LilSugar

2006 Toy Injuries Tally

babysugar — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 09:00:10 -0800

Consumer Reports recently came out with a 2006 summary report that provides enlightening information about toy injuries and deaths for 2006. While we often hear about lead toy recalls, sometimes we forget about the everyday hazards of regular toys that can be just as dangerous.

Reporting on the 22 toy related deaths that occurred in 2006, the summary states:

"Riding toys, including non-motorized scooters, and toy nails, pegs, and rubber balls were associated with most of the deaths. Incidents involving motor vehicles and airway obstruction from small toys were among the leading scenarios associated with these deaths."

Parents don't think much about tricycle safety since most of us had them, but kids lost their lives after peddling them into swimming pools.

While it's scary and sad to think about these statistics and stories, it's important to stay aware and alert of your child and their surroundings.
Source

Maclaren Recalls One Million Strollers

babysugar — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 10:17:32 -0800

One of the top pram producing companies of the world is facing a tough task this morning. The always-popular Maclaren is recalling one million strollers that were sold between 1999 to the present. The problem at hand? Faulty hinges. The press release issued by U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission reports wee fingers are at risk of getting severed during the unfolding or opening of the stroller.

Parents are being advised to stop using their strollers immediately until the models are known and the repair kits are issued. The buggy manufacturer will be providing the hinge covers on their website and through a hotline. The models have not been announced yet as the recall was to be released tomorrow. We will have an update on the make and model when the information becomes available.

Lil Links: Cosleeping and Slings Bashed By Consumer Reports

LilSugar — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 11:30:19 -0700

Consumer Reports bashes cosleeping and slings - Inhabitots
Violet Affleck is trying to find out who she is - Celebrity Baby Blog
Christina Aguilera says motherhood is sexy - Celebrity Baby Scoop
Handmade lavendar satchels for Mother's Day - AlphaMom
Parenting the Furious Styles way - The Poop
Swine flu questions answered - Health
I'm so tired, am I pregnant? - CafeMom
Do you think you style you tot the best, test your skils! - Cookie

Safety Gates For Design-Conscience Parents

LilSugar — Sun, 06 Sep 2009 05:00:00 -0700

Stairs are enticing for lil ones who aren't supposed to play on them. Though several LilSugar readers told us they didn't do much in the way of babyproofing their homes, safety gates are a staple for many families with steep staircases. Consumer Reports recommends using the baby gates until a child is two-years-old.

Clunky plastic varieties may dominate the market, but there are also modern gates available for more discerning mothers. The Numi Extending Gate ($98) combines a brushed metal frame with dark wooden slats to make for eye candy rather than an eyesore. Check out our other decorative picks below.

View 5 Photos ›

Lil Links: Camila and Levi Take Our Breath Away at the Beach

babysugar — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 11:30:04 -0700

It was surf and sand for the McConaughey clan – Celebrity Baby Scoop
Papa Jerry O'Connell is going to law school – Celebrity Baby Blog
Orbit fights back on negative consumer report – Parent Dish
Can childless friends give good parenting advice? – Cafe Mom
Posh bean bag chairs – Cookie
Do you feel birthday party pressure? – Momversation
Is this Chinese abortion ad crossing the line? – The Mommy Files
Livie and Luca discount! – Cool Mom Picks
Yoga improves eating habits – Health
She put her cancer treatment on hold to have a baby -– Parenting

US Children Lacking Vitamin D in Their Diets

LilSugar — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 10:00:15 -0700

Get your children out in the sun, it's the doctor's order. Following last year's report recommending an increase in children's daily dosage of vitamin D, a new study shows that about nine percent of US children exhibit vitamin D levels so low, they can be considered deficient. Another 61 percent still show levels low enough to concern doctors. A lack of vitamin D - which can be obtained from direct sunlight, fortified milk, fatty fish, or fish liver oils - increases the risk of rickets, bone problems, heart disease, cholesterol issues, and diabetes. Among the groups with the lowest levels of vitamin D are girls, adolescents, and people with darker skin. According to the reports:

The researchers and others blamed the low levels on a combination of factors, including children spending more time watching television and playing video games instead of going outside, covering up and using sunscreen when they do go outdoors, and drinking more soda and other beverages instead of consuming milk and other foods fortified with Vitamin D.

To increase vitamin D levels, experts recommend 15 minutes of direct sunlight (unfiltered by sunscreen) three times a week, eating more fortified foods like bread, milk, and cereal, and ensuring that multivitamins contain vitamin D.

Toss Your Cookies! Nestle Voluntarily Recalls Dough

LilSugar — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 13:18:18 -0700

Think twice before letting your kids eat raw prepackaged cookie dough or taking a nibble yourself. This morning, Nestle Toll House initiated a voluntary recall of all its refrigerated cookie products. The company was informed by the Food and Drug Administration that E. coli illnesses have been reported by people who ate the uncooked prepackaged products.

Consumers can return the goods to their local grocery store for a full refund or call 1-800-559-5025.

Let Them Eat Cake...And Candy Canes!

LilSugar — Tue, 23 Dec 2008 06:00:23 -0800

I've never bought into the whole concept that candy makes kids hyperactive so I've never denied my children sweets when it came to holiday festivities. But, now there's reason for the moms who do attribute their tykes' energetic behavior to treats to relax. This Christmas, let your lil one have a candy cane. Guess what myth topped the list of holiday myths? To find out, read more.

On the subject of sugar making kids hyperactive, one report said:

The researchers cite 12 controlled studies that couldn’t detect any differences in behavior between children who had sugar and those who did not. Even when kids had a diagnosis of hyperactivity problems or were said to be more sensitive to sugar, they did not behave differently whether they ate sugar-laden or sugar-free diets. In fact, the biggest effect of sugar may be on parents. Parents rate their children as being more hyperactive if they are told the child has consumed sugar - even when the child hasn’t really had any sweets.

Slice of the Yule log, sweetie?

Source

Mommy Alert! Baby Einstein Crib Toys

LilSugar — Fri, 01 Feb 2008 12:00:19 -0800

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission and Kids II Inc. have voluntarily recalled 15,000 Baby Einstein Baby Neptune Soothing Seascape Crib Toys sold between November 2007 and January 2008 for around $25.

They have received 23 reports of the anchors breaking off of the toy which could potentially cause a choking hazard though no injuries were reported.

If you own this toy, discontinue use immediately and contact Kids II at (866) 203-6788 for a replacement.

Baby Wellness: Steering Clear of Certain Plastics

babysugar — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 09:00:35 -0700

On the Today Show, Matt Lauer sat down with Dr. Leo Trasande from the Mt. Sinai School of Medicine to discuss which plastic bottles families should avoid.

While many bottles are okay to drink from on a one–time basis, others containing bisphenol A can be harmful as they leach chemicals that can affect hormones and reproductive organs in the consumer.

To watch the clip to see which plastic bottles are labeled as dangerous, read more.

I had to toss a few items from my babe's supply after watching this report.