SAFETY SQUAD: We're here to prepare you

Maxi Cosi Recall: February 5, 2010

2010-02-05T09:56:31-06:00

The Maxi Cosi Mico had been recalled again. We're well aware of this issue and will post a video soon showing you what's wrong. Check out the recall information below. Safety Squad Home Clients being notified.

NHTSA Campaign ID Number: 10C001

Synopsis:
Dorel Juvenile Group (DJG) is recalling certain Maxi-Cosi Mico infant child restraint systems, models 22-371 HFL, JUC, LMD, PNG, and ORE; 22-372 TTH; and Maxi-Cosi Mico infant child restraint system - base only, model 22-515 BLK, produced from February 18, 2008 through June 28, 2008. Interference between the mounting bracket and the base caused by warping of the base or inadequate mating between the shell and the base mounting bracket can result in difficulty attaching or detaching the shell from the base. If the shell is improperly mounted to the base, the child could be injured in the event of a crash. DJG will notify all registered owners and will send a remedy kit consisting of two base springs, a hex wrench, and instructions for the base spring replacement. The repair kit is free of charge. The safety campaign is expected to begin on or about February 5, 2010. Owners may contact DJG at 1-877-657-9546.

For more information for this particular recall, please go to 10C001.

Previous Recall Post from July

Car Seat Saves Child in Fire: Part #1

2010-02-01T22:15:51-06:00

Last week, 5 people died in a raging fire in Brooklyn, NY. It's hard to see the positive, until we look at the lessons learned. We will expand on this post in coming days, but wanted to focus on one aspect of the rescue.

A two-month old infant was dropped out of a 3rd floor window to the ground below and lived. In a frenzy the infant was placed in a car seat before being dropped. While the baby sustained injuries, it will survive.

In later posts, we'll discuss Smoke Detectors, Escape Ladders and the 411 on dialing 911, but first we're going to talk about that car seat. As firefighters, we know that regardless of economic, cultural or geographical factors, parents and their children become trapped in their homes just like this family.

Lesson #1: You CAN use a car seat to lower children to safety. Even in the most prepared household... one with fire ladders on all floors, few parents ever consider how they'll get their children (especially 2 and under) down their ladders. Climbing down escape ladders is not easy. By using an infant carrier or toddler seat w/rope attached, parents can safely lower a child to safety before they climb down the escape ladder.

Now, the car seat is not intended for this, but if you secure a baby "correctly" (more on this later) in the 5-point harness and secure the rope securely (before the fire), your family may be in a safer position.

At fires, I carry rope in my fire coat. I know that in some fires I won't have time to tie off before I jump, but having it gives me options. The same is true with a car seat and rope. Finally, this should not be your first method of escape for parents with infants/children. If you can escape another way, do that. This post will be evolving, so let us know your questions.

Blog Upgrade In-Progress

2010-01-31T18:26:49-06:00

Hey Everyone! In 2010, we're going to be posting more often and on a wider array of family safety topics. We are also going to be moving to video on a good portion of posts. Our new store will highlight the products we recommend. We use these products every day and know they work. If you have suggestions, let us know! Thanks, Brooks and Steve

How should I dispose of an expired car seat?

2010-01-25T16:34:00-06:00

We received an email asking us what to do with a car seat once it has expired. This is a great question and is the perfect follow-up for the "Do car seats have expiration dates?" post. Thanks Kim B. for the question.

It's important to ensure that the seat is not reused by any parent for their child. One effective way to do this is to remove the harness and dispose of it separately. Remove the padding, break it up and throw it out separately, as well. Finally, use a permanent marker to write NOT SAFE FOR USE in large print in several locations on the shell.

We have heard some people suggest that parents break up the shell with heavy tools. Safety Squad doesn't recommend this. We don't want anyone hurting themselves trying to destroy car seats. Seats can be difficult to destroy and tools can take high levels of skill to use safely. Not to mention, flying metal and plastic can cause serious injury.

Perhaps, you can drop the shell off at a recycling center in your community. We checked in Chicago and car seats are not listed among their accepted items. Maybe your community actually has a plan to accept retired car seats. Call your local government's information line for answers.

If you are so inclined... the best way to ensure that the seat is totally destroyed is to watch the garbage truck crush it on trash day. Short of that, double bag it with heavy duty trash bags and tie it securely before throwing it in the garbage. The idea is to make it hard for people picking through the trash to resurrect your dead seat.

We realize this seems like a lot of work...and it is, but your efforts can actually save a child's life.

Prenatal Exercise: It's Safe

2009-11-05T09:09:56-06:00

Why It’s Important & How To Get Started

Not long ago, if you saw a pregnant woman jogging or working out, you would have thought she is doing harm her unborn child. We knew little about exercise’s effects on child and mother, and advice given to moms-to-be was based on misconceptions and hearsay. Three decades of research have brought clarity to exercising safely during pregnancy and how exercise benefits both mother and child.

Guidelines and recommendations for exercise during pregnancy continue to evolve as more comprehensive research is performed. For example, in 1984, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists published the first exercise guidelines for pregnancy. One guideline stated that the maternal heart rate not to exceed 140 beats per minute. Even though it was revised in 1994, this guideline is still cited today. Current research has found that maternal heart rate is not an accurate indicator to gage exertion due to the physiological adaptations that occur in a pregnant woman’s body.

Today’s informed medical experts agree that pregnant women who are free from any obstetric and medical problems should participate in 30 minutes of moderate intensity exercise on most, if not all, days of the week. This recommendation is supported by a position statement from the American College of Sports Medicine’s annual meeting in 2002; stating: “Healthy, fit pregnant women are well adapted to perform acute bouts of high-intensity, short duration exercise, as well as prolonged exercise at a moderate intensity.” (–M. Mottala, Ph.D. and L. Wolfe, Ph.D.) Therefore, even if you have not exercised prior to becoming pregnant, you will find many benefits when you begin a regular fitness routine and maintain it throughout your pregnancy.

Regular exercise, including cardiovascular and strength conditioning, offers many benefits to mothers, both expecting and post-partum. For example, exercise:

Increases mom’s energy
Improves muscle strength and cardiovascular conditioning, which better prepare mom for labor and delivery
Limits unnecessary weight gain
Reduces pregnancy discomforts such as backaches, fatigue, leg cramps, swelling and constipation
Prevents urinary incontinence
Improves sleep and reduces stress
Improves self-image and attitude
Reduces recovery time after labor and delivery
Prepares mom for the physical challenges of taking care of her newborn

HOW DO YOU BEGIN?

If you are experiencing a healthy pregnancy and are new to exercise, start with walking. Walking will maintain your conditioning, and it is safe to walk throughout your entire term. To get the most benefit from walking, both physically and mentally, take it outdoors and make it brisk. The fresh air will boost your mood, and increasing your heart rate will release endorphins – your body’s natural mood enhancer. Start by walking 30 minutes a day for a few days per week and gradually increase your frequency to five to six days per week. Duration can be added if you are feeling good and have the time.

If you are a veteran to exercise, the most important questions to answer are: What is your current fitness level? What exercises have you been doing regularly? You will want to maintain your fitness level if your doctor approves activity and your feel okay doing it.

A woman’s fitness goals during pregnancy are simple:

30 minutes of moderate intensity activity on most days of the week
Aim to maintain pre-pregnancy fitness levels, in terms of strength, aerobic fitness, flexibility, as well as core muscle and pelvic floor integrity
Prevent physical stress
Prevent excessive weight gain
Adjust to physical changes and build awareness of changes to your body
Correct minor muscular or postural imbalances
Do not overheat your core temperature

WHAT DOES MODERATE INTENSITY MEAN?

Intensity may be monitored a few ways: heart rate, rate of perceived exertion (RPE), or the “talk test.” While heart rate response is not an effective measure for pregnant women, it can be useful when put into context with another measure.

Monitoring intensity by the rate of perceived exertion (RPE) is preferred. On a scale of 1-10, stay in a zone that feels moderate to you. For most people, this zone is between a four and six depending on your current fitness level. A six on the RPE scale would be moderate to somewhat difficult exertion – you can converse but with significant effort, and talking is becoming difficult.

The “talk test” is another effective measure of keeping exercise at a moderate level. You should always be able to talk while exercising – if you can’t talk, slow down and reduce intensity.

The most important objective in moderating your intensity is to maintain a favorable environment inside the uterus. This means avoid overheating. Always warm up and cool down. Avoid very warm pools, steam rooms, hot tubs and saunas. Avoid wearing too many clothes or working out in a room too warm. Avoid exercising outdoors in hot, humid conditions, and always drink plenty of fluids during and after exercise. If you experience any unusual pains, vaginal bleeding, or decreased fetal movement while exercising, terminate exercise immediately and call your healthcare provider.

The intensity of effort should be judged solely by how you feel and how your body responds during exercise. Knowledge is power. Use your best judgment, as you know your body the best.

Editorial provided by Cassandra Hawkinson, founder of the Active Moms’ Club in Chicago, Illinois. Cassandra is a certified personal trainer through the American Council on Exercise, and holds a perinatal certification through Healthy Moms®.

Is your bassinet a safe sleep environment for baby?

2009-10-06T10:30:07-05:00

Unlike cribs.. cradles, bassinets, and co-sleepers are not regulated by the federal government. During the past 13 months, more than 1,000,000 bassinets by 3 different manufacturers have been recalled. The latest re-issued recall involved the Simplicity close sleeper or bedside sleeper. This particular recall was preceded by the death of more than one child. In fact, Simplicity has been involved in many recalls over the past few years.

What can parents do to ensure their newborns's safety while sleeping?

Be proactive and sign up for a recall notification system. Do not wait for the manufacturer to notify you of a recall. In fact, the Consumer Products Safety Commission states that "recalled products" are one of the 5 hidden home hazards. We suggest the monthly newsletter from Chicago-based Kids in Danger. It is concise, easy to read, and offers action steps for parents.
Evaluate your bassinet in many of the same ways you would for your crib. See Safety Squad's previous post on crib safety. Be sure the mattress fits tight, use a bassinet without drop down sides, avoid bumpers, blankets, and stuffed animals/toys in the bassinet.
Use a blanket alternative. The Halo sleep sack keeps baby warm and snug. The guardian sleeper for bassinets keeps baby warm, helps with reflux, and keeps baby properly aligned to prevent baby from moving into a compromising position.
Be the one who doesn't use a bassinet. There is no "rule" that newborns have to sleep in a bassinet. It is perfectly fine to return a newborn to his/her crib to sleep or nap. Are you breastfeeding and want to room share with your baby? Sleep in your baby's room for the first few months or move the crib into your room. The round crib by Stokke fits through standard doorways. It also converts to a toddler bed and now accomodates a nicer organic mattress.
Follow other SIDS precautions.

Safety Squad Advice: What infant car seat should I buy?

2009-09-18T00:55:52-05:00

The easiest way to guide you into the right infant seat is to tell you the following: Most of the reviews, blogs, testing, polls, etc. you'll read rarely get you any closer to the best infant seat, than if you guessed. We actually work with car seats every day... in cars. The following is the best advice you'll get.

1. Don't buy a convertible seat for a newborn (AKA toddler seat). The harness slots are too high for almost all newborns.
2. Buy an infant seat with a built in lock-off. A lock-off will make installation in the middle easier and safer for baby.
3. Buy an infant seat with both a low starting weight and a high end weight/height. "4 lbs to 30+ lbs". Even full-term babies will fit better in these seats. Higher weight means staying rear-facing longer, which is good parenting.
4. Don't worry about stroller compatibility. If it happens to be compatible with your stroller, great, but don't abuse it. Babies get flat-head and breathing issues when they spend too much time in car seats.

5. Get instruction from a professional car seat technician. We are guiding you to a good seat, but it won't install itself.

Our top two picks:
1. Chicco KeyFit 30
2. Britax Chaperone

For families without a car (iGo, Zipcar, Rental, Taxi)
1. Combi Shuttle (has rebound bar built into the carrier). The Shuttle 33 will be released soon. It only goes to 22 lbs when out of the base, but the fit is amazing while traveling.

New Car Seat Blanket for Cold Weather

2009-09-17T16:23:49-05:00

We do most of our car seat business in Chicago. It shouldn't be a surprise to learn that most of the year it's very cold. There are very few infant car seats that include robust cold weather accessories (one notable exception is the Teutonia T Tario ). In response, endless aftermarket manufacturers have created solutions for keeping baby warm in the car seat.

The problem with nearly all these products is that they solve one problem, then cause another. We don't like to see products that add padding behind the head, neck or back, restrict airflow or integrate with the harness. At the very least, they are not tested by your car seat manufacturer. Nearly all carseats forbid use of these products.

The recommended solution has always been to use a blanket over the child in the carrier, so not to affect breathing. We came across a new product that takes that simple advice and made it better. My Carseat Blankie is a small blanket that adds value, without taking away any safety. It also reduces the likelihood of the blanket getting caught in stroller wheels like regular size blankets might.

There is nothing revolutionary about this product, except that it solves the problem in a non-revolutionary way. Simple, safe and with some style too.

Check it out at mycarseatblankie.com

New product prevents injuries & fires: Safety Gate

2009-09-15T01:14:41-05:00

So what's a restart? When the power goes out, whatever you were using at the time will "restart" when the power is restored. This is fine if you want your freezer to stay frozen, but not so great when something like a table saw or space heater kicks on when you're not looking. The manufacturer says that using this product results in a reduction of injuries and fires.

The Safety Gate product is designed to stop restarts by cutting power to your electrical device. In order to return power, one must physically turn the item off and then on again. This product shows a lot of promise. As firefighters and medics, we know this situation too well. This might be the solution to a totally preventable accident. Watch the video:

ABC: Chicco takes innovative step: Accessory Products

2009-09-14T19:20:38-05:00

There is plenty to report from the All Baby and Child Conference in Vegas, but we were compelled to tell you about a new stance Chicco has taken with 3rd party products (also known as aftermarket products). Chicco has instituted a new accessory policy which allows Chicco to crash test products they believe will not affect crash dynamics (they are not looking for products to test). Their first approved accessory is the Bokoo car seat cover from bokoocovers.com for the Chicco KeyFit 30. The Bokoo provides a safe way to protect the KeyFit. This will allow users to clean up baby's messes quickly.

What makes this notable is the acknowledgment from a major manufacturer that some products can be used without reducing intrinsic safety. There are many products that are have no business being put in car seats, but there are some exceptions. Allowing specific items makes sense. We find that parents will use aftermarket products anyway. Safety Squad believes that this is a practical change in policy. As always, if you have questions about using products in your seat, check the manual. More to come...