Archive for June, 2010

Stationary crib recall

Tuesday, June 29th, 2010

To keep your baby safe when she’s sleeping, it’s best to buy a crib with stationary sides. Compared to drop-sided cribs, stationary-sided cribs don’t have drop sides or moving parts that can be installed incorrectly or possibly malfunction while in use. But it turns out that they can have stationary sides that can be installed incorrectly.

Amidst the recent rash of crib recalls–over 2 million cribs with top brand names such as LaJobi (Bona Vita, Babi Italia and ISSI), Simmons, Jardine, Delta (Jenny Lind) and Delta–were recalled on June 24, 2010–40,000 to 50,000 of them were stationary cribs by Childcraft. (The rest were drop-sided cribs.)

The stationary side on these Childcraft cribs can be assembled upside down, but look like they’re installed correctly, leaving a hazardous five-inch gap at the top of the crib. Infants or toddlers can become entrapped in this gap (see photo, below, of what the dangerous gap looks like), which can lead to entrapment, strangulation or other injuries.

These cribs were sold at Babies ‘R Us and other stores nationwide between January 1998 and June 2009 for between $600 and $650.

What to Do:

The remedy for this crib is to examine it immediately and determine whether you’ve assembled it properly. The Consumer Product Safety Commission says that the best way to do this is to measure the gap between the front and back sides of the crib and the dowel that runs parallel to the sides. The gap should be no more than two and three eighths inches (2 3/8″). If the gap is greater than 2 3/8″, the side has been installed upside-down and needs to be re-assembled. Another indicator that the side has been installed improperly is the appearance of the barrel nut. The barrel nut should be at the bottom of the side, not the top. If either of these conditions are present, the side of the crib has been installed upside-down and needs to be re-assembled so that the barrel nut is not visible from the top and the gap between the dowel and the side is no greater than two and three eighths inches (2 3/8″).

If you’ve installed this crib incorrectly, you should also contact Foundations Worldwide, Inc. toll-free at (866) 614-0557 anytime, or visit the firm’s website at www.cribsafetyinfo.com to obtain instructions and decals to affix to the stationary sides of the crib to ensure proper assembly in the future.

Mind the gap!

To check to see if your stationary or drop-side crib was part of the recall, visit www.cpsc.gov asap, and take the necessary steps they recommend to fix the problem and keep your baby safe. Remember, even though your baby is sleeping, he can get into a lot of trouble just by hanging out in his crib. It’s still the safest sleeping environment for babies, though.

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Help! My toddler keeps unbuckling!

Tuesday, June 22nd, 2010

It’s a fact of life that starting around age 2-2 1/2, curious toddlers become enamored with unbuckling their car seat while you’re driving. It’s one of those unofficial milestones–the unbuckling the car seat stage. Look what I can do, Mom! Dad! Ta da! “Is there anything you can buy to prevent my child from unbuckling?” I was recently asked that question at a childproofing symposium I was leading.

The answer is…unfortunately, no. There’s really nothing you can or should buy to essentially lock your child into his car seat. In fact, here’s the stance about aftermarket products like these that manufacturers, such as Britax, state on their Website:

Do not use any aftermarket products (e.g., mirrors, sun visors, toys attached to the seat, etc.), as they could affect the performance of the child seat in the event of a crash and could become dangerous projectiles in a collision.

And in this case, there may be an instance in which you need to get your child out of her car seat quickly. So, the best you can do for this problem is to engage your child by, for example, keeping special small, squishy toys in your car for your child to play with that are for the car only. Another distraction idea: One mom at the symposium recommended putting in a DVD. That sounds like a good idea if your car has a DVD system, but keep in mind that watching TV while riding counts towards your child’s screen time. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends limiting TV time to 1-2 hours of quality programming for kids age 2 and over: http://www.healthychildren.org/English/family-life/work-play/Media/pages/The-Benefits-of-Limiting-TV.aspx. I know first hand how addicting TV can be for kids. So I hesitate to actually recommend that strategy. I think putting a fun song in the CD player is better. You can also try to reason with kids this young and begin to state ground rules such as “I won’t drive the car until your car seat is buckled because that’s what we need to do to be safe.” Kids thrive on praise so a little, “Thank you for buckling your car seat like a big girl,” probably couldn’t hurt either.

When my kids were younger, we often pulled over in a safe spot until the car seat got buckled again. And sometimes, we had to sit and sit until finally, my daughter gave in, only to have to pull over again until the we heard the magic “click” of the buckle. It’s an exasperating time, but you’re not alone. Most every parent I know went through it.

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Have your tried Plum Organics Spouted pouches?

Thursday, June 17th, 2010

If I had a baby at the “solids” stage and I was into organic food (a good choice for kids in general), I’d definitely check out Plum Organics new line of premium “spouted pouch” baby foods, even just to try out the system. The 3.17-ounce pouch is designed to be used with a twist-on spoon, designed by Boon, aka “the Boon spoon.” The complete line of stage 1 foods includes 6 pure organic fruits (prunes, mangos, peaches, bananas, pears and apples). Stage 2 includes 7 interesting blends: spinach, peas & pear; pumpkin & banana; sweet potato, corn & apple; pear & mango; peach, apricot & banana; apple & carrot; blueberry and pear & purple carrot.

It’ll run you $7.14 for a six pack of Plum Organics pouches. The Boon spoon is sold separately. You’ll get two reusable, BPA-free spoons and a carrying case for $3.99. (You can skip this purchase by squeezing pouch contents into a bowl and using your regular baby spoon.) Each 100 percent BPA-free pouch has a recylable child-safe cap; there are gaps for airflow in case your child swallows it. Still, it’s still a choking hazard because it’s small enough to fit through a toilet paper tube, so keep it away from your baby.

The Bottom Line

You’ll pay a premium for this premium product. Still, it’s certified organic, with no added sugar, salt or artificial ingredients. Hopefully, your baby will like it, too! And that’s always the clincher. By 6 months, babies definitely have an opinion about what they want to eat and what they won’t. Keep trying if the going gets tricky. Food snags are common when babies are teething. And keep in mind that your pediatrician is your best source for what to feed your baby when.

Plum Organics Pouch Pointers:

–Don’t microwave the pouch. To warm it up (only if you want to), let it sit for a few minutes in a bowl of hot water.
–Squeeze what you need and refrigerate the rest for later. But use it within 24 hours.
–If the pouch looks damaged or inflated, don’t serve it to your baby.

For stores near you that carry Plum Organics, or to buy online, visit www.plumorganics.com.

The Boon Spoon retails for $3.99; it's sold separately.

Plum Organic's spouted pouch is designed to be used with the Boon Spoon.

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Seen on the street: Mom jogging with a travel system

Tuesday, June 1st, 2010

The other day, I spotted a mom on the sidewalk of a nearby town I was driving through trying to jog with her travel-system stroller with her baby in the car seat. (Travel system strollers are traditional strollers that accomodate an infant car seat.) Very few jogging strollers are made to accomodate an infant car seat or allow a baby to lie flat, which is important if your baby can’t hold his head up yet. In fact, I know of only one brand–Baby Jogger–that makes a jogging stroller that can accomodate infants–and the brand of stroller this mom was pushing definite wasn’t it.

babyproductsmom.com says:

If you like to run, like I do, it is tempting to try to use your regular stroller as a jogger. But you’re better off keeping the two–your baby and your run–separate. Or to get a jogging stroller in addition to your regular stroller. And even then, you’ll want to wait. In fact, because of the jarring nature of the ride, hold off on using a jogging stroller until your child is a year old, even if you’re just walking fast on rough terrain. And always secure your child in the stroller’s five-point safety harness and use the wrist strap. It keeps the stroller from getting away from you if you fall or trip while you’re running.

Sandra Gordon is the author of Consumer Reports Best Baby Products, which is available on Amazon at
Travel systems like this Acella Sport Travel aren’t meant for jogging.

http://www.amazon.com/Best-Baby-Products-Consumer-Reports/dp/1933524243/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1275415666&sr=1-1.

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