Recalls: the Bumbo 'baby sitter' seat and another Britax car seat

Reports of three children fracturing their skulls after falling out of the popular foam Bumbo seats have prompted the Consumer Product Safety Commission to recall one million of the so-called "baby sitter" seats. The CPSC has received reports of 28 babies falling out of the seats including the three who were seriously injured. Those accidents occurred when the seats were placed on raised surfaces such as tables or countertops instead of on the floor. The CPSC notice says: "If the seat is placed on a table, countertop, chair or other elevated surface, young children can arch their backs, flip out of the Bumbo seat, and fall onto the floor, posing a risk of serious head injuries."

Made in South Africa, the chairs are constructed from a single piece of molded foam and come in a variety of bright colors. The seat wraps completely around the back of the baby and a crotch post at the center front forms two leg openings. The bottom is round and flat. The recalled seats were sold over the past four years, beginning in August 2003, at Target, Wal-Mart, Sears, Toys R Us, Babies R Us, USA Babies and at other toy and children’s stores nationwide, including online retailers, for about $40.

On its Web site, Bumbo touts the seat as "a snug and cozy environment for your baby" and recommends the seats for infants as young as six weeks, who can hold up their own heads without assistance, up to babies 14-months-old or weighing as much as 22 pounds. A warning appears on the back of the seat that says:  “Never use on a raised surface. Never use as a car seat or bath seat. Designed for floor level use only. Never leave your baby unattended as the seat is not designed to be totally restrictive and may not prevent release of your baby in the event of vigorous movement.”

As a remedy, Bumbo is offering parents new instructions and a more-strongly worded warning label sticker that says: “WARNING – Prevent Falls; Never use on any elevated surface.” The company says the seats do not have to be returned. However, they are being temporarily removing them from store shelves until the packaging can be updated.

In our view, it was completely foreseeable that parents or caregivers would place this seat on a chair or table.  Similar-looking booster seats often have straps to attach them to the chair and a belt to secure the child.  This has neither.  A warning label placed on the product itself may not solve the problem.  We hope that the CPSC will closely follow injuries associated with the Bumbo to see if a simple sticker will significantly reduce the number of falls.

"With 28 such incidents of children falling out of this chair, a warning is necessary," said Julie Vallese, a spokeswoman for the CPSC. "The agency is requiring the company to make the warning stronger and larger and the instructions clearer."

"The product shouldn’t be used on an elevated surface no matter how tempting and pictures that may show babies in social settings on raised surfaces will be removed from the company's marketing," she added.

For more information contact Bumbo International at (877) 932-8626 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. ET Monday through Friday or visit the firm’s Web site at www.bumbosafety.com.

Britax Marathon recall
In another child-safety recall, Britax annouced the recall of a batch of Marathon child restraint seats because the top tether hook may open and release under certain circumstances when the seat is being used by a child weighing 50 pounds or more. (Consumer Reports listed this seat as one suitable for obese children in an earlier report.) The seats in question were made between May 23, 2006 and July 28, 2006 and have the model numbers E9L06, E9W06 and E906. The top tether hook is stamped with lot number KGR 01 A.

Britax is sending all registered owners of the seat a top tether replacement that is suitable for children weighing up to 65 pounds. Parents who own the seat but did not send in the registration card can register online. On its Web site, Britax is also offering a video and visuals to help parents install the replacement tether correctly. Parents can also call Britax at 800-683-2045.

Comments

[Julia]

I started using it on my baby girl when she was 3 months old, and I have had to stop using it because her thighs got too fat, otherwise I would still be using it. She loved it, her brother who is 2 1/2 will actually sit in it because he thinks its funny (he still fits in it he's the size of a normal year old baby). Even the old labels that came on it says not to use it on raised surfaces. Duh! Its called a baby sitter not a babysitter.

[Ayesha]

I absolutely LOVE our Bumbo seat. I bought one for every friend who was expecting a child up until a week ago when I realized they had been taken off of the shelves. I was and still am very disappointed with some parents lack of common sense and ability to READ WARNING LABELS!!! Especially when it comes to their own children. I will continue to use my Bumbo for our future children. It's one of the best inventions ever!!!

[P.F.]

The bumbo seats are still widely available in stores without label warning stickers, including Babies 'R Us as recently as this week (11/17/07).
so much for safety recalls?!?!?!?!

[A.N.S.]

I had that B. Seat for my baby when she was 5 months old; she flipped put of it 2 times on the carpeted floor and that was enough for me - almost $40 claiming it is not flippable!

But I agree that the company should not be held responsible for parents who put the baby on the table(even in the carseat strapped!!!)in the B.seat; they rather should change age restriction and work on more labeling. People who can't read instructions just can't claim any lawsuits - how can they?!!!

[JohnQPublic]

"In our view, it was completely foreseeable that parents or caregivers would place this seat on a chair or table." I disagree. Instructions clearly stated not to use it that way. We were very happy with it for our little one, and would not hesitate to use it again for our next one. Also let a relative borrow it and they were happy with it too, we both thought this recall was a perfect example of how things have run amuck these days.

[Carole Bartolini]

My mother purchased the Bumbo seat for us when my son was about 6 months old. We loved it and never had any problems. Of course we were always mindful of the warning about raised surfaces. When I saw the recall on this product I was stunned that the company was having to do this. Don't people read the labels???

[CK]

WOW!!!
Whatever happened to parents with enough brains to be responsible and attentive parents?!?!?

[cc]

We bought this for my son when he was four months old, within 2 days he figured out how to get out of it. Parents need to recognize it is not a high chair, although the website has a picture of a tray on it. All the child has to do is lean one way and he is tipped over.

[Breanne Anderson]

A warning is a warning...Bumbo shouldn't have to relabel everything. Are we going to start recalling hair dryers because someone used it in the shower, I mean there's only a simple label stating not to. Or how about recalling irons since there's only a little warning about not using it while you are wearing the clothes you are ironing.

Buck up and take responsibility.

[Susan]

I purchased a Bumbo seat when my daughter was four months old and I love it. She is now 16 months old and she still likes the seat, and she can now get herself in and out on her own. I only used the seat on the carpeted floor and she did get out of it once she started crawling but never got hurt. I can't imagine ever putting a baby on a counter or table top without having a hand on her at all times. Babies can roll off a changing table and that is why you don't leave them on one without a hand on them. This is no different. We need to stop blaming manufactures for injuries and start taking the responsibility ourselves. Children will get hurt no matter how much we try to protect them and it's our job as parents to help them heal and to make good choices for them.

[B. S.]

I do not believe that a company would find it "foreseeable" for a parent to blatantly disregard the safety warning on a baby product. Bumbo should not be held morally responsible.