NEWS: Stronger Crib Standards May Cause SMBs Financial Loss

While I feel for the small businesses (SMBs) out there selling cribs no longer deemed safe by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, I can't argue that it is for the best.

See back in Dec. 2010, the CPSC voted to put very high safety standards on cribs sold in this country, making drop-side cribs illegal and creating overall more structurally sound cribs. The Commission put a June 28 deadline on companies, large and small, to get rid of their older, less safe cribs.

Now, some SMBs are having a hard time selling their older cribs and some are looking for an extension to the June 28 deadline. But the commission is not having it and so it looks like about 100,000 cribs may have to be trashed if they are not sold by the deadline.

I feel for those SMBs losing out on the already-hard-to-get dollars in this economy, but seriously, I can't feel too bad. The CPSC is doing a great thing by making sure more infants will be safe in their beds while they sleep (or don't). There has to be a deadline and it has to be enforced or it'll just drag on. So to the CPSC, I say kudos to you and thanks for helping all us parents rest a little easier in our own beds.

Read the CPSC Chairman's statement here.

NEWS: Reannouncement of Maclaren Stroller Recall (2009)

Additional fingertip amputations and cuts have caused the Maclaren company to reannounce their stroller recall from November 2009. An additional 112 injury incident reports have been filed since 2009, making the total reported injuries at 137.

About a million strollers are being recalled in total (from before 2009 and now) after a total of 17 fingertip amputations were reported and multiple laceration and finger-entrapment and bruising reports.

The strollers being recalled are the double-wide and single-wide umbrella strollers.

For many women, buying a stroller brand new is not an option. If you buy a used stroller, however, make sure there are no recalls on the item by checking online through the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission website.

RECALL: Disney Princess Plastic Trikes

Kiddieland Toys Unlimited of Scituate, Mass. recalled about 9,000 U.S.-bought Disney Princess Trikes sold at one the stores all middle-class moms visit weekly--Target (among other stores like JCPenny, Meijer and H.E.B.).

The trikes either come with a castle or princess figurines on top of the handlebars. The problem is if kids suddenly stop short, they could cut themselves on the figurine(s).

From the release, it's unclear if anyone actually got injured. Hmmm....

The Consumer Product Safety Commission recall info on this product click here.