Bumbo seats found unsafe for babies

Wednesday, August 22, 2012


Bumbo seat
I said no to the Bumbo seat not only because there’s an Ebenezer Scrooge breathing inside me but  because I know my one-year old too well.

Two weeks ago, we went window shopping for potty trainers.  Attika’s one year and one month old and we’re pretty sure she’s ready to hit the potty soon. Whenever I ask her if she’s pooping she’d look at me straight in the eye and say, “Mm-mmm…” When she’s done she’d point at her diaper and say, “shayns” which means she wants to be cleaned up and have her diaper changed.

Let’s save this happy potty story for another time. 

While we were going around a baby store, Karim found this interesting baby chair. It’s a low seat with leg holes and looked very comfortable for babies. A total eye candy, I tell you.  So Karim went on to ask the clerk about it and was almost set on buying the Bumbo seat. He was smiling that smile (the kind that  he gives me when he wants to buy something but  he knows I’d protest because of  # 1-the price, #2-the price,#3-the price) so I checked the tag and immediately said a very diplomatic “no”. 

I knew too well that Attika wasn’t going to sit on that chair anyway. She’d be pushing it around and I wasn’t willing to pay almost three thousand pesos for a “wheelchair”. She already has a lot of those at home. 

Thanks to the Scrooge in me
I’m glad I made the right decision because I found out just the other day that four million Bumbo seats have been recalled for causing accidents in babies. There have been at least 50 cases (since the 2007 recall) of babies reported to have fallen from Bumbo seats. Sadly, 19 of them suffered from skull fractures and there had been others who suffered from minor injuries “after falling or wiggling out of a Bumbo seat,” according to BabyCenter News.

Bumbo seats are floor seats that are not meant to be used on countertops and other elevated surfaces. Parents however, may have been tempted to place their babies where they could easily reach them while they’re multitasking in the kitchen or in the living room.

What’s your take on the recall of Bumbo seats?
The matter has been taken seriously in the United States and Canada. But even with the 50 cases of injuries reported, there are still some parents who say that it was “neglectful parenting” that caused the accidents to happen.

There are also parents who say that they’ve never had a problem with their Bumbo seats and totally disagree with the recall. 

In my case, I said no to the Bumbo seat not only because there’s an Ebenezer Scrooge breathing inside me but  because I know my one-year old too well. She’s going to rock that seat (and I mean literally) and she could still fall and hit her head even if we placed her on the floor. 

For me, it’s still a matter of knowing which products will work for you and your family.

How about you? What do you think about this product recall? Share with us your thoughts here.


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