BRITAX BABY CARRIER with CarryLong System addresses back and shoulder strain associated with extended babywearing in the most popular carrying positions

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — BRITAX, the leader in child safety, is pleased to announce their entry into a new product category by introducing a soft-structured baby carrier that offers optimal comfort for both parent and child. The new BRITAX BABY CARRIER line features the CarryLong System, which reduces the risk of back and shoulder strain during extended wear by distributing weight across the shoulders, back and hips.

Through extensive research, BRITAX learned that parent or caregiver comfort was one of the top five concerns for parents when choosing a baby carrier. “We discovered a recurring theme of back and shoulder strain when users wore the leading baby carriers for extended periods of time,” said Claudia Prager, product manager for BRITAX. “As a mother of two young children, I experienced the same issues with my carrier and was determined to find a solution so more parents could carry their infants and young toddlers longer and more comfortably.”

Research also indicated that 86% of parents prefer the front carry position with the option of facing inward or outward. BRITAX answered with an ergonomically engineered carrier that accommodates infants through toddlers from 8 pounds (3.5 kilograms) up to 32 pounds (14.5 kilograms) in these most popular carrying positions.

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CHARLOTTE, N.C., March 21, 2011 Britax Child Safety, Inc., among the world’s largest manufacturers of car seats, today supported the American Academy of Pediatrics updated guidelines for children riding in car seats.

“We endorse today’s American Academy of Pediatrics’ guidelines that children riding in cars should remain in rear-facing car seats until at least age two — or until they reach the maximum height and weight allowed by those seats,” said Sarah Tilton, Britax child passenger safety advocate.

“Britax crash-tests and studies of crash force management prove that rear-facing car seats better support the spine, neck and head and more completely distribute the crash-forces over the child’s body and car seat. This is especially true in frontal impacts, the most common type of vehicle crash.

“We also urge children to remain with a forward-facing five-point harness until they exceed the height and weight limitations of the seat. At that point, they should transfer to a booster seat that’s secured by the car’s seat belt,” she said.

For more information about BRITAX, visit www.britaxusa.com, or find BRITAX on Twitter, Facebook or YouTube.

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New advice from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) will change the way many parents buckle up their children for a drive.

In a new policy published in the April 2011 issue of Pediatrics (published online March 21), the AAP advises parents to keep their toddlers in rear-facing car seats until age 2, or until they reach the maximum height and weight for their seat. It also advises that most children will need to ride in a belt-positioning booster seat until they have reached 4 feet 9 inches tall and are between 8 and 12 years of age.

The previous policy, from 2002, advised that it is safest for infants and toddlers to ride rear-facing up to the limits of the car seat, but it also cited age 12 months and 20 pounds as a minimum. As a result, many parents turned the seat to face the front of the car when their child celebrated his or her first birthday.

“Parents often look forward to transitioning from one stage to the next, but these transitions should generally be delayed until they’re necessary, when the child fully outgrows the limits for his or her current stage,” said Dennis Durbin, MD, FAAP, lead author of the policy statement and accompanying technical report.

“A rear-facing child safety seat does a better job of supporting the head, neck and spine of infants and toddlers in a crash, because it distributes the force of the collision over the entire body,” Dr. Durbin said. “For larger children, a forward-facing seat with a harness is safer than a booster, and a belt-positioning booster seat provides better protection than a seat belt alone until the seat belt fits correctly.”

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Modular stroller gets a colorful makeover

CHARLOTTE, N.C., March 10, 2011 — Parents will now find BRITAX’s B-READY stroller — a versatile and stylish modular stroller equipped to meet the growing family’s needs — in three new colors: Twilight, Pink and Mediterranean Blue*.  The new colors will complement the existing line of Black, Green, Red and Silver B-READY strollers.

Beyond its new colors, the B-READY has another key feature: It can be converted from a single child stroller to a double stroller (or twin stroller) using a combination of seats, bassinets and infant car seats in 14 configurations.

The B-READY offers a number of features that make it a practical and easy travel system. It comes equipped with a removable seat that can be positioned forward or rear facing (for children 6 months or older, or weighing up to 55 pounds) as well as an adjustable, no re-thread five-point harness system and multi-position recline. The stroller offers a large canopy to shield children from harmful UV rays and full suspension ensuring a smooth ride.

Parents also will experience comfort and convenience with the B-READY’s adjustable top handle with a molded grip, large storage basket and removable parent pouch. The stroller comes with an automatic chassis lock that secures the frame in a folded position, and the stroller can be folded with the second seat. A one-foot anti-scuff linked rear brake helps determine when brakes are locked or unlocked by red and green indicators.

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WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission and Health Canada, in cooperation with the firm named below, today announced a voluntary recall of the following consumer product. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed. It is illegal to resell or attempt to resell a recalled consumer product.

Name of Product: B.O.B.® single and double strollers

Units: About 337,000 in the United States and 20,000 in Canada

Importer: B.O.B. Trailers Inc., of Boise, Idaho

Hazard: A drawstring on the stroller can get wrapped around a child’s neck, posing a strangulation hazard.

Incidents/Injuries: The firm has received one report of an 11-month-old girl who got entangled at the neck by the stroller’s drawstring. The child was freed by her mother.

Description: This recall involves the following 11 models of B.O.B.® single and double strollers. The name “B.O.B” appears on the cargo basket under the stroller and on the front of the stroller. All of the recalled strollers have a yellow/orange drawstring at the rear of the canopy which is used to gather loose fabric when the canopy is pulled back. Strollers have the serial number either stamped in the frame or on a white label located on the stroller’s rear right leg.

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Livermore, CA November 19, 2010 – Baby News is proud to announce the winners of the Britax Giveaway Contest. All winners were presented with a free Britax Car Seat from thier local Baby News Store. Congratulations to all the winners and thank you to everyone that participated.

Darla Siomkin, Sacramento, CA – Goore’s Babies & Teens
Raquel Young, Oakland, CA – Baby World
Karen Trueblood, Seattle, WA- Merry Go Round Kids
Michael Peters, Anchorage, AK – Junior Towne
Wan Juan Li, San Francisco, CA – Citikids
Alice Abril, Bakersfield, CA – JM’s Just for Children
Tracey Pullman, San Jose, CA – Tiny Tots
Ellen Berowitz, Mill Valley, CA – Heller’s for Children
Linda Warren, Livermore, CA  – Baby News Outlet

JPMA has put together a fact sheet for the new federal crib standard and voluntary standards for full size cribs. The release info is below along with the Myth vs Fact PDF link. 

In light of the recent developments and revisions related to the voluntary standard (ASTM F1169-10) and anticipated mandatory rule for Full Size Cribs, JPMA has created a guidance document outlining myths and facts regarding compliance with these standards. The document also outlines implementation schedules and general requirements in the different standards. 

 For information related to: 

• Sell Through Dates
• Retroactivity of the Federal Law
• CPSC Lab Testing & Certification
• JPMA Certification Implementation Dates
• And more

 Visit http://www.jpma.org/pdfs/Crib_Compliance_Bulletin_and_Chart_11.17.10.pdf

In support of local business, American Express has declared the Saturday after thanksgiving as Small Business Saturday. The big retailers have Black Friday, the Online merchants have Cyber Monday and now local indepentent merchants have Smal Business Saturday during the holidays. Your local small businesses are the backbone of your local economy. For every $100 doallars spent at your local small business, $68 is put back into the community.

In support of this promotion. American express is offering $25 credit to 100,000 of it’s card holders who pledge to use their cards at independent businesses on Saturday November 27th. Why not stop by your local Baby News store and get the $25 credit from American Express.

You can learn more about Small Business Saturday on Facebook.

Last week the CPSC and Child Safety Partners launched a new campaign on crib safety to help educated new and expectant parents about crib safety. You can read the release below:

NEW YORK – Today, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) joined three child safety organizations at New York-Presbyterian/Morgan Stanley Children’s Hospital to release “Safe Sleep for Babies,” a new crib safety video aimed at helping all new parents avoid suffocation, strangulation and entrapment risks in the sleep environment. CPSC also is announcing three new recalls of dangerous drop-side cribs.

CPSC is collaborating with the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), Keeping Babies Safe (KBS), New York-Presbyterian/Morgan Stanley Children’s Hospital, and renowned journalist and mom Joan Lunden to educate new and expectant parents and caregivers on crib safety while they are at the hospital or visiting their pediatrician’s office. The video (transcript) demonstrates how to keep babies safe and sound in cribs, bassinets and play yards.

“Nurses will not allow newborn babies to leave the hospital without parents having a safe car seat. I also believe that we need to make sure that new parents provide a safe crib, bassinet or play yard for their babies to sleep in,” said CPSC Chairman Inez Tenenbaum. “By reaching new parents before they leave the hospital and again when they visit their pediatrician or health clinic, we hope to prevent deaths and ensure that all babies have a safe sleep.”

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WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) today warned consumers to stop using infant sleep positioners. Over the past 13 years, CPSC and the FDA have received 12 reports of infants between the ages of 1 month and 4 four months who died when they suffocated in sleep positioners or became trapped and suffocated between a sleep positioner and the side of a crib or bassinet.

Most of the infants suffocated after rolling from a side to stomach position. In addition to the reported deaths, CPSC has received dozens of reports of infants who were placed on their backs or sides in sleep positioners, only to be found later in potentially hazardous positions within or next to the sleep positioners.

“The deaths and dangerous situations resulting from the use of infant sleep positioners are a serious concern to CPSC,” said CPSC Chairman Inez Tenenbaum. “We urge parents and caregivers to take our warning seriously and stop using these sleep positioners, so that children can have a safer sleep.”

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