ALERT – baby sling recall by Desiree Miller, Bottles to Britches
A million baby slings made by Infantino are being recalled by the Consumer Product Safety Commission. This follows a warning last week about other slings and positioning for your child. I’m sharing the entire release sent to us by the CPSC below so please share with parents you know and check your slings now for safety!
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) and Health Canada (HC), in cooperation with Infantino LLC, of San Diego, Calif. are announcing a free replacement program for the Infantino “SlingRider” and “Wendy Bellissimo” infant slings. One million of these infant slings are being recalled in the United States and 15,000 are being recalled in Canada. CPSC advises consumers to immediately stop using these slings for infants younger than four months of age due to a risk of suffocation and contact Infantino for a free replacement product.
CPSC is aware of three reports of deaths that occurred in these slings in 2009; a 7-week-old infant in Philadelphia, Pa.; a 6-day-old infant in Salem, Ore.; and a 3-month-old infant in Cincinnati, Ohio.
The Infantino “SlingRider,” is a soft fabric baby carrier with a padded shoulder strap that is worn by parents and caregivers to carry an infant weighing up to 20 lbs. “Infantino” is printed on the plastic slider located on the strap. “Infantino,” “SlingRider” and the item number are printed on the instruction/warning label inside the baby sling carrier. “Wendy Bellissimo” branded sling carriers were sold exclusively at Babies “R” Us and have a sewn-in label on the inside of the sling strap that says in part “Wendy Bellissimo Media, Inc.” and lists Item numbers 3937500H7 and 3937501H7.
Infantino LLC sold the slings in the United States and Canada from January 2003 through March 2010 at Walmart, Burlington Coat Factory, Target, Babies “R” Us, BJ’s Wholesale, various baby and children’s stores and other retailers nationwide, and on the Web at Amazon.com, for between $25 and $30.
The product was manufactured in China and Thailand.
Consumers should stop using the recalled slings immediately and contact Infantino to receive a free replacement product, with a choice of a Wrap & Tie infant carrier, or a 2 in 1 Shopping Cart Cover, or a 3 in 1 Grow & Play Activity Gym. A Jittery Pals Rattle will also be provided. Contact Infantino toll-free at (866) 860-1361 between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. PT Monday through Friday, or visit the firm’s Web site at www.infantino.com
Do not attempt to fix these carriers.
CPSC is still interested in receiving incident or injury reports that are either directly related to this product recall or involve a different hazard with the same product. Please tell us about it by visiting https://www.cpsc.gov/cgibin/incident.aspx
Note: Health Canada’s press release is available at http://cpsr-rspc.hc-sc.gc.ca/PR-RP/recall-retrait-eng.jsp?re_id=1001
Follow up:
This announcement follows the March 12, 2010, CPSC warning about sling carriers for babies. Slings can pose two different types of suffocation hazards to babies. In the first few months of life, babies cannot control their heads because of weak neck muscles. The sling’s fabric can press against an infant’s nose and mouth, blocking the baby’s breathing and rapidly suffocating a baby within a minute or two. Additionally, where a sling keeps the infant in a curled position bending the chin toward the chest, the airways can be restricted, limiting the oxygen supply. The baby will not be able to cry for help and can slowly suffocate.
CPSC has determined that a mandatory standard is needed for infant sling carriers. While a mandatory standard is being developed, CPSC staff is working with ASTM International and concerned companies such as Infantino to quickly develop an effective voluntary standard for slings. There currently are no safety standards for infant sling carriers.
Our First Featured Business is Jamie Grayson ~ The Baby Guy NYC
Jamie Grayson, The Baby Guy NYC
Let’s peek into his world and find out what happens with baby planning in the city!
What uniquely qualifies you to be a baby planning expert?
I am listed as the ” Best Baby Gear Guru” in the Best of New York issue of New York Magazine. I am a man, single, no kids and somehow I had the good fortune to fall into this industry. I love what I do and wouldn’t trade it for anything.
Tell us a little bit about your background.
I was an actor for years. I was hired to demonstrate the Bugaboo Frog at a baby store like a trade show and learned everything in the store. I read everything I could get my hands on. The rest is history.
How did your company get its name?
I AM the baby guy….lol
What is the nicest thing a client has ever said about you/your services/your business?
When a client tells me that I have educated them and helped to ease the transition into parenthood that is always the most rewarding part of my job.
How do you stay current on trends in the baby and child industry?
I am the resident Gear Guy for StrollerTraffic.com and I am very involved in different aspects of the industry–charity work, education and retail.
Finding fever faster- a guide to thermometers by Desiree Miller
No need to wake a sleeping baby for a temporal, or forehead, temperature measurement.
Written By IBPA Member – Desiree Miller of Bottles to Britches
With flu fears flying around and cold season upon us, everyone is watching for symptoms like fever, especially in children. These days, there are dozens of different kinds of thermometers on store shelves, so how do you know which one is the best fit for your family? For Canton mom Therese Delashmutt, it was more a process of elimination. Her toddler Gabe doesn’t care much for the traditional thermometers. Delashmutt explains, “There was no way he’d keep a thermometer under his tongue, or his arm for that matter.” So each time Gabe got sick, Therese tried a different kind of thermometer. And she had many, many options to try, with so many on the market.
The National Institutes of Health is currently conducting a study comparing the accuracy of oral, ear and forehead, or temporal, thermometers. The American Academy of Pediatrics no longer recommends the old-fashioned mercury models for environmental reasons. But, according to Atlanta pediatrician and AAP Spokesperson Dr. Jennifer Shu, “When it comes to digital devices, choosing one has more to do with the age of the child than the type of thermometers.”
So what works? Dr. Shu explains, “For babies under six months, the most accurate way to do it is through a rectal thermometer. A lot of parents don’t want to do that on a regular basis if the baby might not be that sick, so it’s perfectly fine to do an underarm thermometer.” However, Dr. Shu suggests you double-check an underarm reading over 99 with a rectal reading before heading off to the doctor.
If the child is older than six months you can try an ear thermometer or the temporal type. How does that work? Dr. Shu says it’s simple. “Swipe it across the child’s forehead and behind the ear and that tends to be very reliable. It’s very easy because the child doesn’t have to sit still for very long and it’s incredibly fast and painless.” That’s what worked for Therese. When he got sick recently with a stomach bug, Gabe not only sat still for the temporal reading, but according to Therese, “he even helped hold his hair up for us”.
There are other options, too. Some are strips that sit on the forehead or pacifier type models. There are even some that light up red, yellow or green for easy readings in the dark. The AAP says don’t worry if one type is a degree or two off from another method. The important part is to tell the pediatrician how the measurement was taken, with what device. Dr. Shu suggests, “Try not to do any adding or subtracting at home and we’ll just take the whole picture into account.”
But do be careful of things that will impact the information you get. For example, if your child just ate something cold or hot, the number will reflect that. Also allow for outdoor interference, especially if you use an ear thermometer right away. “Wait for about 15 minutes and let the child’s temperature warm up to the regular body temperature and the room temperature, as well,” Dr. Shu recommends.
Also keep in mind that fever doesn’t say everything when your child is sick. Take into account their changes in mood, alertness and sleeping and eating habits when you decide if your child needs a doctor.
Therese is thrilled to have an easier time of taking her son’s temperature after being sick of the added frustration of the fight to find out if he had a fever in the past. “When your kid is sick, you’re running around cleaning up after them. One less thing to worry about is awesome.”
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