Baby Seats Recalled for Repair by Bumbo International Due to Fall Hazard

The popular baby seat Bumbo has been recalled due to numerous incidents of babies falling out of it.  A few cases have even resulted in skull damage.  This is serious and the proper steps should be taken in fixing or returning this item.  Below are the details from recalls.com.

Name of Product: Bumbo Baby Seats

Units: About 4 million in the U.S. Note: In October 2007, 1 million Bumbo seats were voluntarily recalled to provide additional warnings against use on raised surfaces.

Manufacturer: Bumbo International Trust, of South Africa

Hazard: Babies can maneuver out of or fall from the Bumbo seat, posing a risk of serious injuries.

Incidents/Injuries: CPSC and Bumbo International know of at least 50 incidents after the October 2007 voluntary recall in which babies fell from a Bumbo seat while it was being used on a raised surface. Nineteen of those incidents included reports of skull fractures. CPSC and Bumbo International are aware of an additional 34 post-recall reports of infants who fell out or maneuvered out of a Bumbo seat used on the floor or at an unknown elevation, resulting in injury. Two of these incidents involved reports of skull fractures, while others reported bumps, bruises and other minor injuries.

Description: The bottom of the Bumbo seat is round and flat with a diameter of about 15 inches. It is constructed of a single piece of molded foam and comes in various colors. The seat has leg holes and the seat back wraps completely around the child. On the front of the seat in raised lettering is the word “Bumbo” with the image of an elephant on top. The bottom of the seat has the following words: “Manufactured by Bumbo South Africa Material: Polyurethane World Patent No. PCT: ZA/1999/00030.” The back of the seat has several warnings and seats manufactured since 2008 have an additional label on the front of the seat warning against use on raised surfaces.

Sold by: Sears, Target, Toys R Us (including Babies R Us), USA Babies, Walmart, and various other toy and children’s stores nationwide, and various online sellers, from August 2003 through August 2012 for between $30 and $50.

Manufactured in: South Africa

Remedy: Consumers should immediately stop using the product until they order and install a free repair kit, which includes: a restraint belt with a warning label, installation instructions, safe use instructions and a new warning sticker. The belt should always be used when a child is placed in the seat. Even with the belt, the seat should never be used on any raised surface. Consumers should also immediately stop using Bumbo seat covers that interfere with the installation and use of the belt. A video demonstrating proper installation of the restraint belt and proper use of the Bumbo seat are available at www.BumboUSA.com

Consumer Contact: Order the free repair kit by visiting www.recall.BumboUSA.com or calling (866) 898-4999 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. CT Monday through Thursday and between 8 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. CT on Friday. Do not return the Bumbo seat to retailers as they will not be able to provide the repair kit.

Beyonce and now 6 month old Blue Ivy were out spotted in NYC shopping. Up until now we have only had the few pics the Carters posted on their Tumblr page of the Hip Hop & R&B Princess when she was first born in January.  Blue Ivy seems to be a very cute mix of both Beyonce and Jay-Z and she’s eating well by the look of those thighs!  lol  Mom looks happy while at Bergdoff’s.  Motherhood definitely suits her!  Can’t wait to see more pics of the duo!!

Uma Thurman gave birth to a baby girl on Sunday according to US Weekly.  This is the third child for the 42 year old “Smash” actress who has Maya, 13 and Levon, 10 with actor Ethan Hawke.  Uma and financier beau Arpad Busson weren’t planning on having anymore children but both are said to be over the moon with the birth of their new baby.

All the best Uma!!

Stuart Chaifetz & Akian

As we know it is autism awareness month.  I came across this youtube video and was completely disgusted by the behavior of teachers and their aides towards these autistic children.  One father found it hard to believe that his son was being violent for absolutely no reason when he didn’t have a history of violence before.  Stuart Chaifetz decide to wire his 10 year old son Akian on February 13, 2012 to see exactly what was going on in the classroom.  Stuart never dreamed he would have 6 hours of disturbing footage with the teachers taunting and upsetting his son.  At one point the teacher even calls Akian a bastard.  This is unacceptable behavior from a teacher to any student but especially disturbing when it’s done to autistic children that you know aren’t able to report what is going on in their classroom.  This has to be stopped!!  I signed the petition to stop teacher/student bullying and get these teachers fired.  Will you?!

Click here to do so:

 http://www.change.org/petitions/to-the-new-jersey-legislature-and-congress-pass-legislation-so-that-teachers-who-bully-children-are-immediately-fired

A new research study indicates that women who are obese may have a higher risk of having a baby with autism.  Researchers found that women who were obese during their pregnancies risk of having children with autism increased by almost 70 percent and the risk of having a baby with other neurodevelopmental disorder doubled.

During the study, researchers looked closely at the impact of obesity, diabetes and high blood pressure during pregnancy.  They compared medical history of 315 typically developing children to those of 517 children with autism and 172 children with developmental disorders.

Moms with diabetes were slightly more likely to have a baby with autism but the numbers weren’t large enough to definitively rule that the numbers weren’t just by coincidence.  Researchers did determine that a mom’s diabetes and other neurodevelopmental disorder were stronger and in fact the moms were more likely to have a child diagnosed with this disorder later in life.

Dr. Daniel Coury, Chief of Developmental and Behavior Pediatrics at Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus, OH said “The results raise quite a concern.  Autism rates have increased along with obesity rates and the research suggests that this may be the coincidence.”

Of course more research needs to be done to prove that obesity is a major cause of autism but we now know that inflammatory proteins produced by the cells of an obese mom affect how the brain develops.  The study’s lead researcher Paila Krakowiak, a PH. D. candidate at the University of California, Davis has said, “These same proteins are involved in the normal development of the brain,” Krakowiak said. “When the level of those immunological markers is higher or lower than the normal range it might affect how the brain develops in an adverse way. And at least one type has been shown to be able to cross over the placenta to the fetus.” 

Research is still being conducted to determine whether obesity is a sure affect of autism but with the minor findings, I think it’s enough for an obese woman wanting to have a family to lose weight.  Why put yourself or your fetus in danger. 

We will report any new findings as they come in.

Exercises to do while pregnant

1. Walking-Walking is the easiest form of exercise you can do while pregnant.  It is easy on your knees vs. jogging, it’s safe and takes little time to squeeze into your schedule.
2. Jogging-If you are already a jogger you will still be able to continue during your pregnancy.  Be sure to stay hydrated and wear comfortable clothing and shoes.  If you have not run before consult your doctor before you begin a running program.
3. Dance-Don’t put your dance shoes away just yet!  Dancing is so much fun and an easy workout.  You can dance home in your living room or in a gym class just try to avoid too much spinning and jumping!
4. Swimming-Swimming has been considered one of the safest and effective ways to exercise for pregnant women by healthcare professionals.  Swimming keeps you toned without the weight strain while increasing your heart rate.
5. Yoga-Yoga has been known to relieve stress and pressure on your body and of course with your body going through changes during your pregnancy you experience a lot of this.  Most positions are safe for you and your baby but stay away from the excessively rigorous positions.  A lot of gyms offer special classes for pregnant women.  Here’s a center we came across in NYC:  http://www.prenatalyogacenter.com/cmps_index.php
6. Kegel Exercises-We as women need to practice these exercises in our everyday life not just while pregnant but Kegel exercises are especially important during pregnancy as it is said to make the birth easier.  By strengthening these muscles you are able to control your muscles during labor and delivery.  Doing these exercises will also minimize bladder leaks and hemorrhoids.  Kegel exercises can be done at anytime, anywhere without a sole knowing!!

**If you experience nausea, dizziness, abnormal change in body temperature, heart palpitations, swelling, vaginal bleeding, sharp pains, fluids leaking from your vagina or blurred vision call your healthcare provider immediately!!**

Yandy Smith Pregnant photo via her Instagram Account

Love and Hip Hop’s Yandy Smith FINALLY confirms her pregnancy!!  After months of speculation the entertainment manager and reality tv star has revealed via her instagram that she is pregnant:  “You wanted to know now you know!!!! #POW”.  I know what you all are thinking…No it’s not rapper Jim Jones’ baby (at least we don’t think so tbc)! 

Autism Speaks’ multi-year Ad Council public service advertising campaign stresses the importance of recognizing the early signs of autism and seeking early intervention services.

Research now suggests that children as young as 1 year old can show signs of autism. The most important thing you can do as a parent or caregiver is to learn the early signs of autism and understand the typical developmental milestones your child should be reaching at different ages. Please look over the following list. If you have any concerns about your child’s development, don’t wait. Speak to your doctor about screening your child for autism. While validated screening for autism starts only as young as 16 months, the best bet for younger children is to have their development screened at every well visit with a highly validated developmental screening tool. If your child does have autism, early intervention may be his or her best hope. 

(The following red flags may indicate a child is at risk for atypical development, and is in need of an immediate evaluation.)

In clinical terms, there are a few “absolute indicators,” often referred to as “red flags,” that indicate that a child should be evaluated. For a parent, these are the “red flags” that your child should be screened to ensure that he/she is on the right developmental path. If your baby shows any of these signs, please ask your pediatrician or family practitioner for an immediate evaluation: 

• No big smiles or other warm, joyful expressions by six months or thereafter
• No back-and-forth sharing of sounds, smiles, or other facial expressions by nine months or thereafter
• No babbling by 12 months
• No back-and-forth gestures, such as pointing, showing, reaching, or waving by 12 months
• No words by 16 months
• No two-word meaningful phrases (without imitating or repeating) by 24 months
• Any loss of speech or babbling or social skills at any age

*This information has been provided by First Signs, Inc. ©2001-2005. Reprinted with permission. For more information about recognizing the early signs of developmental and behavioral disorders, please visit http://www.firstsigns.org or the Centers for Disease Control at www.cdc.gov/actearly.

Got a Scrape?!

Carry a few packets of sugar in your purse to use as a quick fix for a minor scrape. If you find yourself in a situation where there’s no ointment around mix the sugar with some water and apply the paste to the scrape, after a minute, rinse and pat dry then cover with a band aid. Its an old remedy that acts as an antibacterial agent!

Just for your information!

I am walking to support my friend and all parents that have had premature babies, babies with birth defects or infant mortality.  You can help too!!  Join either team or donate here:

http://www.marchforbabies.org/team/t1704877

http://www.marchforbabies.org/team/t1776454