Product safety concerns

[elanamig]

Hello,

I have a few questions regarding product safety concerns and what you think about these issues:

#1. Baby bouncers. All baby bouncers that are mentioned in the book have a 3 point harness. However, multiple reviewers on amazon have pointed out that a baby that's learning to sit up can flip over in a 3-point harness bouncer. (Look at some negative reviews for Fisher Price's Kick and Play Bouncer, for example). The only bouncer that I found on amazon that uses a 5 point harness is Combi's Deluxe Activity Rocker (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B00067AE58/qid=1120651239/sr=8-15/ref=pd_bbs_ur_15/104-3659267-2923102?v=glance&s=baby&n=507846)
However, the book does not mention 3 point harness vs. 5 point harness issue.

#2. Halo Active AirFlow Crib Matters
In the book, it is mentioned that heating pads and other electrical devices in crib are a safety hazard, and I completely agree. Halo's AirFlow Mattress, however, is an electrical device. Does it pose a risk to the baby? Is there any way that it could overheat, start to smoke, burn, explode, etc? Please, if you can, find some research or some study that indicates what steps were taken by the manufacturer to avoid these hazards. These product looks very attractive, but might potentially be dangerous.

#3. Baby carriers such as Baby Bjorn or Hip Hammock.
The baby will spend a lot of time suspended by his crotch. I'm having a baby boy, and I'm very concerned about how this positioning will effect his male anatomy. Another health concern - how the carrier will affect the baby's spine development. These issues are more obvious using Baby Bjorn (or Snugli, or other barnd) and having the baby face forward. If you look at the pictures on amazon, you will see that a forward-facing baby has most of the pressure will be on the crotch. I found limited information on the web. The product looks extremely convenient, but I'm hesitant to get one because of these health issues.

Thank you very much!
Elana

[deannanb]

We had the Fisher Price Aquarium Bouncer. DS really used it from 3-6 months. At 7 months, he figured out how to sit up in it and would lean over and couldn't figure out how to lean back - so the bouncer is put away until we have another child. I wouldn't be concerned about a 3 or 5 point harnes - the baby won't want to be in the bouncer when it can sit up and move around.

Don't know about #2

#3 - had a Bjorn - and LOVED it! It worked really well for me. I was very sad when DS got too big and long for it. It was worth every penny. I had 2 different older snuglis given to me and I didn't like either one of them.

I would also suggest you look at babywearing.com. She has great pictues and directions on how to "wear" your baby.

Deanna
Jack 10.28.04

[holliam]

There are 100s of other babywearing products. Look at the Babywearing forum here as a starter. We use several different ones, and they support baby completely differently than the B'jorn.

Holli

[brittone2]

Let's see...I'm no expert but I'll weigh in here...

1. I'd retire the bouncey seat once baby can sit up. Around that time, DS tried doing some interesting things in his and almost toppled it over a few times (FP Kick and Play).

2. I don't know anything about this product, but anything electrical like that would seemingly also have an electromagnetic field and I'd have concerns about that for long term safety.

3. I worked as a pediatric physical therapist before DS was born and I have concerns about the pressure a Bjorn style carrier puts on the pelvis and the possibility of things such as spondylolisthesis down the road. As Holli said, ther are many other styles of carriers. Maya wraps, Kangaroo Korner slings, hotslings, etc. Check out the baby wearing forum on the boards. We have several slings and found them very valuable. The key is these types of slings pretty much support a broad area of the baby's body...the entire posterior thigh region and tush, not a "hot spot" like the Bjorn IMHO. The pressure is more dispersed. The slings are cheaper than a bjorn, unless you become a baby wearing addict like many of us and end up with several different ones LOL. Slings are also useful for a longer period of time and are generally more comfortable/adjustable than a bjorn style carrier.

[knaidel]

On our bouncy seat (a fisher price one), it says very clearly in the instruction booklet that once baby learns to sit up, they shouldn't be in the seat! (Those amazon reviewers annoy me!)

I don't know about number 2, but my inclination is like what PP said. Plenty have babies have slept well-through the night-without this!

As for the Bjorn, PP is a pediatric PT so I think she knows more than me, but I do want to point out that someone in the carriers folder posted recently about the validity of the study about the Bjorn. It might be worth looking at. Anyway, there are much better and cheaper carriers than the Bjorn! (I have a Mei Tai that's great, for instance).