About.com Baby Products

Reader Question: How to Keep Baby Rear-Facing

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 20:06:14 +0000

Q: My baby is only 6 months old and weighs 23 lbs. His infant car seat is only rated to 22 lbs. I know I'm supposed to keep him rear-facing longer than 6 months, so what should I do?

A: Luckily, infant car seats are not the only type that can be used rear-facing. You can keep your baby rear-facing in a convertible car seat until he weighs 35 lbs or more, depending on which car seat you choose. Choosing a convertible car seat that also has a high forward-facing weight limit should allow you to use it for several years. It's likely that your son's growth will slow down a bit in toddlerhood, so convertible car seats do tend to get more use than the infant car seat.

Reader Question: How to Keep Baby Rear-Facing originally appeared on About.com Baby Products on Thursday, November 5th, 2009 at 20:06:14.

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Toddler Teeth: The Halloween Aftermath

Tue, 03 Nov 2009 09:49:50 +0000

My daughter had a dentist appointment yesterday. In retrospect, making dental appointments in the midst of a Halloween candy frenzy may not be ideal timing. However, I did learn that our dentist recommends doling out your child's Halloween candy piece by piece for a maximum of two weeks. "After that", she said, "it goes in the trash."

About.com Toddlers Guide Stephanie Brown has a great blog post about post-Halloween dental care for toddlers this week. She rounded up some fantastic links on baby teeth, managing the candy stash, and toddler serving sizes so you can help your toddler learn to make good choices about nutrition and tooth care.

Stephanie shared a link from About.com Dentistry Guide Shawn Watson on why baby teeth are important. I've heard a lot of people muse aloud about baby teeth, and why kids need to go to the dentist for teeth that will eventually fall out. Shawn explains that baby teeth can affect plenty of things in a child's life, including speech development. Those baby teeth are more important than they seem!

Toddler Teeth: The Halloween Aftermath originally appeared on About.com Baby Products on Tuesday, November 3rd, 2009 at 09:49:50.

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Mia Moda Viva Infant Car Seat Recall

Wed, 28 Oct 2009 20:37:12 +0000

More than 5,500 Mia Moda Viva and Viva Supreme infant car seats are recalled because of two separate issues that may make the seat unsafe in a crash. The metal harness splitter plate on the back of the car seat has sharp edges that can cut the harness. Also, the stay-in-car base can crack during a crash. Either issue could mean that your baby wouldn't be adequately restrained in a crash.

Affected models are 5000 (seat), 5001 (base), 5050 (seat), 5051 (base), 5070 (seat), 5071 (base), 5080 (seat) and 5081 (base). If you own one of these Mia Moda Viva or Viva Supreme infant car seat models, stop using it immediately. If you registered your car seat, the manufacturer will contact you directly regarding a full refund. If you didn't register your car seat, or you have other questions, call 877-546-8437.

Mia Moda Viva Infant Car Seat Recall originally appeared on About.com Baby Products on Wednesday, October 28th, 2009 at 20:37:12.

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Why Did You Buy Baby Einstein?

Mon, 26 Oct 2009 08:56:02 +0000

The Baby Einstein company is now offering a refund on their DVDs purchased in the last five years because one children's health advocacy group says the DVDs were sold under false pretenses. Campaign for a Commercial Free Childhood (CCFC) filed an FTC complaint against the Baby Einstein company in 2006 and successfully changed the way the DVDs were marketed - namely that the company could no longer claim the DVDs were educational for babies. However, CCFC wasn't happy with just the change in marketing. The group pushed for compensation for parents who purchased Baby Einstein DVDs thinking they might make baby smarter.

According to CCFC fact sheet, babies who watched a Baby EInstein vocabulary DVD many times showed no additional vocabulary skills versus a control group that did not watch the videos. The group also says there is no evidence of any cognitive benefit to babies watching TV or videos. Also, CCFC notes that the Academy of Pediatrics recommends no time in front of a screen for kids under age two.

My daughter did watch some Baby Einstein when she was under age two. However, her screen time was less for educational benefits and more because I wanted a few peaceful minutes to take a shower. Since the DVDs provided temporary entertainment for my child, I doubt I would seek a refund for them. I never expected the DVDs to make her a genius. If you've used Baby Einstein DVDs with your baby or toddler, what do you think about the company offering refunds? Did you buy the DVDs for the educational concepts? Use the comments box below to share your thoughts.

Poll:Will you seek a refund on Baby Einstein videos because they don't make babies measurably smarter?

More on the new Baby Einstein refund policy:

Why Did You Buy Baby Einstein? originally appeared on About.com Baby Products on Monday, October 26th, 2009 at 08:56:02.

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Baby Trend Files for Bankruptcy

Sun, 25 Oct 2009 16:47:14 +0000

Baby gear manufacturer Baby Trend, the company that makes the Flex-Loc car seat and the popular Sit N Stand stroller, has filed for bankruptcy following a big court judgment. Former employee Robert Gardner, who is the founder and CEO of Joovy, another stroller manufacturer, was awarded $6.9 million from Baby Trend and its founder/CEO Danny Tsai for wrongful termination, and another $1.4 million due to evidence that Baby Trend had committed fraud and acted with malice and oppression.

In addition, Gardner and patent-holder Albert Fairclough have ongoing litigation against Baby Trend because the company is said to have continued producing and selling the Sit N Stand stroller after their license for the patent expired in 2004. Joovy now has the license to produce stand-on tandem strollers, which they call the Caboose. Target is also named as a party in this lawsuit.

Since Baby Trend has filed for reorganization, we may see the company pop up again with a new name. For now, though, it appears that those of you who own Baby Trend products can still call for warranty service.

Baby Trend Files for Bankruptcy originally appeared on About.com Baby Products on Sunday, October 25th, 2009 at 16:47:14.

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Cute Baby Clothes: Hedgehogs!

Wed, 21 Oct 2009 09:09:34 +0000

Several baby clothes manufacturers are venturing beyond the classic duck, bear and lamb themes and into a more unusual animal motif. Say hello to the humble hedgehog! I wouldn't have guessed that hedgehogs would make an incredibly cute baby clothes theme, but when I saw the first of these items in the store, I was nearly overcome by the sweetness.

DwellStudio for Target has two great hedgehog unionsuits for boys, one with an all-over print and the other with a bold graphic print. They cost about $10 and come in 0-3m and 3-6m sizes.

At Gymboree, check out the cozy knit hedgehog sweater hat ($9) with cool spikes on top, which pairs perfectly with the appliqued Hug Me Hedgehog long-sleeve one-piece in rich fall colors. The one-piece is available in 0-24m sizes for about $12. For girls, the adorable pink Flower Hedgehog Tee features a feminine hedgehog covered in bright crochet flowers. It's available in 0-24m sizes and is on sale for about $5.

Cute Baby Clothes: Hedgehogs! originally appeared on About.com Baby Products on Wednesday, October 21st, 2009 at 09:09:34.

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New Study Backs Booster Safety

Mon, 19 Oct 2009 01:42:42 +0000

Though some parents and critics argue that state booster laws are made to sell more booster seats, a new study shows that booster seat laws exist for good reason. Researchers at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) recently released their findings from a study of booster seat safety for kids aged 4 to 8, and their results show a reduction in injuries when boosters are used versus a seat belt alone.

The study covers more than 7,000 children aged 4 to 8 who were involved in vehicle crashes between 1998 and 2007. Researchers found that kids in this age range who are in the back seat in a belt-positioning booster seat are 45 percent less likely to be injured in a crash versus kids who are in a seat belt alone. Of the kids who were in booster seats, the greatest reduction in injuries was in side-impact crashes. Since side-impact crashes tend to be some of the most severe, that's big news in terms of keeping your child as safe as possible on the road. The study also found that children in seat belts alone are more likely to sustain serious brain, spinal cord and organ injuries, and are much more likely to have abdominal injuries. I was surprised to see that the study found no significant difference in injury statistics when children are in a high-back booster versus a low-back booster.

The new research was spurred by a desire to find out whether the reduction in injuries remained the same when older children were included in the study. The last time CHOP studied booster safety, it was before many states passed booster legislation, so many of the kids in the study were only 4 or 5 years old. When states pass a booster law, it tends to increase booster seat usage for kids through age 8 by about 40 percent, according to Reuters.

Does this new research change your opinion on state booster laws? Does it encourage you to keep your child in a booster longer or move back to a booster from the seat belt?

New Study Backs Booster Safety originally appeared on About.com Baby Products on Monday, October 19th, 2009 at 01:42:42.

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New Study Links BPA with Aggression

Tue, 13 Oct 2009 09:50:17 +0000

Bisphenol-A (BPA) is known to mimic estrogen and has been linked to diabetes, asthma and neurological problems, but a recent study from the University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill and Canada's Simon Fraser University indicates that BPA may also influence toddler behavior. In a study of nearly 250 women, scientists found that those with the highest concentrations of BPA in their urine at 16 weeks of pregnancy later had more aggressive, hyperactive daughters when the children were tested at two years old. Estrogen, which BPA can mimic, is known to affect the development of sex differences in fetuses. Studies conducted on mice have also shown that fetal exposure to BPA can result in more aggressive female children.

Since this study focuses on the result of prenatal exposure to BPA, it sounds like it's a good idea to look for BPA-free labels on your own water bottles in addition to shopping BPA-free for baby.

New Study Links BPA with Aggression originally appeared on About.com Baby Products on Tuesday, October 13th, 2009 at 09:50:17.

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Fisher Price Rock-A-Stack Making You Blue?

Fri, 09 Oct 2009 22:48:08 +0000

The manufacturer says the Fisher Price Rock-A-Stack plastic dyes are all non-toxic, but that isn't enough to soothe some parents who have reported that the dye on the blue ring comes off pretty easily. Parents report that the blue dye has ended up on babies' faces, the stacking toy base, parents' hands, and even carpets and clothing.

One mother who first noticed the problem while washing a Rock-A-Stack toy says the dye took a few days to come off of her skin. A recent post at Consumerist.com tells of one family's ruined carpet that had permanent blue stains from a Rock-A-Stack toy. There are several negative customer reviews regarding the blue ring at retail websites where the Fisher Price Rock-A-Stack is sold, too.

Have you purchased a Fisher Price Rock-A-Stack in recent years? Have you had trouble with the dye on the blue ring?

Fisher Price Rock-A-Stack Making You Blue? originally appeared on About.com Baby Products on Friday, October 9th, 2009 at 22:48:08.

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Is the BPA-Free Bottle a Myth?

Thu, 08 Oct 2009 08:45:47 +0000

When scientists for Health Canada tested BPA-free baby bottles to see if any of the chemical leached into water, they got some surprising results. Some BPA-free bottles from well-known brands leached trace amounts of BPA into water, and also into a 10 percent ethanol solution. Health Canada did these tests as part of research into the country's eventual ban on BPA. Bottles from Dr. Brown's, Medela, Adiri, Whittlestone, Gerber and Nuby, among others, were found to leach traces of BPA into water or an ethanol solution at some point in the testing timeline.

The Vancouver Sun quotes Environmental Health Sciences researcher Pete Myers as saying that "the trace levels that they were detecting in these non BPA-based bottles are really truly trace levels." Myers goes on to say that these trace levels of BPA are not a big cause for concern, and likely don't pose a significant risk to baby's health.

However, how these traces of BPA ended up in BPA-free bottles is a bit of a mystery that bottle manufacturers may need to solve soon. Were Health Canada's tests incorrect? Is there a breach in the BPA-free manufacturing process? Myers notes that manufacturers should do additional testing and find the problem, if there truly is one, since these bottles probably shouldn't be labeled BPA-free if they contain any amount of the chemical.

Is the BPA-Free Bottle a Myth? originally appeared on About.com Baby Products on Thursday, October 8th, 2009 at 08:45:47.

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