If you could find out that early, would you? The manufacturer of a new DNA screening test claims it can pinpoint the gender of a child only a few weeks into the pregnancy. The Consumer Genetics Pink or Blue Gender Test promises to let women know whether they're having a boy or a girl, as early as seven weeks into their pregnancy. Consumer Genetics claims the test is accurate 95% of the time. … [Read more...]

Remember Elizabeth Barrett? She was 17-months-old when the Today Show introduced her to America a year ago. Why was she special? She could read. Elizabeth read her first word - corn - at 13-months-old. Pretty amazing stuff. This morning, the Today Show followed up with Elizabeth and learned she has graduated to reading newspapers. She also knows most of the state capitols. Click here to watch today's segment. … [Read more...]

File this under "You knew it was coming" Nadya Suleman admits that her children are still on Medi-Cal. And she's contemplating applying for even more federal assistance to feed her brood of 14. "If I need to apply for (the Women, Infants and Children program) to provide my babies with formula, then I'm going to," the Whittier Daily News reports Suleman as saying. WIC provides federal grants for food, healthcare referrals and nutrition education for low-income women and children up to age 5 who are found to be at nutritional risk. … [Read more...]

Easter is just a few days away and the babies/toddlers want to dye eggs! This article covers making the egg stands, decorating eggs and the different types of dye and eggs to use.   More links: :: 13 Easter egg filler ideas :: Creating an Easter basket for a toddler :: How to plan an Easter egg hunt party :: Easter egg hunt ideas … [Read more...]

BBA reader Paige sent us this article discussing the idea of a "baby tax" because of the huge enviromental impact of our little ones. In a letter published in the Medical Journal of Australia in December 2007, (Dr. Barry) Walters called for a carbon tax that would fund the planting of enough trees to offset the carbon cost generated by a new human being, which he estimated to be around $5000 at birth (to purchase the land needed to plant the trees) and then $400-$800 annually for the life of the child to maintain the planted trees. What do you think about a baby tax? … [Read more...]

Nearly one-fifth of American 4-year-olds are obese, and children of color are at higher risk, according to new research. Researchers calculated the body mass index from a sample of 8,550 Hispanic, black, white, Asian and Native American 4-year-olds. The children were born in 2001, and in 2005, their height and weight were measured -- 18.4 percent of them were obese. "Significant differences in the prevalence of obesity between racial/ethnic groups were evident at 4 years of age," the researchers wrote in the April issue of the Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine. { CNN } … [Read more...]

Charitable donations may be down because of the recession, but another type of donation is up for the very same reason: egg and sperm. More women are trying to make money by offering their eggs to infertile couples, and men are doing the same with their sperm.  { Boston Globe } … [Read more...]

Of course you are. That's why you're here. But just in case you're wondering if, um, "your friend" is an addict, here's a fun look at the top 10 signs. The subject seems to be a pretty popular one. … [Read more...]

He's best known for his 1981 #1 hit "Jessie's Girl." But now he's singing for babies. In a new CD titled "My Precious Little One," Springfield makes public the songs he wrote for his own children, who are now in their 20's. The CD is available exclusively at Amazon.com. Stick around for the second part of the clip to hear Springfield sing "Jessie's Girl." … [Read more...]