Comments on: Consumer Reports: Painfully Clueless about Parenting Products

By: Lily

Lily — Tue, 05 May 2009 18:11:54 +0000

I just wanted to comment about the Tummy Tubs that Lori is talking about…I have a washPOD by Lionheart (the same thing, essentially) and it is fantastic! Granted, my boy loves the water, but it seems so much nicer to be continually immersed in warm water rather than lying flat on your back freezing.

As for the Consumer Reports list, why is America so hell bent on keeping parents so far removed from their babies? No slings or co-sleeping? Oh that’s right, babies should come out of the womb able to take care of themselves! Hogwash.

By: Lori

Lori — Sun, 03 May 2009 23:42:11 +0000

Call me crazy, but wouldn’t you feel your child slipping down your body before he/she took a header? My baby isn’t here yet, but I’ve watched friends strap their kids into all sorts of slings and carriers, and the parents’ arms are almost always near or around the child (hence the advantageous design). This just seems fishy …

What do you think about the new report on the Today’s show about babies in these things that look like a cross between a small garbage can and a bucket? I thought you reviewed something like this before (maybe it was babies in buckets in Japan?) …

By: RookieMom Whitney

RookieMom Whitney — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 03:12:52 +0000

Can I insert an item in your 5-point list? I don’t want to spoil the humor, so stick this up near the top:

Do not BUY a baby gym/exersaucer-type device. There are already enough of these in the world – find a friend to borrow from.

By: theblondeghost

theblondeghost — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 03:14:29 +0000

I now “get” the potential hazard of crib bumpers, but I was glad we used them. The one useful function they have is preventing your kid from easily sticking a foot through the slats of the crib and getting it painfully stuck. Even with them, he managed to get stuck a few times, and woke us by screaming in pain. Considering how much our son has always tossed and turned bumpers were useful for us.

As with most of parenting, you weigh the risks and benefits and do what works best for your family.

By: AJ

AJ — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 07:54:33 +0000

To clarify about my 5-point list, I’m serious about the first two products.

The comedic effect I was shooting for by the third item was, “Oh, who the hell cares? This type of list is stupid. I’m going to start making stuff up.”

By: Amber

Amber — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 00:01:57 +0000

Hmm. Well, I used bumpers in my son’s crib, because once he started scooting around in his sleep, he’d push his head into the bars and it would wake him up (I swear, even tiptoeing to the bathroom woke him up, and if that didn’t, the tinkle sound did).

I suppose I should thank my lucky stars he survived. :-|

By: CJ's Mommy

CJ's Mommy — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 19:23:39 +0000

OMGosh I love this!!!! You are right on!!!

I would have gone insane without my carriers with my DD. I found out about them when my son was almost 1 so I used a infantino carrier and OMG I’m suprised he didn’t get hurt in it, or that I didn’t break my back while using it! LOL We also never intended to co-sleep either, my son changed our tune on that one. He was exteremley high needs and if I wanted to sleep more than 10 secs I need him next to me! With our DD I co-sleep with her because I want more than just 2 hrs of sleep at a time. She sleeps wonderfully and hey nursing is a breeze. OH yea and more importantly my 4 yr old son and my 2 month old daughter are both still alive.

The sad thing about consumer reports about that co-sleeper is the one they are featuring and is using to make that blanket statment that all cosleepers are dangerous, that co-sleeper is being used improperly! The bar that is pictured, the one that is causing the strangliation? Well that bar is NOT supposed to be used while it’s in cosleeper mode, that bar is only to be used when it is a free standing bassinet! IT is a shame, becuase this is printed on the instructions to this bassinet, and now Simplicity is having problems because parents didn’t take the time to read the instruction and use the device properly! Why would CR put anything up on their site for reviews when it is user error only that is cause for injury!

By: silver

silver — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 13:42:38 +0000

I have to agree with them on sleep positioners. They’re a waste of money, marketed to parents that are fearful of everything. If your baby can roll from his back to his stomach, and winds up sleeping that way, it’s fine. And if your baby can’t roll over, you don’t need the positioner. Anyway, it seems that the positioner creates more of a suffocation risk to a baby that *can* roll over than just letting the baby sleep on his stomach.

By: My Boaz's Ruth

My Boaz's Ruth — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 12:53:51 +0000

I am much less impressed with Consumer Reports than I was when a kid. When they talk about baby stuff, they just don’t seem to know how to test, etc.

I am similarly non-impressed with their “reviews” of car seats. Even when they don’t manage to totally screw up the testing, they still don’t take into account ease of use, whether the seat will actually last for most kids very long, etc.

By: Summer

Summer — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 12:14:54 +0000

This post is great…. and your sarcasm cracks me up.