Finally! FDA, CPSC put warning on sleep positioners

September 30th, 2010

For years, in all the editions of the Consumer Reports Best Baby Products books I’ve written, http://www.amazon.com/Best-Baby-Products-Consumer-Reports/dp/1933524243/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1285850913&sr=1-1, we’ve been telling readers not to buy sleep positioners because they’re a suffocation hazard and that “bare is best” when it comes to crib safety. Nothing should be in the crib when your baby is sleeping other than a tight-fitting mattress and fitted sheet.

Don't use the flat-mat style sleep positioner

 

Finally, the FDA and the Consumer Product Safety Commission are putting a warning on sleep positioners, urging parents not to use them. For more info, see this statement issued September 29, 2010: http://www.cpsc.gov/onsafety/2010/09/sleep-positioners-a-suffocation-risk/.

A warning isn’t exactly a recall so that means that sleep positioners may still be on the market. But manufacturers of infant sleep positioners with medical claims (that the sleep positioners help prevent SIDS or GERD or positional plagiocephaly, flat head syndrome, for example) will need to stop making these products until they’ve been reviewed and cleared by the FDA.

Don't use the inclined-wedge style sleep positioner either. No style is safe.

Even sleep positioners that have been cleared have work to do. “FDA has informed manufacturers of cleared devices of the agency’s serious concern and has requested that they submit clinical data showing the benefits of their products outweigh the risk of suffocation or other serious harm.”

CPSC and the FDA are warning parents and child care providers to:

  • STOP using sleep positioners. Using a positioner to hold an infant on his or her back or side for sleep is dangerous and unnecessary.
  • NEVER put pillows, infant sleep positioners, comforters, or quilts under a baby or in a crib.
  • ALWAYS place an infant on his or her back at night and during nap time. To reduce the risk of SIDS, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends placing infants to sleep on their backs and not their sides.

Over the past 13 years, CPSC and the FDA have received 12 reports of infants between the ages of 1 month and 4 four months who died when they suffocated in sleep positioners or became trapped and suffocated between a sleep positioner and the side of a crib or bassinet.

I don’t know about you but I’ll sleeping better knowing these products are now under scrutiny and fewer parents will be using them.

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Organize Your Baby’s Outgrown Clothes

September 21st, 2010

Vroom! That’s how fast babies outgrow clothes. To keep better track of what your baby can wear and what no longer fits, here’s an organization tip from Sarah  Welch, co-author of Pretty Neat: Get Organzied & Let Go of Perfection (www.getbuttonedup.com).

Instead of keeping too-small items mixed in with things that still fit in your baby’s dresser like I did,  ”Keep a ziploc bag or plastic bin for clothes marked according to clothing size such as ’3-6 months’ in the bottom of a closet, in the corner of your nursery or in your laundry room. Then, when you go to put something on your baby that you realize no longer fits, just toss it in the labeled bin or bag,” Welch says. That little step makes it much easier to get the nursery ready for whenever baby #2 comes along. It’s also an excellent system for organizing hand-me-downs for friends and relatives with growing families.

For more organization tips for everything, you can follow Sarah on Twitter at /SarahButtonedUp or sign up for her e-newsletter at http://getbuttonedup.com/e-mail-sighup/.

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Everything you ever wanted to know about breastfeeding

September 7th, 2010

The 4th edition of The Complete Book of Breastfeeding (Workman, 2010) is just out, written by Sally Wendkos Olds and my local awesome pediatrician, Laura Marks, M.D., as well as Marvin S. Eiger, M.D. I cover how to buy the best breast pump and nursing bra in my book, Consumer Reports Best Baby Products (http://www.amazon.com/Best-Baby-Products-Consumer-Reports/dp/1933524243/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1283862056&sr=1-1). But this comprehensive guide takes breastfeeding to the ultimate level, covering everything from how to breastfeed a pre-term infant (in the old days, when I was born, women were told that premature infants couldn’t latch on, which is why my mom obediently gave me infant formula–Wah! I’m still mad about that!) to the breastfeeding benefits for Dads (yes, even you benefit when your baby is breastfed). As with most things in life, information is key, and breastfeeding is no exception. With this updated classic, you can read your way through breastfeeding issues, solving as you go, and arm yourself with the knowledge you need to breastfeed your baby with conviction and confidence.

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Baby stuff you don’t need

September 3rd, 2010

Some bottle sterilizers like this Philips deluxe model retail for more than $60.

For as little as around $20, you can buy a bottle sterilizer or put it on your baby registry for someone to snap up. But it’s $20 (or a lot more, depending on how techy you want to get) that could go toward someone really essential, like diapers and more diapers. Hot, soapy water or your dishwasher will do the job of cleaning bottles just fine, lactation experts tell me. In fact, one lactation consultant mentioned this potenial downside to bottle sterilizing. That is, if a plastic baby bottle (BPA-free, of course) has any milk residue in it and it’s sterilized (heated to a high, bacteria-killing temp), the protein in the milk could bake against the sides, leaving little, microscopic ridges for bacteria to grow and hide in later, when you use the bottle again. That’s a nerdy take on what could go wrong with bottle sterilizing but it’s worth noting.

I know some people will swear by their bottle sterilizer. Feel free to weigh in on this blog if that’s you. But if you’re looking to downsize your stuff list, I say that it’s safe to omit this item. What else do you think could go? What baby products did you buy or receive that you ultimately didn’t need or use?

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Cleaner caution

September 2nd, 2010

In July, I wrote a piece for AOL Health on the dangers of household cleaning sprays: http://www.aolhealth.com/2010/08/02/injuries-involving-spray-bottles-on-the-rise/.

They’re on the rise among kids because lots of parents use household cleaning sprays and we forget to turn the nozzle to the off button, or even better, store the closed bottle in a locked cabinet out of a child’s reach. Maureen, a mom of two, reminds us how easily cleaning-spray accidents can happen. She writes:

“Today, I was busy dusting furniture when little Mack decided it was time for a diaper change. I put the dusting spray bottle down and brought him upstairs to take care of him. While I was out of sight, 2-year-old Evelyn took it upon herself to squirt the dusting solution into her mouth. Oh no!!”

Fortunately, Maureen’s dusting spray was a homemade concoction of vinegar, water, and olive oil she didn’t have to worry, or call the Poison Control Center (1-800-222-1222). But plenty of other parents like me who use commerical cleaning solutions aren’t always so lucky, especially considering that many cleaning products are blue, orange, purple, or yellow in color and look like juice or sports drinks to toddlers and preschoolers.

Preventing an accident only takes a minute, but it’s important to do every time you use a household cleaning spray. That is, turn the nozzle to the off button and store the solution in a locked cabinet out of your child’s reach (instead of under the kitchen sink–that’s not safe, even if you have a child-safety latch on it because determined toddlers may be able to override it). Your best storage solution is a high cabinet with a child-safety latch. Also, keep cleaning solutions in the original container. For more info, check out my AOL piece. September is National Baby Safety Month. For more child safety tips in general, visit http://www.jpma.org/bsm/2010/.

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Love those designer diapers!

July 12th, 2010

I personally love the look of new Huggies Little Movers jean diapers. Why haven’t they made disposable diapers so stylish before? Still, I wondered how the diapers compared, pricewise, to plain old white disposables so I did a little research at my local Wal-Mart.

On average, disposable diapers cost 25 cents each. With Huggies Little Movers, you’ll pay about 27 to 28 cents per diaper. So they do cost a little more. It’s just 2-3 cents per diaper, though. At a max of eight diaper changes per day let’s say, you’ll spend an extra 24 cents per day–that’s $1.68 per week, which translates to $6.72 more per month or $80.64 per year. That’s not much at all, but still, if you’re watching your pennies, you will be paying more for “the look.” 

The Poop on Diaper Savings

Want to save the most on diapers you possibly can? In general, here my tips for buying disposable diapers for much less:

–If you love the look of denim diapers–and I have a feeling Huggies Little Movers Denim are just the beginning of a disposable diaper fashion trend–save them for special occasions and use plain old white diapers for every day. 
–Buy big. In general, buy the largest count diaper box you can find and buy the smallest size diaper your baby can comfortable wear. In other words, don’t be too quick to trade up to the next-size diaper. Larger diapers cost more than smaller-size diapers do.
–Use coupons and load up at sale time.
–Try store-brand disposables.

All told, if you use all these tips, you can save as much as 17 cents per diaper. Based on my estimates, that’s $1.36 per day or $9.52 cents per week or $38.08 per month or $456.96 per year in your bank account. Yowza!

What do you do to save $$ on disposables?

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Stationary crib recall

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!

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?

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

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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