Maxi Cosi Mico Infant Car Seats Recalled
More than 20,000 Maxi Cosi Mico infant car seats are being recalled because the car seat may not snap all the way into the base, which means the car seat could fly off the base in a crash.
Maxi Cosi Mico models 22-371 and 22-372 and the base-only model 22-515 are included in this recall. The car seats were manufactured before June 28, 2008. Maxi Cosi Mico car seats made after that date have a redesigned base with a spring that helps lock the car seat onto the base.
If you own a Maxi Cosi Mico infant car seat that is included in this recall, the manufacturer indicates that it is still safe to use the car seat for now, but you should pull up on the car seat after putting it in the base, to ensure that irt is fully locked into position. Registered owners should receive information and repair kits automatically. If you have this car seat and you are not contacted, you should get in touch with the company to receive a repair kit. Visit the Maxi Cosi Mico infant car seat recall page for further information, phone numbers and email addresses. Maxi Cosi Mico Infant Car Seats Recalled originally appeared on About.com Baby Products on Saturday, February 6th, 2010 at 08:53:30. Permalink | Comment | Email this
February Blog Carnival: All You Need Is Love!
The February edition of the About.com All About Parenting Blog Carnival is here, and it's fantastic! This month, it's all about love. From Valentine's Day crafts and lessons on making love known to cherished ones to Valentine's Day gifts and ways to take time to love yourself, there's something for everyone in this carnival. Head over to the About.com Tween Parenting site to check out All You Need Is Love.
For your littlest Valentines, I also have some special gift ideas to help you show your love.
February Blog Carnival: All You Need Is Love! originally appeared on About.com Baby Products on Thursday, February 4th, 2010 at 09:10:17. Permalink | Comment | Email this
Dorel Recalls Expired Car Seats
When a car seat recall comes along, my usual advice is to follow the manufacturer's instructions for repair or replacement. This time, however, my advice is a bit different. If you're using one of the car seats recently recalled by Dorel, I think you should skip the repair and send the car seat straight to your local recycling facilities. Why? Because all of the car seats affected by this recall are more than 7 years old, which means they're expired.
The recall comes after a dispute between Dorel and NHTSA over whether or not the webbing strength issues truly affect the safety of the car seat. NHTSA has finally required Dorel to make the repairs, several years after the debate began. Even though the car seats are too old to be used safely, NHTSA says these seats may still be in use, so they should be repaired.
However, I believe that this is a dangerous double standard. On one hand, NHTSA and the car seat manufacturers promote the idea that car seats do expire, usually after 6 years, while on the other hand they're offering to repair car seats for use that don't meet the current age standards that they promote.
It makes the job of child passenger safety technicians a little harder, too. How will most parents react when a CPST tells them a car seat is expired and shouldn't be used any more, if the manufacturer has just provided some new parts for that seat?
Read more... Dorel Recalls Expired Car Seats originally appeared on About.com Baby Products on Monday, February 1st, 2010 at 05:17:12. Permalink | Comment | Email this
Cybex Stroller Recall
 Photo courtesy of CPSC.gov. Yet another stroller manufacturer has announced a recall due to a risk of fingertip amputations. Is it just me, or do these recalls make you want to wear woven-steel gloves whenever you need to open a stroller?
This time, 1,100 Cybex strollers are being recalled thanks to the risk of fingertip amputation or lacerations if a child puts his or her fingers in the hinge while the stroller is being opened. One injury has been reported. The Cybex Ruby, Onyx and Topaz stroller models are all included in the recall.
These strollers haven't been available in the U.S. for very long, so the recall affects fairly recent purchases - Cybex strollers sold between August and November 2009. If you own a recalled Cybex stroller, stop using it for the time being and call 800-593-5522 or visit regallager.com/recalls to receive a free hinge cover kit.
Cybex Stroller Recall originally appeared on About.com Baby Products on Friday, January 29th, 2010 at 00:46:17. Permalink | Comment | Email this
No Cheap Jewelry for Kids, CPSC Says
While CPSIA 2008 regulations in the U.S. make it illegal to manufacture children's jewelry with more than 300 ppm of lead, cheap metal jewelry is still not necessarily safe for young children who might suck or chew on it, according to CPSC. Despite many recalls due to high lead content, there may still be metal jewelry around that could be toxic to your child. The risks posed by metal jewelry can be very serious, too. In 2006, a 4-year-old boy in Minneapolis swallowed a lead metal charm and died four days later.
Now, CPSC warns that cadmium exposure is also a significant risk posed by metal jewelry. CPSC will create new regulations on cadmium and other harmful metals, but in the meantime, their advice is to avoid cheap metal jewelry altogether. CPSC chairman Inez Tenenbaum said on the CPSC blog, "Do not allow young children to be given or to play with cheap metal jewelry, especially when they are unsupervised."
No Cheap Jewelry for Kids, CPSC Says originally appeared on About.com Baby Products on Tuesday, January 26th, 2010 at 10:02:20. Permalink | Comment | Email this
Drop-Side Cribs Ban Moves Forward
This week I heard from a mom-to-be who was surprised that she couldn't find a drop-side crib in the stores where she was shopping for her new baby. Since many manufacturers have stopped making drop-side cribs, they're not as widely available even for stores that would still carry them. Some stores, including Toys R Us and Babies R Us, will no longer stock drop-side cribs.
Why the decreased production? Drop-side cribs have been involved in a number of high-profile recalls in recent years, and there are some safety issues with this crib style that are generally considered to outweigh the convenience of having the crib side move down a bit.
ASTM, a product standards group, approved their updated crib safety standards in December 2009. Drop-side cribs are not allowed in the new ASTM standards. Even though those standards are voluntary, many crib manufacturers use them to guide the crib-making process, so it's as good as a ban as far as crib availability goes.
The voluntary ban on drop-side cribs will likely become a legal one in the U.S., though. According to Safe Kids USA, the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act of 2008 requires CPSC to create new crib safety standards that are at least as stringent as the voluntary standards. Since CPSIA compliance is mandatory, that would make manufacturing drop-side cribs illegal in the U.S. Drop-Side Cribs Ban Moves Forward originally appeared on About.com Baby Products on Monday, January 25th, 2010 at 12:10:40. Permalink | Comment | Email this
Share the Love! February Blog Carnival Invitation
Valentine's Day is coming soon, and love is the theme for February's All About Parenting blog carnival. If you're a blogger with a parenting- or family-focused blog, create a post about love and join us for the carnival fun! About.com Tween Parenting Guide, Jennifer O'Donnell, will collect submissions and host the blog carnival for February.
The deadline for submissions is February 3, 2010. You can find submission guidelines and instructions at the blog carnival invitation page. Share the Love! February Blog Carnival Invitation originally appeared on About.com Baby Products on Sunday, January 24th, 2010 at 22:03:33. Permalink | Comment | Email this
Graco Recalls 1.5 Million Strollers
 Photo courtesy of CPSC.gov. If you have a Graco Passage, Alano or Spree stroller (or travel system) around the house, keep your fingers away from the canopy hinges and check out this new recall. According to CPSC, Graco received seven reports of a child putting their fingers in the canopy hinge when it was being opened or closed, which resulted in five fingertip amputations and two lacerations.
This recall affects 1.5 million Graco strollers. However, the Passage, Alano and Spree strollers were manufactured with two different hinge styles, so take a look at the canopy hinges first. If your stroller has a plastic hinge with indented notches for canopy positioning, it may be included in this Graco stroller recall. Other canopy hinge types are not included.
This Graco stroller recall affects models that were manufactured between Oct. 2004 and Feb. 2008. You can find the manufacture date and model number on the lower, inside portion of the rear frame, just above the back wheels. These strollers were sold at many department and discount stores, including Toys R Us, Babies R Us, Wal-Mart, Target, Burlington Coat Factory and Sears.
Read more... Graco Recalls 1.5 Million Strollers originally appeared on About.com Baby Products on Wednesday, January 20th, 2010 at 09:52:53. Permalink | Comment | Email this
| 
