The B.C. government took custody of three of four surviving sextuplets over the weekend from a Jehovah’s Witness family, believing the infants were in danger if they didn’t get blood transfusions, the family’s lawyer revealed Wednesday.

The family has since regained custody after two or three of the four babies were given transfusions. Such medical intervention is prohibited under the Jehovah’s Witness faith.

But the anonymous family, which has avoided the media since the sextuplets’ births, went to court Wednesday and was given a chance in late February to argue their rights have been violated, said lawyer Shane Brady, who also confirmed two of the six babies born overnight Jan. 6-7 have since died.

A Supreme Court of Canada decision a decade ago ruled a family had to be consulted before such government intervention, something the government did not do, he alleged.

Claiming it is bound by privacy laws, the B.C. government would not confirm the action or details of the case.

B.C. Children’s Minister Tom Christensen only said the government is bound by law to act in the interest of children.

“What I can tell you is that the ministry’s obligation any time we find that there’s a child in need of protection for any reason, including the need for medical treatment, the ministry will look at the situation and determine whether there’s action we need to take to ensure that the child is protected. That is the policy we follow.”

The four boys and two girls — each weighing only 1.8 pounds — were born at 25 weeks, just over the half-way mark of an average 40-week pregnancy.

This has been a huge issue since it was revealed that the parents were Jehovah’s Witnesses. I really though that these parents would step up to the plate and do whatever was necessary for these babies to survive, but I was wrong.

It is one thing to make bad decisions for yourself, but making ridiculous decisions for small infants who even cannot breath on their own is unforgivable.

I am proud of the B.C. government for stepping in and taking temporary custody. It sends a clear message to these parents - Life Over Religion.

Related Articles:

Update: Second Sextuplet Has Died
Update: One Of The B.C. Sextuplets Has Died
The Sextuplet Blood Transfusion Issue

SOURCE:CANADA

Now hospitals there have set up a centralised booking system and set a quota for the number of mainland mothers allowed in.

As a further disincentive to cross-border births, Chinese mothers will now have to pay double the hospital fees of their Hong Kong counterparts.

These fees must be paid in advance, at an antenatal check, in order to obtain a confirmation certificate which allows re-entry into Hong Kong.

Those over 28 weeks pregnant who do not have a certificate will be refused entry.

The Hong Kong health department plans to send medical personnel to help immigration officials implement the new rules at border checkpoints.

Hong Kong’s Deputy Secretary for Health, Welfare and Food Patrick Nip said that the measures were designed to prioritise care for local women.

“The new measures can also deter dangerous behaviour by non-local pregnant women in seeking last-minute hospital admission before delivery through accident and emergency departments,” he said earlier this month when the rules were first unveiled.

But the BBC correspondent in Shanghai, Quentin Sommerville, says some Chinese have criticised the measures as discriminatory.

The new measures will not apply to pregnant women of other nationalities.

It is sad that Chinese mothers have to go to such lengths to have additional babies. Their government needs to re-evalute their plan to lower the population.

SOURCE:BBC

Does your car seat have an expiry date? Yes! Health Canada is reporting that Evenflo Company, Inc. has a general expiry date of December of the sixth year from the date of manufacture.

Evenflo Company, Inc. has a general expiry date of December of the sixth year from the date of manufacture. Some products manufactured in the year 2006 have an incorrect expiry date of December 2011. This date should read December 2012.

In 1997, Evenflo and other manufacturers of children’s restraint systems selected a six-year recommended product life. This was to reduce the resale of children’s restraint systems with unknown histories, missing parts, etc.

Transport Canada does not regulate expiry dates for these systems, but does counsel the public not to use a system past the expiry date. The enforcement agencies in Canada may ticket or charge users of expired systems. In addition, insurance companies may have issue if a claim was presented on an expired restraint system.

I think this is a good idea. It prevents new parents from buying an out of date car seat, that may not be safe, at a garage sale. A car seat is the one thing that you want to ensure is always in excellent condition and installed properly.

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Consumer Reports Retracts Infant Car Seat Study

Parents Not Hooking Up Carseats Properly

Not Safe For Baby To Sleep In Car Seat

You Tube “Rear Facing Car Seats Are Better”

Car Seat Safety

SOURCE:HEALTHCANADA