Baby names have been getting a little strange lately and New Zealand’s names registrar has had enough. According to the Herald Sun, 102 baby names have already been banned from future use including titles as names (“Duke“, “Bishop“, “Baron“), punctuation marks,

and numbers like the rejected name “16“.  You can forget about registering “Lucifer” too…yeah, even if it’s a family name. It’s already been rejected three separate times.

Have fun and stay healthy,
Dr.MOZ

This week’s baby news covers modern fathers in the workplace, pinpoints the world’s most annoying sound, and proves that babies can in fact be art snobs. Well…the art study only researched Swiss babies, and we sort of knew they were art snobs already didn’t we? All

this and more below!

General Baby and Parenting

• Skip College, Go to Parenting School: Keli Geoff debates that parenting education might have larger, more positive impact on the country than increasing the number of college degrees. (~> The Huffington Post)

• Minorities Now Majority of U.S. Babies: Racial and ethnic minorities will become the U.S. majority by mid-century according to preliminary census data. (~> CBS News)

• Fathers and Workplace Flexibility: Gen X and Gen Y fathers are willing to sacrifice salary for a work/life balance, but older workers fear being passed-up for promotions. (~> MarketWatch)

• Same-Sex Couples Raising Kids: Census statistics show that 25% of same-sex couples in California are raising kids. (~> MercuryNews.com)

New Studies

• Overweight Babies: A new study by the National Academy of Sciences says that baby fat needs monitoring and makes suggestions the medical community and parents. (~> Washington Post)

• The World’s Worst Sound: It’s official, a whining child is the world’s most annoying sound! (~> Reuters)

Strange Baby News

• Babies Prefer Picasso: 9-month-old babies seem to prefer Picasso over Monet based on an odd study conducted in Switzerland. (~> MSNBC )

Thanks for visiting, and don’t forget to leave your comments in the box below. The blog is moderated throughout the day, so don’t worry if your comment isn’t immediately visible. I can also be found on Facebook and Twitter, so I look forward to hearing from you!

Have fun and stay healthy,
Dr.MOZ

Quite a lot has happened in the baby world over the past three days, so let’s catch-up on all the baby news from important health announcements to strange and interesting gossip from your favorite celebrity parents.

General Baby and Parenting

• The Happiest Moms in the World: If you’ve ever wondered where the world’s best and worst places to be a mother are, the 12th annual Mothers’ Index can tell you based on their analysis of health, education, and economic conditions for women and children in 164 countries. (~> State of the World’s Mother’s 2011 Statistics and Facts)

• How You Roll: Under a new American Airlines policy, large strollers, jogging strollers, and non-collapsible strollers will soon need to be checked at the ticket counter. (~> MSNBC)

Studies & Health Warnings

• Yaz Birth Control and Blood Clots: Bayer’s birth control pills “Yaz” will be reviewed by FDA regulators after recent British studies suggested that they may cause more blood clots (2x to 3x more) than competing products. (~> NY Times)

• China Bans BPAs from Baby Bottles: Although the U.S. has failed to ban the dangerous plastic, China has joined Canada, the European Union, and the United Arab Emirates in banning bisphenol A “BPA” from baby bottles. (~> Consumer Reports)

• Pregnancy Study: A link may exist between influenza vaccination in pregnancy and reduced risk of premature birth according to a recent study. (~> Science Daily)

• CPSC Recalls: The CPSC has recalled to products that parents should be aware of including (1) Horizon hobby toy helicopters http://1.usa.gov/k9lZIA (2) Full-face bicycle helmets by Bell http://1.usa.gov/mJXqmR

Strange

• Octomom’s Fertility Doctor’s License Revoked: Those of you interested in using Octomom’s fertility doctor may need to put your reality show plans on hold as he recently lost his license. (~> NPR.com)

Celebrity Baby News

• New Kid Joey has a New Kid: Joey McIntyre and wife welcome their baby, a 7 pound 3 ounce girl named Kira Katherine McIntyre. (~> E! Online)

• David Schwimmer Welcomes Daughter: Actor/Director David Schwimmer and Photographer wife Zoe Buckman announced the arrival of their daughter Cleo Buckman Schwimmer. (~> People)

Do you have additional baby news or an update on a posted story? Leave a comment below, or contact Dr.MOZ on Twitter and Facebook!

Have fun and stay healthy,

Dr.MOZ

This week’s baby news covers everything from breastfeeding baby dolls to major trade violations from the world’s largest baby store. Let’s get to the news, baby!

• Longer Breast-Feeding May Be Key to Bigger Brains: New mothers wondering just how long to continue breastfeeding might be interested in a new study published in this week’s issue of Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. (~> HealthDay)

• Toys R Us to Pay $1.3 Million for Violating FTC Order: FTC claims that Toys ‘R’ Us subsidiary Babies ‘R’ Us illegally asked suppliers not to sell to competitors and/or persuaded limitations to certain sales to competitors. (~> Chicago Tribune, Wall Street Journal)

• Breast Milk Baby Doll: Although the breast milk baby doll has been around for quite a while, the Spanish manufacturer Berjuan Toys is causing quite a stir with this week’s US launch. (~> PRWeb press release, ABC News, SFGate)

• St. Could Hospital Uses New Cooling Therapy on Newborn: A hospital in St. Clould used a cooling therapy on a newborn for the first time. Until now,  the 72 hour therapy has only been used on adults suffering brain injuries. (~> WQOW TV)

• Dads Want Work Flexibility, Too, Expert Says: Take note employers, 87 % of all employees of all ages (including men, women, salaried,  hourly) put workplace flexibility as the top consideration when looking at a new job. (~> ParentDish)

What do you think parents? Are you bothered by the breast milk baby doll, or surprised by any of the studies mentioned in today’s baby news link roundup? Leave your comment in the box below, shoot us a tweet on Twitter, or visit Dr.MOZ on Facebook.

Have fun and stay healthy,

Dr.MOZ

The baby world is buzzing with celebrity baby announcements, parenting studies, baby product recalls, and much more, so lets get to this week’s moose-sized baby roundup!

Digital Baby Buzz

• CoolMomPicks Turns Five – One of our favorite baby blogs CoolMomPicks.com turned 5 this week, so shoot over and tell the crew Happy Birthday! (CoolMomPicks.com & CMP on Facebook)
• Togetherville.com Acquired by Disney:  Online community for kids “Togetherville” of Menlo Park, CA is acquired by Disney for an undisclosed sum.(TechCrunch.com)

Studies

• Farm Kids and Asthma: Living on farms appears to help arm children against asthma (USA Today)
• Crib-Injury Statistics: New statistics from Nationwide Children’s Hospital shows that 10,000 infants receive crib-related injuries each year. (ABC News)

Celebrity Baby News

• Alyssa Milano is Pregnant – Congratulations to Alyssa Milano and husband David Bugliari with the big news about their pregnancy! (Twitter Announcement & LA Times Blog)
• Tonya Harding Welcomes Son – Notorious figure skating champion Tonya Harding welcomed a son on Saturday…a future hockey player perhaps? (CNN.com)

Baby Product Recalls

• B.O.B. Strollers Recalled – Popular jogging strollers by B.O.B. have been voluntarily recalled due to a strangulation hazard involved with a drawstring found on the canopy. (CPSC.gov & Warning Details on B.O.B. Website)
• IKEA Cribs Recalled -IKEA’s SNIGLAR cribs were recalled for repair due to mattress support collapse. (CPSC.gov & IKEA’s Website)

This is Bizarre, Baby

• Baby Born in Elevator – A 5-pound, eleven-ounce baby was born in an elevator  Lawrence Memorial Hospital last Friday. Any guesses on her nickname? (Kansas City Star)
• Breast Milk Ice Cream: An ice cream parlor in London recently began serving a new specialty ice cream called “Baby Gaga” including vanilla pods, lemon zest, and breast milk. (Daily Mail)

Thanks for visiting the baby blog and don’t forget to leave a comment in the box below!

Have a great weekend,
Dr.MOZ

Dr.MOZ’s Chief Infant Correspondent has been hard at work digging-up the latest parenting studies, product recalls, and celebrity baby buzz, so let’s see what’s new in the baby business this week!

• Controversial Study: Sharing Child Caregiving May Increase Parental Conflict: Results showed that couples had a stronger, more supportive co-parenting relationship when the father spent more time playing with their child.  But when the father…(OSU Research)

• Announcement by Mariah Carey and Nick Cannon:  Will Mariah Carey and Nick Cannon paint their twins’ nursery pink or blue? Possibly both. They’re expecting a… (CNN’s Marquee Blog)

• Teethers Recalled: Sassy Inc. recalls Refreshing Rings Infant Teethers/Rattles due to an ingestion hazard.  (CPSC.gov)

• Why Parents Should Play Video Games With Their Daughers: This recall involves the Bayside youth bed: the Pirates of the Caribbean Twin Trundle Bed. The pre-assembled headboard has a brown wood base…(TIME)

• Mike Tyson Welcomes a Son: “My wife Lakiha is feeling great, our son Morocco Elijah was born on Tuesday, 1/25/11. Everyone’s 100% healthy. Thanks for all the love.” – via Twitter (@MikeTyson)

• Consumer Agency Tightens Scrutiny of Baby Sleep Products: In reviewing data from the Consumer Products Safety Commission, Dr. Thach concluded that crib bumpers — the padding wrapped around the inside of a crib…(New York Times)

• Rice Cereal: Does It Make Kids Fat?: White rice cereal is a gluten-free, and an allergy-free option, that most babies find easy to digest. But Dr. Alan Greene, a pediatrician at Stanford University, who started a campaign called “White Out,” is .…(ABC News)

Thanks for visiting baby fans and don’t forget to leave your comments in the box below.

Have fun and stay healthy,

Dr.MOZ

I’ve been  away from the baby blog while on winter break, so it’s time we went to our Chief Infant Correspondent to bring us up-to-date with this week’s baby news. Now to you…baby.

• Baby Product Recalls: Just a few of this week’s recalls include: Kid O Baby Rattles, Calisson Teething Rings, and Toy Mobile Phones by Discovery Toys. (CPSC.gov)
• Autism Research: Pregnancies spaced closely together result in higher autism risk according to new study. (Washington Post)
• Baby Formula Bandits: New Jersey brothers busted in baby formula theft ring. (The Daily Journal)
• Breastfeeding Tips: “There are almost no words to describe what I thought was only some form of prison camp torture,” Reese says. (CNN)
• Pregnancy and Toxins: Pregnant Women Awash in Chemicals. Is that bad for Baby? (TIME)
• Expecting Celebrities: Selma Blair and Jason Bleick announce their pregnancy along with Devon Aoki and fiancé James Bailey and Kevin James and wife Steffiana.
• Baby Born with Teeth: 7lb 12 oz baby born in the UK with two front teeth! (ParentDish)

Thanks for visiting baby fans and don’t forget to shoot over to Dr.MOZ’s Facebook Fan page  later this weekend for a chance to win our latest giveaway!

Have fun and stay healthy,

Dr.MOZ

It may only be Tuesday, but this week is already proving to be a big week for baby news. Here’s the latest in baby news over the past 48 hours:

• Can Breastfeeding Prevent Whooping Cough? (CNN.com)
• R&B Singer Ne-Yo and Girlfriend Monyetta Welcome a Baby Girl (ET Online)
• Circumcision Ban May End-Up on San Francisco Ballot (CBS News)
• 97% of Parents Believe Music is Beneficial for a Baby’s Development (PRWeb)
• Can You Predict a Child’s Adult Height? (Charlotte Observer)
• Heavy Smoking During Pregnancy Can Set Your Baby Up for a Life of Crime (LA Times)
• Prenatal Exposures Prompt EPA to Re-Examine Chemical Regulations (New York Times)
• Attachment Parenting: The Root of All Evil? Erica Jong Thinks So (TIME)

Comments are moderated throughout the day, so there may be a slight delay before your message goes live. Thanks again for visiting the moose M.D.’s baby blog for your daily fix of baby goodies!

Have fun and stay healthy,
Dr.MOZ

My day job has kept me on my toes and away from the blog, so I think it’s time to catch-up on “everything baby” with a moose-sized baby news roundup!

• Cool Mom Tech: is the shiny new tech blog recently launched by the queens of cool at CoolMomPicks.com! It has the same refreshing cool you know and love from the CMP crew, but twice the geeky goodness! (more at CoolMomTech.com)

• Recalls: You may already know about the big Similac baby formula recall, but you should also check your home to make sure you aren’t using the recently recalled Molenaar night lights. (more about the Similac and Molenarr recalls)

• Infant Mortality Awareness: Although the infant mortality rate continues to decline across the country, the rate in Kansas is nearly 20% higher than most states. The Kansas Department of Health and Environment is encouraging people to recognize September as National Infant Mortality Awareness Month. (more at Kansas City Info Zine)

• Should Parents Blog About Their Kids?: It’s not a new debate, but it’s particularly interesting coming from one of the most popular moms who blog…Heather Armstrong of Dooce. (more at Dooce.com)

• Katy Perry Fired from Sesame Street: Pop singer Katy Perry’s dress receives negative feedback from some parents resulting in the segment being pulled from the TV broadcast. (controversial Katy Perry and Elmo segment on YouTube)

• Parents in UK Spend $7,700 in 1st Year: A recent study showed that the average British parent  spends approximately $7,700 (£5,000) over the first 12 months. You’ll notice the largest expense in the list is formula; yet another reason to breastfeed! (more at DailyMail)

What do you think baby fans? Do you feel that Katy Perry’s video with Elmo was unfit for Sesame Street? Where do you draw the line when it comes to blogging about your children? Share your comments on this week’s topics in the box below.

Have a great weekend!

Dr.MOZ

…and now we go to our Chief Infant Correspondent to bring us this week’s baby news.

• Baby IKEA: Inspired by the Swedish furniture store, parents in the UK named their baby girl “IKEA” . You might think this was unusual, but Nancy.cc gives us the stats to see just how many baby IKEAs are out there. (more at Nancy.cc)
• Acetaminophen Tied to Asthma:  A large cross-sectional study showed that the use of acetaminophen was associated with asthma in 13- and 14-year-olds. (more at MedPage Today)
• New Dad Jailed: A 31-year-old Utah man became a brand new dad, groped a nurse in the hospital, and was sentenced 180 days in jail. (more at Standard-Examiner)
• Baby Tweets: Congratulations to Alanis Morissette (@morissette) and Neil Patrick Harris (@ActuallyNPH). Each announced their baby news on Twitter, and Neil Patrick Harris is expecting twice the fun with twins!
• Skinny Jeans for Toddlers:  You read that correctly…the baby industry has finally gone off the deep end and followed the denim diaper craze with skinny jeans for toddlers. (more at TIME)
• Baby Monitors Recalled: Levana baby monitors recently announced a recall due to overheating and smoking monitors (more at CPSC)

Thanks for visiting Dr.MOZ’s baby blog for this week’s baby news! Let me know if I missed anything news worthy by sharing it in the comments box below.

Have a great weekend!

Dr.MOZ

Hey baby fans! Did you hear about the latest CPSC children’s bed recall? Ever wonder what it costs to raise a child? If so, you’ve come to the right place because I cover these topics (and many more) below:

• A Child Born in 2009 Will Cost $222,360 to Raise According to USDA Report: Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today released USDA’s new annual report, Expenditures on Children by Families, which finds that a middle-income family with a child born in 2009 can expect to spend about…(more at USDA.gov)

• Health-care law improves insurance coverage for pregnant women and new mothers:  By the time women reach 44 years old, roughly 85 percent have given birth. Yet even though pregnancy and childbirth are such commonplace events, health insurance coverage and support services to keep mothers and babies … (more at The Washington Post)

• Childhood constipation often lingers into adulthood: Stubborn cases of chronic constipation in childhood may become an adulthood problem for a significant percentage of kids, a new study suggests… (more at Yahoo News)

• Bayside Furnishings Recalls to Repair Youth Beds Sold at Costco Due to Entrapment Hazard: This recall involves the Bayside youth bed: the Pirates of the Caribbean Twin Trundle Bed. The pre-assembled headboard has a brown wood base…(more at CPSC.com)

• Do pregnancy and bipolar disorder mix? As recently as 10 years ago, doctors advised women with bipolar disorder not to have children. While that thinking is now dated, bipolar women often face tough decisions about how to handle…(more at CNN.com)

• Does Tourette’s Run in Families?: Dozens of readers  had questions about Tourette’s syndrome, the odd and poorly understand disorder that causes uncontrollable tics and vocalizations, after the disorder…(more at NYT.com)

• ‘Baby Bubbler’: Student Invention Helps Infants With Respiratory Ailments: The Baby Bubbler — or in its more technical guise, the Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) device — helps children with acute respiratory infections breathe naturally as they recover. According to the…(more at ScienceDaily)

To address any of the issues mentioned, please leave your comments in the box below.  The baby blog is moderated, so please remember that all “commercial” and “off topic” comments will be deleated.

Have fun and stay healthy,

Dr.MOZ

I’ve noticed a large number of baby-related articles from breastfeeding studies to bizarre birth stories, so let’s see what is making the news this week:

• Study: Lack of breastfeeding costs lives, billions of dollars: If most new moms would breastfeed their babies for the first six months of life, it would save nearly 1,000 lives … (CNN)

• U.S. Teen Birth Rate Drops: According to the report from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Center for Health Statistics, in 2008 there were 41.5 births per 1,000 teenagers aged 15 to 19 years, down from (HealthDay)

• Report: 50 percent of pregnancies unplanned in LA County: A report on the health of women in Los Angeles County notes that 50 percent of all pregnancies … (LA County Public Health)

• Woman Gives Birth Twice in a Week: In HealthWatch, an Ohio woman gave birth to twins one week apart. Harry Smith spoke with the couple about the status of their twins. (CBS News Video)

• Surprisingly, Family Time Has Grown: Working parents perpetually agonize that they don’t see enough of their children. But a surprising new study (NYT.com)

• Babies Absorb the Most Bisphenol A: The hormonally active substance bisphenol A is contained in many synthetic and packaging materials. As a result, the substance (ScienceDaily)

It’s great to see breastfeeding research and BPA studies getting coverage on major news networks isn’t it? Share your views on these topics in the comment box below.

Have fun and stay healthy,

Dr.MOZ