Consumer report: 5 products not to buy for your baby

FutureMrsLemon

What do you guys think of this article:

I dont know how to make it clicky can someone tell me?

 

https://blogs.consumerreports.org/safety/2009/04/unsafe-baby-products-bath-seats-slings-sleep-positioners-bumpers-cosleepers.html

 

I personally find it ridiculous and judgemental. They condemn an entire practice because of one faulty product. Ridiculous. 

melsie

https://blogs.consumerreports.org/safety/2009/04/unsafe-baby-products-bath-seats-slings-sleep-positioners-bumpers-cosleepers.html

clicky for you 

brianna611

https://blogs.consumerreports.org/safety/2009/04/unsafe-baby-products-bath-seats-slings-sleep-positioners-bumpers-cosleepers.htm

I think it's making a blanket statement - ALL co-sleeping is bad, ALL slings are bad, etc. which I feel is not true.  It seems the issues are more like user errors.

papagena

The bathtub thing is a big DUH, and I can't believe the sling section.  I've never heard of any issues, although admittedly, I haven't looked.  Uggg...  I can't really comment on the co-sleeper, as I haven't used one or looked into them (we had a cradle bed-height when DS was a nb, which worked quite well).  Granted, however, that one recall or bad product should not condem the entire industry.  If it did, car seats would be labeled dangerous, as would cribs, swings... the list would be never ending.

mjonette@gmail.com

It seems pretty silly. I like how they said that 4 children in 5 years have died from a sling-related accident. And how many hundreds or thousands have ridden in them safely? And there are many safe co-sleepers, they do seem to be very judgemental about that.

brianna611

papagena:

 one recall or bad product should not condem the entire industry.  If it did, car seats would be labeled dangerous, as would cribs, swings... the list would be never ending.

Exactly.

Joes_love

i don't think it's painting anything in a negative light that isn't already painted that way.  co-sleeping is generally frowned on (outside of this board) and I totally agree that the best place for a baby is in a crib.  anything that has no safety regulations makes me nervous.

as for the sling, it just says to investigate other types of infant carriers.  I never used a sling b/c I think they're too unstable, it doesn't surprise me to know there are a number of injuries associate with sling type carriers.

goinggreengirl

I'd like to know what they are referring to when they say babies should be carried in safer products- like the infant car seat with this thing?

bannedmonkey

Thank you for posting that.

I think it's like any other advice about products out there. You have to read between the lines and decide what is best for you.

jebuell

Yes, it sounds very poorly researched.  Also they don't say *how* certain accidents happen.  I agree that the co-sleeper they featured looks very unsafe.  I plan on having my child in a bassinet by the bed (I sometimes hit and throw things in my sleep... better for a baby not to be one of those thing) but that is STILL co-sleeping.  So to say the safest place for the baby is the crib, when further down they list two commonly used crib items in their list, just makes them sound stupid.  What they should say it a flat surface with no choking hazards is the safest place for a baby to sleep.

And the bath seats and slings seem more like stupid parenting to me.  Just because a product gives some parents a sense of security doesn't mean that every parent is going to feel that way and leave their child alone.  Otherwise there would be a lot more deaths!  And I'd like to see the numbers of children who were injured when they were accidentally dropped in the tub because they were wet or who thrown under a moving train in Australia because their mother left the stroller unattended (this happened recently).  Tragic accidents can happen to anyone no matter how careful you are or what product you use. 

So these articles need to stop blaming the products and start educating parents on the need to be vigilant.

MadameFancyPants

It does seem a bit overly generic about the problems.  Things like leaving a baby alone in a bathseat is bad parenting not a case faulty seats or practices.  Also, my newborn can and does roll onto his side!  However, we don't have a sleep positioner. 

goinggreengirl

Also, here's a link about car seats being dangerous outside the car. So, maybe those should have been on the list as well since it's all user error that has caused those deaths and hospitalizations!

papagena

goinggreengirl:

I'd like to know what they are referring to when they say babies should be carried in safer products- like the infant car seat with this thing?

Ugh - my back!!!

luvlieK

Honestly, I trust CR. ?I think that it is probably true that they don't regulate co-sleepers as much as cribs. ?We don't own any of the items on the list.

hamilton.ja

I stand by my baby bath seat. It was hands down the best thing we had for the bath. We tried a bathtub thing and he farking hated it and we hated it. Plus, we lived in a teeny little apartment with a teeny little bathroom. Where the hell are you meant to put those huge things?? I don't think you can blame the seat for the parents being stupid enough to leave an infant ALONE in a bathtub. I mean for christ's sake that is pure stupidity.  

As for the co-sleeper, how they didn't realize that that bar there presented a risk is beyond me. I took one look at it and figured it out. The Arms Reach Co-sleeper doesn't have it and seems perfectly safe to me. They don't say anything about having baby in a bassinet in your room and its basically the same exact thing so what's the deal there? What about someting like a PNP wtih a bassinet attahment? Are THOSE safe? 

And slings I won't even get into. 4 deaths in 5 years? Seriously? I usually like CR but that is pretty lame. 

amy0105

I'll just have my baby sleep on the floor in the middle of the room - after removing all furniture and never leave the house - that should keep 'um safe

jebuell

amy0105:

I'll just have my baby sleep on the floor in the middle of the room - after removing all furniture and never leave the house - that should keep 'um safe

Hrm, but your ceiling could cave in.  Maybe you should just build a fireproof metal box to put your baby in.