We’ve never had a recall hit close to home, but this one almost does: Lucy slept in this crib, and Alice is currently in it. But our model number is not part of any of the three recalls over the past few years, including this latest one. But would you take a chance? I’m not sure how I feel yet.

The giant crib recall is from a now defunct manufacturer in the U.S.

The side rail of the Simplicity Inc./SFCA Inc/Elfe Juvenile Products crib pops out, creating a space between the drop side and the crib mattress. Infants and toddlers can roll into this space and become entrapped which can lead to suffocation.

One baby has died, and 25 other injured in the U.S.  Health Canada has received two complaints regarding the faulty hardware.

NOTE: The company initially sent out repair kits, but the government has deemed these unsafe, too. Users are asked to immediately stop using the crib and find replacement sleep arrangements.

For more info, including how to get a refund and details on the 2007 and 2008 recalls, visit:

• Health Canada Consumer Product Safety Recalls
• U.S. Consumer Product Safety Committee

*sigh* Like parents need one more thing to worry about:

A tragic case in Quebec has led the province’s coroner to recommend babies aren’t left to sleep in their car seats.

A two-month-old died after its mother put it to sleep in an infant seat in a crib. An autopsy showed the baby’s upright position in a car seat led to positional asphyxiation.

“When a child is placed in this type of chair, Robinson said, there is a restriction in oxygenation due to the obstruction of the upper respiratory passages. Often, the head of a child will bend far over, cutting off oxygen supply.

“During the first few months of a child’s life, a baby should not be allowed to sleep for more than an hour during car rides, and its head and neck position should be checked regularly on long trips.”

Read the full story here.

So, does this mean swings aren’t safe, either? Because they’re at the same angle. Both my girls have slept in them (and their infant seats) for hours at a time. Eric’s Mom, and his family cottage, are both hours from here, and we regularly travel to both.

We bought a head snuggler thing for the infant seat for Alice, and with Lucy we used rolled-up receiving blankets to keep her head in place.

I know many parents, in desperation, who have taken their babies for drives to get them to sleep. And then left them sleeping in there. Heck, we do that when we come home from being out, if Alice is still asleep in her infant seat.

I guess what they’re saying is to not leave them unattended and asleep for hours sitting up. The story reiterates that putting baby to sleep on her/his back is the safest position.

(Thanks to Cindy for the link.)

Wondering how to avoid the salmonella-contaminated peanuts from the tainted factory in the U.S.?

See all the products here, a list the Canadian Food Inspection Agency is constantly updating.

The nuts have killed eight people south of the border. How sad.

If you are a parent or grandparent or anyone who buys toys for our children, you must read this investigative piece in today’s Saturday Star about our government’s failure in protecting kids from lead:

Tests find toxic toys in stores across GTA

More later…

Have any of you been following the tainted milk scandal in China? Where manufacturers were adding melamine to milk to mask low nutrient levels?

I’ve used melamine before. To paint my bathroom to prevent mold growth. Rather disturbing people decided to add it to milk that babies drink, hmm?

One story points out the huge number of ill babies and kids (53,000 at last count) shows how much breastfeeding has declined in China.

Big global companies such as Hershey’s and Cadbury are also caught up, but no products in Canada. There have been Chinese cookies, candy and instant coffee recalled here, though. See an FAQ from the CBC here, with more details. Here’s the Canadian Food Inspection Agency’s site on melamine and all recalls.