Tuesday December 8, 2009
Two suffocation deaths prompted the recall of about 24,000 Amby Baby Motion Beds, also known as Amby Baby Hammocks. These baby hammocks rock and sway with baby's movements, and can allow a baby to roll a bit too far and become trapped or wedged against the fabric sides or the mattress pad.
Only one model of the Amby Baby Motion Bed was made, so if you own one, it's included in this recall. Stop using the bed for now and find an alternate place for baby to sleep until you can install the free repair kit, which you can order by calling 866-544-9721 or visiting ambybaby.com.
Evenflo has recalled about 66,000 cake toys that come with the Exersaucer 1-2-3 Tea for Me activity center. The candle flame on top of the toy cake can come off, and if it makes its way into a child's mouth, it could be a choking hazard. Affected models are 6161834 and 6161920, and you can find the model number on the bottom side of the base. These Exersaucers were sold between Dec. 2007 and Mar. 2009. Call 800-233-5921 or visit safety.evenflo.com for a replacement toy. The rest of the 1-2-3 Tea for Me Exersaucer is fine to use in the meantime.
Photo credits: Amby Baby Motion Bed and Evenflo Exersaucer 1-2-3 Tea for Me courtesy of CPSC.gov.
Monday December 7, 2009
The consumer watchdog group that said Zhu Zhu Pets and other popular toys contained antimony and chromium in levels that exceeded federal standards now says their report was wrong. The only thing to do when you've besmirched the reputation of an electronic hamster, of course, is to issue a correction, which is what GoodGuide did today.
Their latest blog post says they stand by their report that the Zhu Zhu pets contained antimony and tin, but they should not have reported that the toys did not meet federal standards. Their handheld-scanner testing method was different than the soluble test method that is required to meet federal standards, which means that you can't compare the numbers directly. This ABC news video report says the soluble test method is more reliable for telling us which chemicals our kids might actually ingest or touch.
Cepia, the maker of Zhu Zhu pets, has maintained that these toys passed appropriate federal tests and are safe. The company recently made the Mr. Squiggles hamster testing data available on their website for parents who want to check it out for themselves.
None of this, of course, will make it any easier to find a Zhu Zhu hamster in a store before Christmas, with or without the antimony and tin. Does the testing method difference change your mind about the results from GoodGuide?
Monday December 7, 2009
It sounds like an urban legend come to life - the must-have toy of the year declared toxic just weeks before Christmas. That's just what one consumer toy safety group says about the so-popular-they're-unavailable Zhu Zhu pets, and some other must-have holiday gifts, though.
About.com Parenting Preschoolers Guide Amanda Rock has some additional information on the toxins that watchdog group GoodGuide says are present in the Zhu Zhu pets, tin and antimony. According to Amanda, the company that manufactures Zhu Zhu pets, Cepia, disputes GoodGuide's testing results. Looking at the comments on the GoodGuide blog, it appears that some folks take issue with the group's testing and analysis methods, too.
For my daughter, once the price of Zhu Zhu pets went from $15 to $50, her chances of finding one of the cuddly electronic hamsters under the tree this year went down drastically. That there is also a question about their safety doesn't encourage me to search for one, either.
Does this news change your mind about whether or not to give the gift of Zhu Zhu, or had availability or price already made that choice for you this year? Do the results of the toy testing concern you?
Saturday December 5, 2009
Before my daughter was born, I spent countless hours browsing baby products in stores, trying to decide what to register for and what to buy. I remember hobbling home, sore and exhausted, half wishing that someone could do the shopping for me.
Eight years later, you actually can hire a baby planner, also called a pre-baby consultant, to make your prenatal preparations a little less overwhelming. Parents-to-be in major cities across the U.S. are paying baby planners $50-$150 or more per hour for classes, product advice, baby registry assistance, baby shower planning and referrals to other local services such as pediatricians, and child care providers.
I can see how these services would be handy for moms who are on bed rest during their pregnancies. Beyond that, though, I'd say this falls squarely into the luxury, not requirement, category.
What do you think? Have you used a baby planner? Are there any circumstances for which you would hire a baby planner?
Photo: ©