Chicago First City to Ban Crib Bumper Pads

From Chicago Tribune

By Ellen Gabler and Hal DardickTribune reporter
2:38 p.m. CDT, September 8, 2011

Chicago today became the first city in the country to ban the sale of crib bumper pads because the popular products pose a suffocation risk to babies.

The City Council approved the ordinance without debate. It was introduced in response to Tribune investigations that found federal regulators for years have received reports of babies suffocating in cases that involved crib bumpers, yet have failed to warn parents or investigate all deaths.

Bumper pads, which wrap around the inside of a crib and tie to crib slats, are frequently displayed in stores as staples in a baby’s nursery. But babies can lack the motor skills and strength to turn their heads if they roll against something that blocks their breathing.

The state of Maryland is considering a similar proposal to ban the sale of bumper pads, and the federal agency responsible for regulating consumer products — the Consumer Product Safety Commission — has said since December that it is investigating the issue.

The trade group that represents the makers and sellers of bumper pads says the products are safe and insists there is no evidence of a causal connection between crib bumpers and suffocation.

Rick Locker, general counsel for that group, the Juvenile Products Manufacturers Association, has said banning bumpers could bring about unintended consequences, such as parents putting pillows and adult blankets in babies’ cribs if bumper pads aren’t available.

On Wednesday, the ordinance passed a joint health and consumer protection committee meeting despite opposition from industry representatives.

"This is our attempt to sound the alarm that something has to be done," said Cardenas, chairman of the Committee on Health and Environmental Protection.

Cardenas and other aldermen acknowledged that the task of overseeing product safety should fall to federal regulators but said nothing has been done.

"If they don't get their act together, municipalities like Chicago will have to do it on their own," Cardenas said.

In December the Tribune reported that federal regulators have failed to warn parents that bumpers pose a suffocation risk even though they know about the potential hazard.

It's unclear exactly how many babies have died from suffocating against the products, but the Tribune found that the federally funded National Center for Child Death Review has since 2008 received 14 reports of infant suffocation in which a bumper was relevant in the death.

Babies often lack the motor skills and strength to turn their heads if they roll against something that blocks their breathing.

Federal regulators have said they are trying to determine if there is a scientific link between bumper pads and suffocations, or if factors such as blankets, pillows or medical issues played the primary role in the deaths. However, the Tribune found that regulators did not investigate at least 17 reports of children's deaths even though the agency had reports on file suggesting bumper pads played roles in the fatalities.

Britax Car Seat Fitting Friday 7/15

Free!  Click HERE for more details.

Britax North American headquarters, 13501 South Ridge Drive
July 15, 8:00am-noon

A car seat checking station is where certified child passenger safety technicians assist you with car seat installation. There they will teach you the correct way to install your child seat, provide safety recommendations, and answer any questions that you may have. For best results, please bring: your child, your vehicle and vehicle owner’s manual, your child safety seat and all parts, accessories, and instructions, a second adult to assist with watching your child while you learn how to install your car seat . No appointment is needed, and seats from all manufacturers are welcome. Instruction lasts approximately 30 minutes per car seat. Cost is free.

!

Proper Car Seat Safety Often Overlooked

from A Milky Way


We are very fortunate to have Erika Gebhardt, a local Child Passenger Safety Tech, as a guest blogger. Below is her tips for car seat safety.

An alarming percentage of small infants we see come in the store are not properly strapped into their car seats. The straps are often way too loose and the chest clip is often all the way down. Some parents think that their babies might be uncomfortable if they are strapped in tight, but that is a myth. Babies spend nine months swaddled tightly in the womb, and they must be securely buckled into their car seat. In the event of a collision, a loosely buckled child could be seriously injured or even ejected from his seat. Here are some tips for child passenger safety from Erika Gebhardt, a local Child Passenger Safety Technician.

RULE OF THUMB #1: Keep your baby rear-facing as long as possible. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that children stay rear-facing until they are two years old. Rear-facing reduces traumatic injury to the head and neck in the event of a crash, because the back of the car seat absorbs most of the impact. When your baby outgrows an infant seat, choose a convertible car seat with a high weight-limit for rear-facing, like 40lbs or 45lbs.

RULE OF THUMB #2: Use the “pinch test” for strap tightness. Tighten the straps, and then put your thumb and finger on the shoulder strap. Try to pinch the fabric – if your fingers slide off, it’s tight enough. If you can pinch fabric, tighten until you cannot pinch.

RULE OF THUMB #3: A car seat is for cars. Please do not use your seat as a carrier or a crib. Although many “travel systems” make it easy to move a baby while she remains safely bucked into her infant seat, try to avoid too much car seat time. Try a baby carrier such as a wrap or a sling or a pouch if you are going grocery shopping or going to be out of your car for longer than 15 minutes.

RULE OF THUMB #4: There is no “best” car seat. The best seat is the one that fits your child and your car, and that you can install properly each time you use it. A car seat need not be expensive with fancy bells and whistles in order to keep your child safe.

RULE OF THUMB #5: Use LATCH or seatbelts to install car seats. Do not use both. LATCH is no safer than seatbelts – the safest installation is a tight installation, and some car and seat combinations work better with seatbelts than with LATCH.
Get your car seat installation checked by a Child Passenger Safety Technician. If you are near Matthews, the police department there checks seats twice a month; Britax checks seats (not just Britax seats) one Friday a month.

Check the local Char-Meck Safe Kids calendar.

For more information about child passenger safety, check out the Car Seat Basics information.

Feel free to contact me if you have any questions!
Erika Gebhardt, Child Passenger Safety Tech (T675815)

Pure Play for Kids

I’m not at all a big fan of toys with batteries, for many reasons, so when I found a great site called Pure Play Kids that sells the largest selections of battery-free, TV-free, creative playthings in the USA, I was really excited!

They have a sharp focus on creativity, safety and natural materials. So whether you seek wooden toys, cloth dolls, natural teethers, Waldorf toys or the perfect baby gift, Pure Play Kids has you covered. Additionally, Made in America toys are the bulk of their offering, and the remainder are fine European toys.

It’s definitely worth checking out the next time you’re in the market for new toys!

What’s Your Air Quality Index?

From A List Mom



The toys in your baby’s playroom? All natural wood.
The clothes in their closets? 100% organic.
The furniture in their nurseries? Um…can you say “formaldehyde?”
Before you take out a second mortgage to buy all new, eco-friendly furniture, why not feed two birds with one crumb by letting Green Your Air house plants purify the air in your baby’s nursery while improving its overall aesthetic?
Green Your Air chooses their plants expressly for their air-cleaning powers. Take, for instance, the amazing formaldehyde-filtering Fortis and Luminosis plants. Sure, they look great, but Green Your Air isn’t about looks—it’s about healthy homes and even healthier babies.

Available at greenyourair.com.

Biddy Belly for Tummy Time!

The Biddy Belly is a fabulous new invention by Robin Tacchetti, a Physical Therapist and mother of three, who observed all three of her children struggle with tummy time.  She knew how important tummy time was for muscle development, yes she was unable to keep her babies from getting frustrated and crying in the prone position.  She put her ideas into play and the “Biddy Belly” was born!

Some of the benefits include:
* Increases strength in shoulders, arms, back and head
* Decreases risk of gross motor delays such as rolling, sitting and crawling
* Decreases risk of “flat spots” on the back of the head
* Decreases risk of neck muscles tightening on one side of the neck
* Promotes cognitive development (thinking and reasoning skills)

Biddy Belly’s unique shape and gradual incline help promote correct muscle development.

Robin sent me one of her great inventions and I have been able to test the Biddy Belly with some little ones.  My testers, ages three weeks and three months, both did great on the Biddy Belly.  The three week old obviously had less strength and ability to hold her head up, but both babies seemed content on the Biddy Belly to look at the giraffe’s face and the cute distractions on the Biddy Belly, like the the attached toys on either side of the giraffe’s head (which, by the way, are removable so you can add your own instead – big plus).  One other thing I really liked about the Biddy Belly is the removable side bars between the giraffe’s paws.  When your baby starts to get bigger and use his legs when on his belly, it’s nice you can remove the bars for more leg room.   It’s also imperative to have a washable cover with spitting up babies, which the Biddy Belly has!  Overall, I think this is a great little product for your little ones to assist them in valuable tummy time.

To find out more or to order your Biddy Belly visit www.biddybelly.com!

Go au Naturel with Hevea Baby Products Pacifiers, Teethers, and Bath Toys

from Daily Candy



You considered not having an epidural — for about twenty seconds. There was nothing sustainable about that pain.

However, when it comes to caring for your little bundle, going au naturel is the only option. Hevea, a new-to-the-U.S. Danish import, makes it easy with pacifiers, teethers, and bath toys made from natural rubber.

Combining Scandinavian design with responsible manufacturing practices, the company easily passes the mommy test. But the real scrutiny begins when the goods land in the hands (and mouths) of babes.

Our pint-size tester took to the ergonomically designed paci right away (it dips down for little noses), the teether provided just the right amount of bite for her nagging gums, and the bath toys sailed through the tub without a hitch. Bath time bonus: The duck, fish, and frog don’t have holes, so water and muck can’t get stuck.

In other words, they’re painless.

Available online at heveababyusa.com, $9-$40.