The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is advising parents and caregivers to be cautious when using infant slings for babies younger than four months of age. In researching incident reports from the past 20 years, CPSC identified and is investigating at least 14 deaths associated with sling-style infant carriers, including three in 2009. Twelve of the deaths involved babies younger than four months of age.

Slings can pose two different types of suffocation hazards to babies. In the first few months of life, babies cannot control their heads because of weak neck muscles. The sling’s fabric can press against an infant’s nose and mouth, blocking the baby’s breathing and rapidly suffocating a baby within a minute or two. Additionally, where a sling keeps the infant in a curled position bending the chin toward the chest, the airways can be restricted, limiting the oxygen supply. The baby will not be able to cry for help and can slowly suffocate.

Many of the babies who died in slings were either a low birth weight twin, were born prematurely, or had breathing issues such as a cold. Therefore, CPSC urges parents of preemies, twins, babies in fragile health and those with low weight to use extra care and consult their pediatricians about using slings.

Two months ago, the Commission added slings to the list of durable infant products that require a mandatory standard. Additionally, CPSC staff is actively investigating these products to determine what additional action may be appropriate. Until a mandatory standard is developed, CPSC is working with ASTM International to quickly complete an effective voluntary standard for infant sling carriers.

CPSC recommends that parents and caregivers make sure the infant’s face is not covered and is visible at all times to the sling’s wearer. If nursing the baby in a sling, change the baby’s position after feeding so the baby’s head is facing up and is clear of the sling and the mother’s body. Parents and caregivers should be vigilant about frequently checking their baby in a sling.

CPSC is interested in receiving incident or injury reports that are directly related to infant slings. You can do this by visiting www.cpsc.gov/cgibin/incident.aspx or call CPSC’s Hotline at (800) 638-2772.

Little Brownie Bakers recently received a few contacts from consumers informing us of an off taste and smell from certain packages of Lemon Chalet Crème cookies. We immediately took the precautionary step of testing product samples. We determined that while the cookies are safe for consumers to eat, they are not up to our quality standards.

Certain lots of Lemon Chalet Crème cookies contain oils that may be breaking down which can result in an off taste and smell. We are asking that the councils that received these batches return any product inventory in their control to us. Click here for the list of affected Lemon Chalet Crème cookie lot codes.

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 products. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed.

Name of Product: Britax “Blink” Umbrella Strollers

Units: About 14,000 in the United States and 900 in Canada

Importer: Britax Child Safety, Inc., of Charlotte, N.C.

Hazard: The stroller’s hinge mechanism poses a fingertip amputation and laceration hazard to the child when the consumer is unfolding/opening the stroller.

Incidents/Injuries: None reported.

Description: This recall involves all Britax “Blink” single umbrella strollers. “Blink” is printed on the metal frame on both sides of the stroller, below the hand grips. The recalled “Blink” strollers have model numbers U261813, U261814, U261815, U261816, U261817, U271813, U271817 and U271815 and were manufactured between May 2009 and September 2009. The model number and manufacturing date can be found on a white label on the stroller frame, near the bottom of the stroller basket.

Sold at: Buy Buy Baby and other juvenile product and mass merchandise retailers nationwide in the U.S. and Canada and on the Web at www.Amazon.com, www.babiesrus.com, www.Target.com and www.Diapers.com from July 2009 through February 2010 for about $150.

Manufactured in: China

Remedy: Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled strollers and contact Britax to receive free stroller hinge covers.

Consumer Contact: For additional information, contact Britax toll-free at (888) 427-4829 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. ET Monday through Friday, or visit the firm’s website at www.BlinkRecall.com

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, 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.

Name of Product: Discovery Kids™ Animated Marine and Safari Lamps

Units: About 360,000

Importer: Innovage LLC, of Foothill Ranch, Calif.

Hazard: A defect in the lamp’s printed circuit board can cause an electrical short, posing a fire and burn hazard to consumers.

Incidents/Injuries: Innovage has received nine reports of incidents, including seven reports of lamps catching fire, one involving smoke inhalation injury to a child and three involving minor property damage.

Description: This recall involves the Discovery Kids™ Animated Marine Lamp with model number 1627121 or 1628626 and the Animated Safari Lamp with model number 1627124 or 1628626.All models have batch numbers beginning with “2”. The decorative lamps are silver in color and feature rotating films with marine or safari scenes. “Discovery Kids” is printed on the front top left corner. The batch number is an 11 digit number located on the bottom of each unit. The model number can be found on the bottom of the packaging.

Sold at: Mass merchandisers, department, drug and hardware stores nationwide, online and through direct sales from July 2009 through January 2010 for about $10.

Manufactured in: China

Remedy: Consumers should immediately stop using the lamps, and contact Innovage for information on returning the product for a full refund.

Consumer Contact: For additional information, contact Innovage toll-free at (888) 232-1535 between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. PT Monday through Friday, visit the firm’s Web site at www.lamprecall.org or email info@lamprecall.org

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is announcing the recall of all Generation 2 Worldwide and “ChildESIGNS” drop side cribs. CPSC is warning parents and caregivers who own these drop side cribs that infants and toddlers are at risk of serious injury or death due to strangulation and suffocation hazards presented by the cribs. CPSC staff urges parents and caregivers to stop using these cribs immediately and find an alternative, safe sleeping environment for their baby. Do not attempt to fix these cribs.

The crib’s plastic hardware can break which can cause the drop side of the crib to detach from a corner of the crib. When the drop side detaches, it creates a space into which an infant or toddler can roll and become wedged or entrapped. When a child is entrapped between the drop side and the crib mattress, it creates a risk of suffocation or strangulation. In addition, the crib’s mattress support can detach from the crib frame, creating a hazardous space in which an infant or toddler could become entrapped and suffocate or strangle.

CPSC has received reports of three infants who suffocated when they became entrapped between the crib mattress and the drop side when the drop side detached. In July 2007, an eight month old child from Newark, Ohio suffocated when he became entrapped between the drop side and the crib mattress. The drop side of his crib had detached due to a broken plastic stop tab on the lower track. In October 2003, an eight month old child from Richmond, Ind. suffocated when he became entrapped between the drop side and the crib mattress. The plastic hardware on the drop side was broken and allowed the drop side to detach from the crib headboard in one corner. In September 2002, a six month old from Staunton, Va. suffocated when he became entrapped between the drop side and crib mattress. The lower drop side track was missing two screws which allowed it to pull away from the headboard post and detach.

CPSC has also received reports of 20 other drop side incidents, 12 of which involved the drop side detaching in a corner of the crib. In two of these incidents, a child became entrapped. One child suffered bruising from the entrapment. There are five reports of children falling out of the cribs due to drop side detachment. One child suffered a broken arm as a result of the fall.

In addition, CPSC has received 8 reports of mattress support detachment in these cribs. Due to the space created by the detachment, three children became entrapped between the crib frame and the sagging mattress and four children crawled out of the crib. There was one report of cuts and bruises.

Due to the fact that Generation 2 went out of business in 2005, CPSC has limited information about the cribs. Although CPSC does not know the total number of units distributed or the years of production, it is believed that there were more than 500,000 of these cribs sold to consumers. Some of the known model numbers are: 10-110X, 10-210X, 21-110X, 20-710X, 64-315X, 26-110X, 90-257X, 20-810X, 46-715X, 64-311X, 74-315X, 21-815X, 21-810X, 20815X, 308154 and 54915. (The “X” denotes where an additional and varying number may appear at the end of the model number.) However, all Generation 2 Worldwide and “ChildESIGNS” drop side cribs are included in this recall, including those with other model numbers.

The name “Generation 2 Worldwide” appears on a label affixed to the crib’s headboard or footboard. Some labels identify the place of manufacture as Dothan, Ala. Others identify China as the country of manufacture. The name “ChildESIGNS” appears on the teething rail of some of the cribs.

The recalled cribs were sold at numerous local furniture and retail stores including Buy Buy Baby, and Kmart and Walmart stores nationwide for between $60 and $160. Consumers should contact the store from which they purchased the crib for remedy information, which will vary between a refund, replacement crib or store credit, depending on the retailer. Consumers are urged to contact CPSC and report any difficulties in obtaining a remedy from their place of purchase.

Important Message from CPSC:

CPSC would like to remind parents not to use any crib with missing, broken, or loose parts. Make sure to tighten hardware from time to time to keep the crib sturdy. When using a drop-side crib, parents should check to make sure the drop-side or any other moving part operates smoothly. Always check all sides and corners of the crib for disengagement. Any disengagement can create a gap and entrap a child. In addition, do not try to repair any side of the crib, especially with tape, wire or rope.

For more information on Crib Safety, visit CPSC’s Crib Information Center.