droolicious : recalls

Recall: Eddie Bauer Soothe & Sway Play Yard

AmandaHill — Mon, 18 May 2009 20:00:00 GMT

I will always give props to the play yard that kept my daughter busy when I needed to do the dishes or shower. However, the ever popular Eddie Bauer Play Yard has been recalled. The Soothe and Sway model that was sold prior to December 1, 2008 is the model in question. The problem seems to be the bassinet attached to the top of the play yard. Apparently, the bassinet portion has been tipping excessively which then causes the infant to roll on his or her side and cause a possible choking hazard.

If you are using this play yard, immediately remove the bassinet portion. The model number and date code is in a 6 digit form YY/MM/DD form on the bottom.

Consumer Reports Picks 5 Baby Gifts Never to Buy Again

Aaron Burgess — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 17:00:00 GMT

Sling carriers! Oh, how we speak of them here at Droolicious. And while we're talking new baby products, we've also covered our share of bath seats, bumper pads and sleep positioners -- all items that, thanks to a new blog post from Consumer Reports, we may never look at the same way again.

In the post, titled "Five products not to buy for your baby," CR focuses on the potential safety hazards behind all of these commonly purchased items. While some of the products -- bedside sleepers, for example -- were singled out because of specific death-related safety recalls, the false sense of security many such products give to new parents ended up being more the focus with others.

Take, for example, this eye-opening excerpt about slings: "Over the past past five years, at least four babies died and there have been many reports of serious injury associated with the use of sling-type carriers. The incidents include skull fractures, head injuries, contusions and abrasions." Granted, a majority of these injuries occurred when the little ones slipped out of their slings, but the post brings up an interesting point about the need for widespread sling-carrier safety standards.

You tell us: Does this news have you cautious, or are you keeping that sling and bath seat on your registry? [Consumer Reports]

Toy Recall Alert:Old Navy Stuffed Animal

AmandaHill — Wed, 04 Mar 2009 02:30:00 GMT

About two weeks ago the stuffed animals seen above were recalled by Old Navy. They were sold in stores and online from July 2008-Feburary 2009 for between $6-$10. The button eyes are easily detaching and posing choking hazards for young children. Nearly 35,000 of them were sold in the US and 5,000 in Canada. Click behind the fold to find out what you need to do if you own one of these animals, as well as recalled styles and numbers.

You can return the animal to your local Old Navy for a FULL refund. All customers that return the stuffed animal by July 1, 2009 will receive a $5 off coupon from Old Navy. If you purchased the toy online, you can call Old Navy for information about your return toll free at 1(866) 580-9930.

Recalled Styles & Product Numbers:

Type of Stuffed Toy	Style Number
Brown Plaid Creature (Stubby Stuberson)	612756
Pink Striped Dove	600571
Grey Dog	600572
Hot Pink Creature (Lucy Toothy)	612800
White Dog (Dr. Poopsie)	612738
Brown Penguin	612672
Light Pink Rabbit	612671
Brown Reindeer	612728
Dark Pink Rabbit (Honey O Bunny)	612806

Very Big Toys: About That Razor Recall...

Aaron Burgess — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 16:04:00 GMT

If you're one of the astute Babble readers who was wondering why we recently geeked out over a new Razor scooter that had been recalled, let us clarify: The Razor PowerWing is indeed under a recall due to a laceration hazard on the rear wing (fun!), but the affected models were made between 8/2007 and 8/2008. If you took our advice and picked up a PowerWing, don't panic: Check the product ID (IDs to worry about are Y708, Y709, Y710, Y711, Y712, Y801, Y802, Y803, Y804, Y805, Y806, Y807 and Y808) on the underside of the wing first to see if you need to contact Razor for a free replacement kit. Full information on contacting the company and understanding how to identify if your scooter is affected can be found at Razor's recall website. And if you don't already have the US CPSC's recall website bookmarked, we recommend checking it regularly, especially as we head into the holiday shopping season.

Baby Carrier Follow-Up: Beco Butterfly Recall and Update

Aaron Burgess — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 23:54:00 GMT

"How ya like me now, CPSC?" Beco Butterfly carrier, retro-fitted and ready to roll.

Our 7 Days of Baby Carriers series from earlier this year prompted a bunch of comments from you, in particular a heated debate over whether the ERGO (our pick) offered more bang for the buck than the equally popular and high-end Beco carrier. Well, the jury's still out, opinion-wise, but in checking the weekly barrage of baby-product recalls from the CPSC, we stumbled across a recent tidbit that at least makes us feel OK that we picked the ERGO when we did. In late April, Beco issued a voluntary recall of its Butterfly infant carriers (models purchased between January and Feb. 28, 2008), but the good news is that it's not only begun issuing retro-fit kits to correct the issue; it's also devoted many of its recent blog posts to keeping customers informed. (If only bigger companies exercised such care.)

If you haven't already gotten word from your retailer, here's the deal: According to the recall, the buckles on the Butterfly's shoulder straps can unexpectedly release tension, causing the straps to slip through and posing a fall hazard to babies. No injuries have been reported so far (and in all, we're talking around 2,000 total units shipped), but Beco received eight reports of the straps slipping through and has decided to pull the item.

As always, you can stay up to date on the complete list of CSPC infant/child recalls here, and the complete (and even scarier) list of toy recalls here. And if you purchased a Beco Butterfly during the months in question but haven't yet been tipped to this recall or received a retro-fit kit, you can contact Beco toll-free at 888-943-8232 weekdays between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. PST, or visit the company's website at becobabycarrier.com.

Keep Crocs From Eating Your Children's Feet This Summer

Aaron Burgess — Mon, 09 Jun 2008 17:04:00 GMT

[Photo: CityNews.ca]

Moderndaydad's recent "7 Days of Summerwear" post about Crocs -- which, full disclosure, I also endorse for their convenience, comfort, and non-toxic construction -- came at a good time, because while the shoes may be great for warm weather, they're also raising serious questions about when and where else it's appropriate to wear them.

From the CPSC's carefully worded May 13 warning about "popular soft-sided flexible clogs and slides" to this more specific story from last Thursday (complete with not-suitable-for-mealtime-viewing video), to a pending $7 million lawsuit against the company, Crocs are as infamous for posing a potential danger to children's feet as they are for having questionable aesthetic value. The reason: Escalators' moving parts seem to have an unhealthy, potentially grisly attraction to the popular soft-soled shoes.

Oddly enough, Crocs seems to be taking an "Ignore it and it'll go away" stance on the problem, at least on its online FAQ: You can get answers to questions such as "Can I boil and then eat my Crocs shoes?" (not recommended) and "Can I microwave my Crocs shoes?" (ditto), but not for something as basic as "How can I keep my kids' feet from getting mangled in an escalator while wearing Crocs shoes?"

Well, fear not, because Consumer Reports has compiled this handy list of 11 tips for keeping your kids' Crocs from meeting certain doom, some excerpts of which follow:

To avoid the sides of steps where entrapment can occur, stand in the middle of the step. Always face forward and hold the handrail.
Step over the comb plate. Always pick up your feet and step carefully on or off the escalator. Never drag or slide your feet off the edge of the escalator.
Stay clear of moving parts. Keep your hands, feet and clothing clear of the side panels of the escalator. Remember: loose shoe laces, rubber boots and baggy clothes can get caught in the moving parts of the escalator. Make sure you have no dangling clothing or loose shoelaces that could get caught.

Of course, the simplest way to avoid Crocs-related escalator injuries is not to let your kids wear the things on escalators in the first place, but as the tips above show, such injuries aren't just limited to recyclable, rubbery footwear. Any loose-fitting shoe, as well as dangling laces, baggy apparel or stray limbs, can pose just as big a risk, so use some common sense and teach the kids to dodge that comb plate -- or, you know, take the stairs.

Update: Playful Trayfuls Pulled Due to BPA Concerns

Aaron Burgess — Wed, 23 Apr 2008 12:42:00 GMT

We just received some bad news from the PR representatives for Playful Trayfuls, the whimsical plastic food trays we featured here last week: "The company has suspended sales of the food trays because the polycarbonate they are made from contains BPA," KidStuff PR tells us via email. "BPA has recently been in the news a lot lately about potentially being bad for humans, and the two dads behind Playware Products just cannot sell a product for kids that could be bad for them."

While we're upset (if thankful) to hear that Playful Trayfuls' sales are being suspended, there may be bigger things to worry about that have nothing to do with the company: "[The company] had researched the material to make the trays out of to make sure they would pass lead and phthalate tests, and to be microwave and dishwasher safe," KidStuff's note continues. "The polycarbonate they were advised to use is the same material used in millions of school cafeteria lunch trays across the U.S." (Emphasis mine.)

If you placed an order with Playware Products, or if you'd like to be notified when the company has replaced its inventory with trays made from another material or been advised that the existing material is safe, visit the company's website or email them directly at info@playwareproducts.com.

Recall: Evenflo Yanks 1,000,000 Car Seats

Aaron Burgess — Sat, 02 Feb 2008 02:16:00 GMT

A year after Consumer Reports urged it to do just that (and then curiously retracted its findings), Evenflo has recalled 1 million of its Discovery car seats (models 390, 391, 534 and 552) made between April 2005 and January 29, 2008, because of a potential safety hazard that causes the seat to dislodge from its base during a crash. To find out if your seat is affected, flip over the seat and check the white label for one of the aforementioned model numbers.

If you're affected by the recall, report it ASAP with Evenflo either at 1-800-356-2229 or through the company's website: You'll receive a free dual-hook fastener that will anchor the seat to its base. The National Highway and Traffic Safety Administration, which tested the seats in conjunction with Evenflo, says it's okay to continue using your seat despite the recall. No, that's not a typo.

Evenflo isn't alone: Generally speaking, car seats are plagued by safety issues. Have you found a seat that you trust implicitly -- one that secures your precious cargo and lets you get through a trip without having one eye fixed on the rear-view mirror? Let us know in the comments.