LilSugar

Graco Recalls 1.5 Million Strollers, Dorel Asia 635,000 Cribs

LilSugar — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 08:01:48 -0800

If you're beginning to feel like nothing's safe anymore, you may be right. Following the largest stroller and crib recalls in history last year, the Consumer Product Safety Commission announced two new baby equipment notifications overnight.

The largest of the two is Graco's recall of 1.5 million strollers due to faulty canopy hinges. Similar to Maclaren's recall of 1 million push chairs, Graco announced that children's fingers can be cut when the canopies of their Passage, Alano, and Spree strollers and travel systems are opened or closed. To date, two tots' fingers were cut and five lost their fingertips after getting caught up in the plastic hinges on the identified buggies. The company is offering repair kits to families who own the identified models.

The CPSC also announced the recall of 635,000 Dorel Asia cribs following the death of a 6-month-old child and injuries to 10 more. Similar to the Stork Craft issue last year, the drop sides of 20 affected models can detach, creating enough space for wee ones to become stuck and suffocate.

Have all of the recent recalls shaken you confidence in baby equipment?

Stork Craft Recalls 2.1 Million Cribs in Largest Crib Recall Ever

babysugar — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 16:37:40 -0800

A couple of years ago, it seemed like toy recalls were being announced daily for choking or lead poisoning hazards. This holiday season, parents are being hit with major baby gear recalls. First Maclaren issued a voluntary notification that its hinges could hurt small fingers if a child's hands were holding on to the sides of a stroller during the opening or closing of it. Today, the CPSC (Consumer Product Safety Commission) is issuing another statement regarding faulty baby equipment.

Canadian crib maker Stork Craft is set to recall more than 2.1 million drop-side cribs. If the drop-side becomes broken or detaches, it can cause children to fall out of the crib or suffocate. In a statement issued by CPSC and Health Canada:

The CPSC urges parents and caregivers to immediately stop using the recalled cribs, wait for the free repair kit, and do not attempt to fix the cribs without the kit. They should find an alternative, safe sleeping environment for their baby. Consumers should contact Stork Craft to receive a free repair kit that converts the drop-side on these cribs to a fixed side.

Major retailers in the United States and Canada sold the recalled cribs including BJ’s Wholesale Club, J.C. Penney, Kmart, Meijer, Sears, USA Baby, and Wal-Mart stores and online at Amazon.com, Babiesrus.com, Costco.com, Target.com, and Walmart.com from January 1993 through October 2009 for between $100 and $400.

For more information on the recall, visit the CPSC site.

Crib Toys to Keep Babies Busy in Bed

LilSugar — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 14:05:00 -0700

Party in the baby's crib! Once an infant is alert enough to take in their surroundings, add some stimulation to keep them occupied during non-sleeping hours. By putting a safe accessory in the crib, mom may buy herself a few minutes after nap time.

Before attaching any toy to the crib rails, the Consumer Product Safety Commission recommends checking to ensure that the ties are no longer than seven inches and that no loops have a perimeter greater than 14 inches. To see some entertainment options, check out the selection.

To see more crib toys to entertain babies, read more.

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Source: Flickr User valentinapowers

More Magazines Showcase Belly-Sleeping Babies

LilSugar — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 08:00:33 -0700

Does the "back-to-sleep" campaign only apply to real-life parenting and not the magazines aimed at moms and dads? A study appearing in the September issue of Pediatrics took a look at 28 women's and parenting magazines – from which many mamas learn about new products and techniques – and found that more than one-third of the photos depicting babies showed them in unsafe sleeping positions, while two-thirds showed them in unsafe sleep conditions. The researchers, who looked at photos to determine if the baby was placed on its side or stomach rather than on its back, as well as the presence of bumpers, loose blankets and strings, are nervous that the images will have greater influence over new parents' actions than their doctors' orders. We've seen set designers place tots in some precariously decorated cribs, both with Brooke Burke's ribbon-filled nursery and Jennifer Lopez's extremely plush one, and say the photos were rooms not designed for use, but photos. Do magazine readers make that distinction?

Six Travel Friendly Sleeping Options For Tots

babysugar — Sat, 25 Jul 2009 06:00:00 -0700

It's sisterhood of the traveling tots! Mamas who are packing up their babes for Summer vacations should check out their wee one's sleeping accommodations before hand. While most hotels provide cribs for vacationing babies, others may leave it up to the visitor to provide the amenities themselves. When that's the case, there are a few portable crib and tent options that are sure to keep baby (and mommy) sleeping through the night.

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Mini Cribs Save Money and Space

LilSugar — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 04:00:52 -0700

A crib may be the centerpiece of the nursery, but when space and money are an issue, a sleigh crib isn't an option. With much of the nation still uncomfortable with where this recession will take them, many expectant families are postponing moves to new abodes and planning on their tots double or triple bunking. For those mamas looking for a way to fit an additional sleeping space in a room, these mini – or portable – cribs may be the way to go.

The Dream on Me Folding Two-in-One ($140) has two mattress positions, making it useful as a playpen when tots grow too big for it.
Stokke's Sleepi™ Mini Crib ($1,000) is a smaller version of its popular full-sized oval crib. Beginning as a bassinet, the Sleepi converts to a crib with four different mattress heights.
Da Vinci's Alpha Mini Rocking Crib ($190) has traditional crib styling at a fraction of the size.
The Da Vinci Annabelle Mini Convertible Crib ($230) is a bit more modern than the Alpha version and can be converted into a twin bed for long-term use.
This Dream on Me Folding Two-in-One ($125) also folds up nicely for easy storage when not in use.
L.A. Baby's Deluxe Compact Crib ($135) is similar to the ones used by many hotel chains.

Muu Cribs Offer Eco-Conscience Cribs For All Your Children

LilSugar — Sun, 31 May 2009 04:00:12 -0700

When buying nursery furniture, it's hard to imagine that you will be looking at the same pieces for two, three or even more years as the crib converts into a toddler bed, or it is used for subsequent siblings. Tastes change and children grow up to have obsessions of their own so take your time choosing.

Robert Kwak, the woodworker and parent behind the eco-friendly nursery furniture company Muu, had a nursery’s evolution in mind when he created the Sam Crib ($1375). The modern, clean design features decorative MuuPanels ($85 - $115), which are interchangeable, decorative crib graphics that can be swapped out as the room evolves. There are eight to choose from including vehicles, flowers, sea life and numerous designs for each theme.

Sturdy Cribs to Keep Baby Safe

babysugar — Thu, 07 May 2009 06:00:19 -0700

Many parents don't mind putting the bulk of their design budget towards the newborn's crib - the most important item in a nursery. In recent days, some crib makers and their retailers have decided to stop manufacturing and selling the popular drop-side versions leaving many customers wondering if their current crib is a hazard. In an effort to keep customers hazard free and to prevent further recalls, Babies R Us will no longer stock and shelve the drop-side style, but encourage consumers to buy either a fold down design or version with fixed rails. With so many cute options on the market, it's hard to pick a favorite!

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Simple or Swank: Modern Crib

LilSugar — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 12:30:50 -0800

A safe crib is one of the most important items new parents can invest in, but with so many styles on the market - it is easy to spend a fortune on one that blends with your current furniture choices. Over the past few years, modular cribs have become all the rage with prices to reflect their popularity.

Simple: The two-tone Baby Mod 3-in-1 Olivia Crib from Walmart ($300) is finished with non-toxic paints and easily converts from crib, to toddler bed and eventually into a daybed, allowing it to evolve with your child's growing needs.
Swank: The Oeuf Classic Crib ($890) comes in either a birch or walnut finish and easily converts into a toddler bed. Each of the crib's sides is cut from single sheets of wood panel to ensure their sturdiness.

Which one do you prefer?

Mommy Alert! Delta Recalls 1.6 Million Cribs

babysugar — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 05:00:00 -0700

One of the few things that most parents are willing to put some good money into is a safe and sturdy crib for their newborn. Couples spend hours fretting over which crib seems safest causing some to spend thousands of dollars while others find bargain deals at less than $100. Unfortunately, those who suspected they got a good deal on a Delta crib may have to check their model and year. Delta Enterprise Corp, one of the world's largest crib manufacturers, recalled nearly 1.6 million cribs yesterday.

According to the US Consumer Product Safety Commission:

The CPSC staff is aware of a death of an eight-month-old child who became entrapped and suffocated when the drop side of the crib detached in a reassembled crib where the safety pegs were not installed. CPSC is also aware of two entrapments and nine disengagement incidents in cribs where the safety pegs were missing.

To see the recall details, read more.

The model numbers for the recalled Delta cribs with the "Crib Trigger Lock with Safety Peg" drop side hardware, sold between 1995 and December 2005, are: 4320, 4340, 4500, 4520, 4530, 4532, 4540, 4542, 4550, 4551, 4580, 4600, 4620, 4624 (production dates 01/06 through 11/07), 4640, 4660, 4720, 4735, 4742, 4750 (production dates 01/95 through 12/00), 4760, 4770, 4780, 4790, 4820, 4840, 4850, 4860, 4880, 4890, 4892, 4900, 4910, 4920, 4925-2, 4925-6, 4930, 4940, 4943, 4944, 4947, 4948, 4949, 4950, 4958, 4963, 4968, 4969, and 4980.

The model numbers for the recalled Delta cribs with the "Crib Trigger Lock with Spring Peg" drop side hardware, sold from January 2000 through January 2007, are: 4340, 4343, 4520, 4600, 4620, 4624, 4625, 4629, 4660, 4665, 4720, 4750, 4751, 4850, 4855, 4857, 4880, 4920, 4925-2, 4925-2B, 4925-6, 4980, and 8605.

Delta is providing free kits to repair the recalled cribs. For more information, call Delta's recall hotline at 800-816-5304 or go to Delta's web site by clicking here. Thankfully, none of the recalled cribs are currently in stores.