ‘quick thinking and actions' help save infant's life
A local sheriff's deputy and corrections officer was recently honored for helping save an infant's life. [DOWNLOAD: Free WHIO-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] Mercer County Sheriff's Deputy and Corrections Officer Chad Etzler received the Life Saving Award last week, according to a social media post from the sheriff's office. TRENDING STORIES: 1 dead after crash in Greene County Local school administrator on leave after 'inappropriate conduct' complaint Man rescued after falling down embankment near rising floodwater On April 21, Etzler's neighbor ran to his house begging for help. The neighbor said the baby might be choking, so Etzler provided first aid and CPR until medics arrived, according to the post. Medics continued to provide care while taking the baby to a nearby hospital. It was later determined that the child was not choking, instead suffering from an episode related to Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS), the post said. Etzler's early intervention helped save the child's life. 'Thanks to the quick thinking and actions by Chad, that child's life was saved,' Sheriff Doug Timmerman said. [SIGN UP: WHIO-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]
