So, Kerri and I did our fair share of stroller searching before Lulu arrived and had a few things in mind for our search; storage, ease of use, weight, fashion and compatibility with a baby carrier.  The stroller that we decided on was the Chicco Cortina Travel System.  The stroller folds with a one hand actuated latch and lift handle.  The baby carrier locks automatically when placed in the unfolded stroller and disengages by lifting the handle on the rear of the carrier.  They also have a system called ‘Keyfit’ which allows your baby carrier to lock into a base, installed in your car.  I, (like most guys), hate to admit that I don’t know everything and don’t need instructions, decided it would be best to follow them.  Fortunately, they were clear and I was able to install the Keyfit base in the car, even under the stress of Lulu coming early, it being cold and rainy outside and having a sick (& temperamental) wife in the hospital.

Now, given that I used to work for a test lab and evaluated the safety, reliability and use of strollers (more than I can count), I knew that Chicco made some great products and had not been the subject of any juvenile product recalls in their long history (although there have been several toy recalls).  They have a great track record for safety and designing affordable, fashionable and functional strollers.

We went to Babies ‘R’ Us one Saturday afternoon, drove it around the store and decided it was the perfect stroller for us.  Evaluating the safety of a product like this isn’t easy outside of lab and without the proper equipment is hard to do, but the advantage of shopping at any ‘R’ Us store is their corporate focus on safety.  They have one of the most effective systems in place to test the safety and compliance of the products they sell.  Now, this doesn’t mean that they will never sell products that could be included in a recall, because they do regularly.  However, this has nothing to do with their lack of due diligence.  Keep in mind that many recalls are a reaction to things unforseen and have nothing to do with a companies negligence.

However, here is my quick guide to picking a reliable and safe stroller:

1)  Unfold the stroller and when you place it back in the normal use position, the latches should all engage automatically.  Don’t assume that the floor model has just taken a beating and isn’t locking correctly as a result.  The floor models are usually indicative of the abuse your stroller will endure.  Dont pick a stroller that could fold (and latch closed) while your child is in it.

2)  Check the harness and make sure that it has secure waste and crotch restraints.  The restraint system shouldnt be easy for a child occupant to manipulate.  The restraint system security is your first line of keeping your baby safe.  Also, consider the comfort of the restraint when your child is in the stroller. 

3)  Look for accessibility of your child’s fingers and toes to moving segments, such as springs, access to sliding or rotating parts moving against one another.  Maclaren recalled about one million strollers, because a segment of the folding mechanism was able to pinch or crush fingers.  Their recall likely amputated fingers of children both inside and outside of the stroller.  Think about your toddler standing with his hand on the stroller when you quickly open it.  Is there anything that scares you?

4)  Look for a stroller with brakes that function easily and remain latched when engaged.  Some of you may have witnessed the video of the Australian mother who didn’t actuate the brakes and the stroller rolled from the standing platform into the path of an oncoming train (fortunately the baby survived).  Brake safety is critical to keeping your child out of harms way! 

5)  Stability; sometimes stroller makers are not considering a varying range of children intending to use the stroller, which could result in instability.  Sometimes they don’t consider that adding bags or other objects to the parent tray, handle or the undercarriage can add to instability (I know first hand, because I used to work for a stroller company and it wasn’t Chicco).  Try adding your purse to the handle while the stroller is empty to see how stable it is. 

6)  Look for anything that you feel could be unsafe.  Remember that the safety guys (like me) who are writing these standards are really just average Joe’s and we sometimes find unsafe designs and issues the same as any other parent.  Go with your gut instinct and if you feel a stroller is not fit for your family, don’t buy it.  You have to consider the safety of the kids not only inside of the stroller, but outside too.

The key is thinking about your use patterns and doing everything you can to duplicate those patterns while in the store.  Ask the store associates questions; you’ll be surprised to know that many of them know a lot about safety and the details of products in the store.  Roll the stroller around the store, play with the restraint, fold it/ unfold it, adjust the back rest and do anything you would normally do to decide if that stroller fits your needs.

One last thing; the only thing that Kerri and I dont like about our Chicco is that you have to remove the infant carrier to access the storage compartment underneath.  Our thought was to add springs to the basket, so that the edge can be pressed down to access the goods; we have seen this on Graco stroller before.  Oh well….our overall satisfaction is a 4.5 out of 5.

I hope this is helpful in your stroller search!

Having had our first baby, Kerri and I were flooded with a ton of incredible gifts from our family and friends, all of which we love and use everyday.  One of those gifts we were able to put to use recently, when we felt Lulu was strong enough to hold her head up on her own; was the Bumbo Baby Seat.

It seems to be a simple product in theory, but working for a consumer products company, I can tell that a lot of thought when into its design.  It’s a one piece formed foam seat, that allows babies 9-22 lbs. (who are able to hold their head up) to sit comfortably in a seated position.  It is slip resistant, soft and pliable and according to Bumbo’s website, is comprised of safe/ non toxic foam.  Given the Bumbo’s relative success and that it’s a one piece item, comprised entirely of the same material, there is probably little to worry about in regards to safety.  Overall rating of this item would be a 4.5 out of 5; the only thing which I don’t like is its limited recommended age (size) range.

Lulu loves her Bumbo, because she’s sitting up like a big girl without mommy or daddy holding her or being confined to her swing.  If there is one of many items I highly recommend everyone with a new baby purchasing, the Bumbo is at the top of the list.  Although they can only be used for a short amount of time, it’s worth the investment. You can buy them online or at your major retail chains for about $40.  A really, cool, simple item; but very useful, comfortable and convenient and your baby will look adorable seated in it; Lulu proves this last declaration below….

Hey Bumbo, perhaps you can include this beautiful baby on your website (wink, wink).   http://www.bumboseat.com/

It is critical to all parents that we feel confident in the safety of our children’s cribs.  Below is a simple checklist to follow to make sure that your crib is as safe as possible. 

1)  Make sure that all hardware is functioning, isn’t loose or showing signs of stress or fracture.

2) Be sure that there are no gaps between the side of the mattress and the crib side, large enough to place your fist in with little resistance.  This may be an sign that your mattress is either too small or the crib side has loosened and created a hazardous gap (refer to item 1 above).

3) Try to place a soda can through any openings in the crib sides, no matter their shape.  Large openings present an entrapment and strangulation hazard to small children.

4) Look for any protruding components on the top surface of the crib, which can cause your children’s clothing to become entangled, leading to strangulation.  Any protruding part greater than 1/16″ is cause for concern.

5) Don’t place children in the crib when wearing loose-fitting clothing or shirts with hoods.  If a child stands, becomes entangled and either sits or falls, the clothing could lead to strangulation.

6) Choose playpens whose mesh openings are very small; preferably 1/4″ or smaller according to the CPSC.  The buttons on children’s clothing can pass through the mesh holes and entangle them, leading to possible strangulation.

7)  Don’t place stuffed animals, comforters, or thick bumper pads inside of the crib when occupied by children 12 months or younger.  They can suffocate on soft filled products while sleeping.  Only use a fitted crib sheet designed specifically for cribs.  All crib mattresses and the cribs interior dimensions are standard size, for the best fit.

8)  Use a sleeper in place of blankets, but if blankets are necessary, follow the CPSC’s recommendation, by tucking the blanket underneath of mattresses end and only pulling the blanket to the chest or midsection of the baby.

9)  Avoid cribs with decorative cutouts in the end panels.  Cutouts of certain shape and size can cause standing children to become entrapped and lead to strangulation.

10)  When a child is able to pull themselves to a standing position, always place the cribs mattress support in the lowest possible position, to prevent children from climbing or falling out.

Recently, there have been a number of crib recalls in the United States, because of faulty or mis-assembled hardware of the cribs drop side.  Children can roll into the space created by the faulty drop side and the mattress, become entrapped, suffocate or strangle. 

It is first important to understand the difference between a drop side and stationary side crib.  A drop side crib, has a side rail, that when pressed, lifted or otherwise manipulated, will lower for easy access to the child occupant.  A stationary crib has four sides that simply don’t move up or down. 

In drop side cribs, there are various designs which often rely on a metal or plastic (most times plastic) component attached to the side rail, to move up and down on a guide that is attached to the end panel of the crib.  Most of the recall’s resulted in failure of either one or both of the guide components.  It could have been that the crib side or the component was installed incorrectly, accurate assembly instructions were not provided or perhaps the guide simply wasn’t strong enough to withstand the normal up and down movement.  Plastic will at some point fail to function normally, become brittle and break, if under constant stress, because of poor design or improper assembly.

As a result of reported injuries and deaths, the ASTM committee which oversees the safety standard development of cribs has recently approved a revision that precludes (or prohibits) cribs with a drop side rail or related hardware from complying with the ASTM standard.  It is important to remember that ASTM is considered a “voluntary” standard for most consumer products, except for toys, which are mandated under federal law.  Cribs are not banned from sale in the US if they use a drop side, nor does the CPSC have any enforcement authority to prevent the import of such cribs.  However, most major retail chains in the US, including Babies ‘R’ Us, Wal-mart, Target and Sears/ Kmart require that all products, especially toys and juvenile products, meet applicable ASTM standards before being sold in their stores.

It is unlikely that cribs with drop sides will be sold at major retail stores in the near future.  This is a precautionary measure on the part of the crib industry, manufacturers and retailers, rather than waiting for another child to die before offering safety alternatives.  The recalls don’t mean that all cribs with a drop side rail are unsafe.  In fact, most cribs with these drop sides are safe, but parents should check to make sure that the hardware is tight, not fractured or showing signs of stress or damage and installed correctly; if not, you should stop using the crib immediately.  Most major manufacturers have assembly instructions available on their websites, so it is a good idea to check the assembly and current condition of your crib regularly.  If you do find damage to the assembly hardware, contact the manufacturer and explain the issue; they will jump at the opportunity to send you a kit to correct the issue.

Crib safety is one of the most important things in any household with small children and a manufacturer’s instructions and warnings for use should always be strictly adhered to.  I will be later adding information about crib safety on this site.  In the meantime, please check the CPSC website for current recalls http://www.cpsc.gov/, see if your crib is listed in any of the bulletins, then follow the instructions at the bottom of each notice.