Recently in Recalls Category

More than 1 million baby slings recalled. The Consumer Product Safety Commission is advising that babies under 4 months old should stop using these slings immediately. There have been 3 infant deaths due to suffocation in the soft fabric. Especially at risk are babies who had a low birth weight, were born prematurely or had breathing problems such as colds. There are 2 possible scenarios for the cause of death:

-A sling's fabric can press against a baby's nose and mouth, blocking the baby's breathing and suffocating a baby within a minute or two.

-The other scenario involves slings where the baby is cradled in a curved or "C-like" position, nestling the baby below the mother's chest or near her belly. That curved position can cause a baby who doesn't have strong neck control to flop its head forward, chin-to-chest, restricting the infant's ability to breathe. "The baby will not be able to cry for help and can slowly suffocate," warned the commission.

Via The Washington Post

US Consumer Product Safety Commission announces the recall of 1.5 million Graco strollers for models Passage, Alano, and Spree manufactured in China between October 2004 and February 2008. This is a similar danger of fingertip amputation as the Maclaren recall in November 2009. This time is has to do with the opening and closing of the canopy. You can order the part to fix this problem by going to Graco's website. There has been 7 reports of children having their fingertips injured, 5 fingertip amputations and 2 finger lacerations.

Maclaren has issued a recall for their Volo, Triumph, Quest Sport, Quest Mod, Techno XT, TechnoXLR, Twin Triumph, Twin Techno and Easy Traveller models, which accounts for over 1 million strollers. The hinge on the side of the stroller could possibly cut off a tot's fingertips during folding and unfolding if their finger is placed there. There has been 15 fingertip amputation incidents to date. They are issuing a free repair kit with a zipped cover that goes over the hinges to prevent accidents. I have 3 of these strollers, the Volo, Techno XT and Twin Techno!! Yikes. Stop using the stroller until you get the repair kit! The Maclaren website is currently down from an overload of traffic and their toll free number, (877) 688-2326, has been busy for hours. You can also email them if the other contact methods are frustrating you. I will keep trying and when and if I get through, I will post an update.

UPDATE: I have been able to get to the web page that allows you to input your information so a repair kit can be sent to you. You will need to locate the VIN Product ID # that is located at the bottom of the stroller, it is a 21 digit number next to a bar code. But I warn you, it is very hard to submit your completed form, it will suddenly stop working and you have to start over.

UPDATE #2: I just received an email with this notice: "VIN number field on the Order Form is no longer a mandatory field. Please go ahead and submit an order for the hinge cover by visiting our recall website at www.maclaren.us/recall". Also, as of Nov. 13, 2009, the website for Maclaren works now.

UPDATE #3: New update on Nov. 24: Maclaren will further promote child safety by offering its hinge cover design to all manufacturers of strollers and waive its rights through patent protection.

The company's recent voluntary recall increased consumer awareness of the potential risks associated with strollers. Maclaren is calling upon all manufacturers to adopt its hinge cover solution for the protection of children. The safety of a child is Maclaren's overriding concern.

Sassy claimed this list of products were BPA free but last week announced that there are in fact traces of BPA in the resin of some of their color change products. Apparently they were unaware that these resins contained very small amount of BPA. The new awareness of the dangers of BPA has everyone baffled as to what amounts and how it is harmful so I guess it is possibly that this is an honest mistake. But when it comes to the well being of my child, it does feel a bit like betrayal. The Soft Landing, a website dedicated to selling only products free of Bisphenol-a, Phthalates and PVC issued a statement about this concern. They have now updated their list of Sassy products that are in fact BPA free. If you bought any of the product pictured above, take it back to where you bought it for a replacement.

Specific parts containing BPA:

* Extra Gentle Soft Tip Spoon - BPA in spoon handle
* EZ Grip Feeding Bowl and Color Change Spoon - BPA in spoon only
* Snack Time Infa-Trainer Cup - BPA in cap over straw
* Flexi Grip Toddler Fork and Spoon
* Color Change Fork and Spoon

UPDATE: Maybe I am not overreacting and toys really do need to return to the basics. Mattel recalled over nine million more toys this morning. Read more on MSNBC. View the complete list of toys on the Mattel Consumer Relations website.

Sing With Elmo's Greatest Hits - Recalled

There goes the playroom...again! First, it was Easy-Bake ovens. Then it was the recall of over 1.5 million Thomas the Tank Engine trains. Now, Fisher Price takes its turn. Whoever thought Big Bird, Elmo, Dora the Explorer, Diego, and other character toys would be a safety hazard? Last week the toy company recalled almost one million toys due to lead-contaminated paint. So what do all of these toys have in common? All of them were manufactured in China, but is that all we should be worried about?

According to the Wall Street Journal, China makes about 80 percent of toys sold in the United States and recently their track record is tarnished. However, I don’t know that consumers should hold the rising recalls as China’s complete responsibility. Yes, they did make defective, harmful goods which is unacceptable; however, the quality controls that the effected companies have in place failed too. Mattel, Inc., the parent company to Fisher Price, is known for their unparalleled inspection standards and something still slipped through the cracks. As a consumer and parent, if I can’t trust the old stand bys than whom can I buy from? Maybe I am overreacting, but I am beginning to wonder if we should all revert back to previous generations’ use of pots, pans, and Tupperware as play toys.

The toys affected would have been purchased between May and August 2007. Review the complete list including pictures of Fisher-Price toys recalled on the Mattel Consumer Relations website.