Maclaren Recalls 1 Million Strollers
If you're one of many parents with a Maclaren umbrella stroller, take note - the company is recalling about 1 million strollers because the hinge can trap fingers when the stroller is being unfolded. The result can be serious cuts or even fingertip amputations. According to CPSC, Maclaren has had 15 reports of kids putting their fingers inside the hinge mechanism, and they have 12 reports of fingertip amputations as a result. Several popular Maclaren stroller models are affected by the recall, including Volo, Triumph, Quest Sport, Quest Mod, Techno XT, TechnoXLR, Twin Triumph, Twin Techno and Easy Traveller.
Those of you who own a Maclaren stroller affected by this recall should call Maclaren at 877-688-2326. The company will send free repair kits to take care of the problem. You can also visit Maclaren's website for more information - www.maclaren.us/recall CPSC recommends that you stop using the stroller until the repair kit is installed.
- Current Baby Products Recalls
- CPSC's Page for Maclaren Stroller Recall
- Maclaren - Stroller Recall
- Stroller Safety Tips
Holiday Head Start
I am not one to finish my holiday shopping months in advance. There's something cozy to me about bundling up to hit the after-Thanksgiving sales and coming home, utterly exhausted, to enjoy some leftover turkey. It's nearly 70 degrees outside where I live now, so I'm having a hard time convincing myself that the holidays are just around the corner! If you're gearing up to shop for the holidays, too, here are some great gift ideas for the babies and toddlers in your life. From baby's first Christmas to fun family gifts, the About.com Parenting & Family Channel has plenty of holiday inspiration to get you started.
- Commemorative Gifts for Baby's First Christmas
- Inexpensive Baby Clothes Gifts
- Active Toys for Toddlers and Preschoolers
- Active Toys for the Whole Family
Reader Question: How to Keep Baby Rear-Facing
Q: My baby is only 6 months old and weighs 23 lbs. His infant car seat is only rated to 22 lbs. I know I'm supposed to keep him rear-facing longer than 6 months, so what should I do?
A: Luckily, infant car seats are not the only type that can be used rear-facing. You can keep your baby rear-facing in a convertible car seat until he weighs 35 lbs or more, depending on which car seat you choose. Choosing a convertible car seat that also has a high forward-facing weight limit should allow you to use it for several years. It's likely that your son's growth will slow down a bit in toddlerhood, so convertible car seats do tend to get more use than the infant car seat.
Toddler Teeth: The Halloween Aftermath
My daughter had a dentist appointment yesterday. In retrospect, making dental appointments in the midst of a Halloween candy frenzy may not be ideal timing. However, I did learn that our dentist recommends doling out your child's Halloween candy piece by piece for a maximum of two weeks. "After that", she said, "it goes in the trash."
About.com Toddlers Guide Stephanie Brown has a great blog post about post-Halloween dental care for toddlers this week. She rounded up some fantastic links on baby teeth, managing the candy stash, and toddler serving sizes so you can help your toddler learn to make good choices about nutrition and tooth care.
Stephanie shared a link from About.com Dentistry Guide Shawn Watson on why baby teeth are important. I've heard a lot of people muse aloud about baby teeth, and why kids need to go to the dentist for teeth that will eventually fall out. Shawn explains that baby teeth can affect plenty of things in a child's life, including speech development. Those baby teeth are more important than they seem!
Mia Moda Viva Infant Car Seat Recall
More than 5,500 Mia Moda Viva and Viva Supreme infant car seats are recalled because of two separate issues that may make the seat unsafe in a crash. The metal harness splitter plate on the back of the car seat has sharp edges that can cut the harness. Also, the stay-in-car base can crack during a crash. Either issue could mean that your baby wouldn't be adequately restrained in a crash.
Affected models are 5000 (seat), 5001 (base), 5050 (seat), 5051 (base), 5070 (seat), 5071 (base), 5080 (seat) and 5081 (base). If you own one of these Mia Moda Viva or Viva Supreme infant car seat models, stop using it immediately. If you registered your car seat, the manufacturer will contact you directly regarding a full refund. If you didn't register your car seat, or you have other questions, call 877-546-8437.
Why Did You Buy Baby Einstein?
The Baby Einstein company is now offering a refund on their DVDs purchased in the last five years because one children's health advocacy group says the DVDs were sold under false pretenses. Campaign for a Commercial Free Childhood (CCFC) filed an FTC complaint against the Baby Einstein company in 2006 and successfully changed the way the DVDs were marketed - namely that the company could no longer claim the DVDs were educational for babies. However, CCFC wasn't happy with just the change in marketing. The group pushed for compensation for parents who purchased Baby Einstein DVDs thinking they might make baby smarter.
According to CCFC fact sheet, babies who watched a Baby EInstein vocabulary DVD many times showed no additional vocabulary skills versus a control group that did not watch the videos. The group also says there is no evidence of any cognitive benefit to babies watching TV or videos. Also, CCFC notes that the Academy of Pediatrics recommends no time in front of a screen for kids under age two.
My daughter did watch some Baby Einstein when she was under age two. However, her screen time was less for educational benefits and more because I wanted a few peaceful minutes to take a shower. Since the DVDs provided temporary entertainment for my child, I doubt I would seek a refund for them. I never expected the DVDs to make her a genius. If you've used Baby Einstein DVDs with your baby or toddler, what do you think about the company offering refunds? Did you buy the DVDs for the educational concepts? Use the comments box below to share your thoughts.
Poll:Will you seek a refund on Baby Einstein videos because they don't make babies measurably smarter?
More on the new Baby Einstein refund policy:
- Disney Offering Refunds on Baby Einstein DVDs
- Are Baby DVDs Educational? Looks Like Disney's Backed Down on the Debate
Baby Trend Files for Bankruptcy
In addition, Gardner and patent-holder Albert Fairclough have ongoing litigation against Baby Trend because the company is said to have continued producing and selling the Sit N Stand stroller after their license for the patent expired in 2004. Joovy now has the license to produce stand-on tandem strollers, which they call the Caboose. Target is also named as a party in this lawsuit.
Since Baby Trend has filed for reorganization, we may see the company pop up again with a new name. For now, though, it appears that those of you who own Baby Trend products can still call for warranty service.
Cute Baby Clothes: Hedgehogs!
Several baby clothes manufacturers are venturing beyond the classic duck, bear and lamb themes and into a more unusual animal motif. Say hello to the humble hedgehog! I wouldn't have guessed that hedgehogs would make an incredibly cute baby clothes theme, but when I saw the first of these items in the store, I was nearly overcome by the sweetness.
DwellStudio for Target has two great hedgehog unionsuits for boys, one with an all-over print and the other with a bold graphic print. They cost about $10 and come in 0-3m and 3-6m sizes.
At Gymboree, check out the cozy knit hedgehog sweater hat ($9) with cool spikes on top, which pairs perfectly with the appliqued Hug Me Hedgehog long-sleeve one-piece in rich fall colors. The one-piece is available in 0-24m sizes for about $12. 
For girls, the adorable pink Flower Hedgehog Tee features a feminine hedgehog covered in bright crochet flowers. It's available in 0-24m sizes and is on sale for about $5.
- Compare Prices (Pricegrabber.com) on DwellStudio Hedgehogs Unionsuits
- Hedgehog Sweater Hat at Gymboree.com
- Hug Me Hedgehog Boys One-Piece at Gymboree.com
- Pink Hedgehog Flower Tee at Gymboree.com
New Study Backs Booster Safety
Though some parents and critics argue that state booster laws are made to sell more booster seats, a new study shows that booster seat laws exist for good reason. Researchers at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) recently released their findings from a study of booster seat safety for kids aged 4 to 8, and their results show a reduction in injuries when boosters are used versus a seat belt alone.
The study covers more than 7,000 children aged 4 to 8 who were involved in vehicle crashes between 1998 and 2007. Researchers found that kids in this age range who are in the back seat in a belt-positioning booster seat are 45 percent less likely to be injured in a crash versus kids who are in a seat belt alone. Of the kids who were in booster seats, the greatest reduction in injuries was in side-impact crashes. Since side-impact crashes tend to be some of the most severe, that's big news in terms of keeping your child as safe as possible on the road. The study also found that children in seat belts alone are more likely to sustain serious brain, spinal cord and organ injuries, and are much more likely to have abdominal injuries. I was surprised to see that the study found no significant difference in injury statistics when children are in a high-back booster versus a low-back booster.
The new research was spurred by a desire to find out whether the reduction in injuries remained the same when older children were included in the study. The last time CHOP studied booster safety, it was before many states passed booster legislation, so many of the kids in the study were only 4 or 5 years old. When states pass a booster law, it tends to increase booster seat usage for kids through age 8 by about 40 percent, according to Reuters.
- New National Study of Crash-Involved Children Reaffirms Recommendations for Booster Seat Through Age 8
- Safety Benefits of Booster Reaffirmed
- Should I Move My Toddler to a Booster Seat?
- Top Belt-Positioning Booster Seats
- State Car Seat and Booster Laws
Does this new research change your opinion on state booster laws? Does it encourage you to keep your child in a booster longer or move back to a booster from the seat belt?
New Study Links BPA with Aggression
Bisphenol-A (BPA) is known to mimic estrogen and has been linked to diabetes, asthma and neurological problems, but a recent study from the University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill and Canada's Simon Fraser University indicates that BPA may also influence toddler behavior. In a study of nearly 250 women, scientists found that those with the highest concentrations of BPA in their urine at 16 weeks of pregnancy later had more aggressive, hyperactive daughters when the children were tested at two years old. Estrogen, which BPA can mimic, is known to affect the development of sex differences in fetuses. Studies conducted on mice have also shown that fetal exposure to BPA can result in more aggressive female children.
Since this study focuses on the result of prenatal exposure to BPA, it sounds like it's a good idea to look for BPA-free labels on your own water bottles in addition to shopping BPA-free for baby.