Recall: One million Maclaren strollers

After getting reports of 12 fingertip amputations, Maclaren USA is recalling one million strollers, which includes every umbrella stroller of that brand sold in the U.S. for the past 10 years. The amputations occurred when the children got their fingers caught in the stroller’s hinge mechanism. According to Maclaren, at the time of the incidents the children were outside the stroller and a parent or caregiver was either opening it or folding it up. 
 
The strollers were sold at Babies 'R' Us, Target, and other juvenile product and mass merchandise retailers from 1999 through November 2009 for between $100 and $360. The recall involves all Maclaren single and double umbrella strollers including Volo, Triumph, Quest Sport, Quest Mod, Techno XT, TechnoXLR, Twin Triumph, Twin Techno and Easy Traveller. See the full Safety blog post for more information.

Also see 7 common stroller mistakes for safety measures you should take when using a stroller.

Important stroller features: A closer look at brakes

Brakes are one of the most important features you can evaluate when shopping for a stroller. Some checks in the store can help you find one with the most effective brake system.

Check that any stroller you intend to buy has a good parking brake, one that's convenient to operate and locks two wheels. Parking brakes on two wheels provide an extra margin of safety. Some two-wheel parking brakes are activated in a single stroke by a bar in the rear of the stroller frame. Others require two actions and have foot-operated tabs above each rear wheel.

When brakes are activated, plastic cogs engage with the sprockets of the rear wheels. Avoid models that can hurt your feet when you engage or disengage the brakes with light shoes or bare feet.

In addition to parking brakes, most jogging strollers have bicycle-type hand-operated brakes--important to help you slow down when cruising at a fast clip. Some pricier jogging strollers have hand-operated brakes on the front or rear wheels. (See all stroller types.)

5 common stroller mistakes--and how to solve them

Using a stroller might seem intuitive, but it’s easy to make mistakes in setting it up and wheeling it out. Here are some common lapses and how to avoid them so that your buggy doesn’t become a risky ride for your child.

1. Failing to make sure the stroller is fully locked into its “open” position before strapping in your child. It’s easy to skip this step when you’re in a rush, and some strollers require force and effort to make sure they lock. Make it a point to listen for that all-important click every time, or the stroller might fold in--with your child in it.
2. Forgetting to buckle up your child, even if you’re just wheeling him or her up the block, or going slowly. You never know when you could hit a bump that could cause a nasty tumble, so make sure your little one is properly strapped in.
3. Failing to brake. It only takes a slight incline to send the stroller rolling away from you. Put your foot on the brake when you take your hands off the stroller, even if you’re stopping for just a moment.
4. Treating your stroller like a shopping cart. Parents often toss a shopping bag or purse around the handles, but if the stroller wasn’t designed to carry that extra weight it could tip over. Having a basket or storage area under the stroller helps, but be sure to check the directions for weight limits before you stash items there.
5. Using a hand-me-down without checking its history. A stroller purchased years ago for an older child might have since been recalled. Before you dust it off for reuse, check with the manufacturer or the Consumer Product Safety Commission for product alerts. Even if it hasn’t been recalled, there are other reasons you might want to consider buying a brand-new set of wheels. Stroller safety standards are regularly reviewed, so newer models might be a better bet. They might also have new features that make them easier to use.

See our stroller Ratings and stroller shopping tips for more information. And see the Consumer Reports Best Baby Products guide, available in our bookstore and in bookstores nationwide, for more baby buying advice.

Carry an infant car seat properly—or not at all

If you opt to use your infant car seat as a carrier, realize that it can be a killer on your wrists, elbows, lower back, and neck if you tote it by the handle or if you put it on your forearm like a handbag.

“The greater the horizontal distance from the weight you’re carrying to your torso, the more stress on your joints, discs, ligaments, and muscles,” says Mary Ellen Modica, a physical therapist from the STEPS program at Schwab Rehabilitation Hospital in Chicago, Ill. It’s equivalent to walking around with three or four full paint cans in one hand—something most people wouldn’t do, but yet, they’ll carry a car seat that way.”

Instead, “Carry the car seat in front of you so you have both hands on the handle,” advises Diane Dalton, orthopedic clinical specialist at Boston University’s Sargent College of health and Rehabilitation Sciences, in Boston, Mass. With the weight of the seat and your baby centered and close to your trunk, the force on your body will be reduced, Dalton says.

Another option: Leave the infant seat in your car and transfer your baby to a soft infant carrier, backpack carrier, or stroller, or use a travel system. Or simply carry your baby in your arms.

How do you carry your young baby around? Let us know in comments!