Category Archives: News

Product Recalls: Playtex Pacifier Clips and Baby Rattles

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Name of Product: Playtex pacifier holder clips

Hazard: The pacifier holder clips can crack and a small part can break off which poses a choking hazard to small children.

Remedy: Consumers should immediately take the recalled pacifier holders away from infants and contact Playtex for instructions on how to return the product for a full refund.

Consumer Contact: Playtex toll-free at (888) 220-2075 from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. ET Monday through Friday or online at www.playtexproducts.com and click on Recall for more information.

Recall Details

Units: About 1.25 million in the U.S. and 150,000 in Canada

Description: This recall involves the Playtex pacifier holder clips that attach a pacifier to items like clothing, diaper bags and strollers. It is a plastic clip with a figure and a “Playtex” copyright logo that slides up and down to adjust the clip, a ribbon and a clear plastic ring that stretches to fit the pacifier. The pacifier holder was sold in green with a monkey figure, pink with a flower and blue with a tow truck.

Incidents/Injuries: Playtex has received 99 reports of the holder cracking or breaking. No injuries have been reported.

Sold at: Walmart, Target, Burlington Coat Factory, other major retailers, juvenile product, baby and discount stores nationwide and online at Amazon.com, among others, from July 2010 through October 2013 for about $3.

Distributor: Playtex Products Inc., of Dover, Del.

Name of Product: Baby rattles

Hazard: The head on the rattle can detach, posing a choking hazard to young children.

Remedy: Refund

Consumer Contact: Midwest-CBK at (800) 394-4225 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. CT Monday through Friday or online at www.mwcbk.com and click on Product Recall Information.

Recall Details

Units: About 1,900

Description: This recall involves donut-shaped polyester knit fabric baby rattles with heads and arms to resemble a bear, monkey and a lion. They measure about 7 inches in diameter by 2 inches thick. Sweet-ums and Midwest-CBK are printed on a hang tag on the rattles. A label sewn into the rattles has Midwest-CBK, the production date 04/2013 and the batch #:00001281 printed on it.

Incidents/Injuries: The firm has received one report of the head on a rattle detaching. No injuries have been reported.

Remedy: Consumers should take the recalled rattles away from young children immediately and contact Midwest-CBK for a full refund.

Sold by: Small gift stores from July 2013 through December 2013 for about $10.

Fragrance-Free, Gluten-Free, Ultra-Sensitive Baby Care

SHEAMOISTURE SHAMPOO AND HEALING LOTION

Nothing concerns a parent more than seeing their child in discomfort. According to research, one-third of moms surveyed believe that their child has sensitive skin. Dry, itchy and irritated skin leaves moms and dads searching for effective and healthy solutions. SheaMoisture now has two new products formulated with natural and certified organic ingredients — Fragrance-Free, Gluten-Free Baby Extra-Mild Wash & Shampoo and Fragrance-Free, Gluten-Free Baby Healing Lotion — made especially for babies and children with allergies and skin sensitivities, including gluten and fragrance intolerance.

“As a family-run company, we’re extremely particular about what products we use on our little ones. Since my grandmother Sofi Tucker started making and selling her shea butter soaps in Sierra Leone back in 1912, our focus has been creating natural, solution-oriented products for the entire family,” says CEO Richelieu Dennis. “We’ve specifically formulated these products to pamper and protect the delicate, ultra-sensitive skin of the newest member of the family.”

Each product contains ingredients that gently nourish baby’s sensitive skin, including Certified Organic Shea Butter sourced from women’s co-ops in Northern Ghana, which deeply moisturizes and repairs skin with vitamins and essential fatty acids. The products also contain Aloe Vera, a therapeutic hydrator for dry, sensitive skin that aids in calming minor skin irritations, and Cocoa Butter, which soothes and softens to help baby’s skin retain its natural moisture.  The products are free of parabens, phthalates, paraffin, gluten, propylene glycol, mineral oil, DEA, sulfates, silicones, fragrance and artificial coloring.

The products include:

  • Extra-Mild Wash & Shampoo – Head-to-toe gentle cleansing for even the sensitive skin, without sulfates. Contains Organic Shea, Cocoa and Mango Butters, Aloe Vera and Vitamin E to hydrate, soothe and heal tender skin. Hypoallergenic and pediatrician-tested. SRP: $9.99; 13 oz.
  • Healing Lotion – Deeply moisturizes baby’s skin without risk of irritation caused by synthetic dyes, fragrance or gluten.  Organic Shea, Cocoa and Mango Butters blend with Aloe Vera and Vitamin E to soften and protect, while calming inflamed skin.  SRP: $9.99; 13 oz.

SheaMoisture’s Fragrance-Free, Gluten-Free Baby Care is available at Target and Walgreens stores.  For more information about SheaMoisture, visit SheaMoisture.com.

Nickelodeon’s New Preschool Literacy Series: Wallykazam!

NICKELODEON WALLYKAZAM!
Nickelodeon invites preschoolers to discover the magic of words as the network debuts the brand-new animated literacy series Wallykazam! on Monday, Feb. 3, at 1 p.m. (ET/PT). Wallykazam! follows the adventures of a troll named Wally and his pet dragon, Norville, who live in a forest with giants, goblins, ogres, sprites and other mythical creatures. Wally uses his magic stick to make words come to life on screen that start with a specific letter, sound or rhyme.  Each episode features a new set of magic words that Wally uses to playfully transform the world around him.

Wallykazam! is Nickelodeon’s first preschool series that embeds a literacy curriculum into a full-length story, introducing skills such as letter and sound identification, rhyming, vocabulary development and comprehension strategies.  Celebrity guests featured in season one include Vanessa Bayer (SNL), Weird Al Yankovic, John O’Hurley (Seinfeld), Kate Micucci (The Big Bang Theory) and Alanna Ubach (Nick at Nite’s See Dad Run). Created by producer/writer Adam Peltzman (Emmy Award-winning The Backyardigans and Bubble Guppies), the series will regularly air weekdays at 1:00 p.m. (ET/PT) on Nickelodeon.

“Wallykazam! offers a new approach to literacy by weaving it into a comedy-driven story with funny characters and adventures that will keep preschoolers laughing and engaged,” said Teri Weiss, Executive Vice President, Nickelodeon Preschool. “The series furthers Nickelodeon’s commitment to producing high-quality, curriculum rich content that helps prepare young children for the important adventure of starting school.”

In the series premiere, “Naptime for Borgelorp,” Wally babysits Ogre Doug’s hyper and unpredictable pet Borgelorp. Ogre Doug gives Wally two instructions: get Borgelorp to take a nap and, most importantly, make sure he doesn’t eat any purple flowers.  Wally uses magic words to help tire out the rambunctious creature and desperately tries to keep him away from purple flowers, but Bobgoblin has other plans. The words introduced in the episode start with the letter “s” and include somersault, soar, sandwich and symphony.

The Nut Job

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In animated 3D, “The Nut Job” is an action-packed comedy that follows Surly (voiced by Will Arnett), a mischievous squirrel, who must plan a heist to get into his town’s biggest nut shop in order to help his pals in the park gather food to survive the winter. Together with his sidekick, Buddy, he will assemble a ragtag crew to help him get inside – and take them on a fun-filled adventure that they’ll never forget.

The film is rated PG and stars Will Arnett, Brendan Fraser, Liam Neeson, Katherine Heigl, Stephen Lang, Jeff Dunham, Gabriel Iglesias and Sarah Gadon. The Nut Job is directed by Peter Lepeniotis.

Watch “The Nut Job”  in theaters, starting January 17!

Sparkle Stories’ Podcasts Selected “iTunes Best of 2013”

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Sparkle Stories, a small independent media company based in Charlotte, Vermont, was included in iTunes’ prestigious “Best of 2013” podcasts list. Apple also selected the Sparkle Stories’ podcasts among its twelve “New This Year” category.

“That iTunes chose Sparkle Stories is amazing and kind of unexpected,” said David Sewell McCann, who co-founded Sparkle Stories in 2010 with his wife and business partner, Lisabeth. “We’re not typical children’s media. We do old-time radio storytelling with a slow living impulse. So we’re delighted that iTunes took notice and named us as one of the year’s best!”

Featuring the work of Sewell McCann– a storyteller and performer– Sparkle Stories’ podcasts are known for their simple and entertaining stories that inspire children to play, marvel, laugh, and be kind. Sparkle Stories produces fresh audio stories each week for subscribers via iTunes and the company’s website, www.SparkleStories.com.

iTunes hosts over 250,000 podcasts. Sparkle Stories was one of only 42 podcasts that made the “Best of 2013” podcast list, and the only one from the ‘Kids and Family’ category.

Sparkle Stories launched their “Free Story” Podcast on iTunes in August 2013. Within twenty-four hours, it became the #1 Podcast in iTunes Kids and Family section, above the well-established Sesame Street. Since then, iTunes curators have consistently placed the Sparkle Stories podcast #1 in “New and Noteworthy” for the Kids and Family category.

Young Parents Picking Pets Over Kids

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When it comes to what young parents spend their money on during the gift-giving season, times are definitely changing according to a recent Google survey.

The results of the survey state that younger parents (aged 25 to 34) are nearly 30% more likely to spend money on their pets than their kids during Christmas than parents over the age of 34.

The survey was commissioned over the recent holiday spending season.

What is so significant about this latest factoid?

According to Ron Reich, the co-founder of several dog-related websites including www.ShihTzuWeb.com who sponsored the survey, this tells us that going into 2014 pet retailers can expect a strong retail season, whereas companies that cater to children, such as toy companies, may be in for a sales skid.

“Pet retailers may even want to target their marketing specifically to cater to that younger demographic,” Reich added.

Reich also speculates that the rise of social media might have something to do with this latest trend.

“With so many people posting pictures of their pets on sites like Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest, the competition for parents to show the world how spoiled their pets are is at an all time high.”

Reich noted that younger parents are more likely to use social media sites than their older counterparts.

The findings of the survey were particularly pronounced in suburban areas, with younger parents living in suburban areas 45% more likely to spend money on their pets than their kids during Christmas.

“Nowadays the American Dream is more centered these days around animal children than real children.”  Reich continued:  “Long commutes make parents feel guilty about being away from their pets so they lavish them with gifts.”

This survey also uncovered that income plays a huge factor on whether parents spend more money on their pets or their children during Christmas, with parents who earn over $25,000 per year being 51.2% more likely to spend money on their animals than their children.

“When it comes to the low end of the income ladder,” Reich continues, “spending extra money on pets is still viewed as a luxury rather than a necessity.  While there are many Americans who will not get that toy bike for their son in favor of more toys for their pets, this rarely happens with lower-income Americans.”

Product RECALL: Cubetensils

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Cubetensils Children’s Eating Utensils Recalled by Edoche Due to Choking Hazard

Name of Product: Children’s spoon and fork sets

Hazard: The utensil’s handle can detach, posing a choking hazard to infants.

Remedy: Consumers should immediately take the utensils away from children and contact Edoche for a full refund.

Consumer Contact: Edoche call collect at (774) 295-0170 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. PT Monday through Friday or online at www.edoche.com then click on About Us at the top of the page for more information. Customers can also send an email to info@edoche.com

Recall Details

Units: About 1,100 sets

Description: This recall involves Edoche’s Cubetensils sets of children’s eating utensils. Each set consists of a spoon and a matching fork with stainless steel heads and plastic handles. The handle has three segments that rotate to create design combinations. The utensils are 5.75-inches long and were sold in seven different models/designs: alphabet, moon and stars, nature, princess, rockets, trucks and veggies. The sets come in a brown cardboard box with a clear viewing window in the front. “Edoche” is printed on the bottom of the utensils and “Stainless Steel China” is embossed on the metal heads.  The phrase “Not for children under 3” appears on the back of the product’s packaging.

Incidents/Injuries: Edoche has received one report of the utensil’s handle detaching and a baby putting it in his/her mouth. No injuries have been reported.

Sold at: Major retailers and specialty stores nationwide and online at Amazon.com and ebay.com from May 2012 through November 2013 for about $8 a set.

Importer: Edoche, Inc., of Seattle, Wash.

Manufactured in: China

2014 Baby Name Predictions

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Belly Ballot says 5 baby name trends for the New Year say bye bye to the names Aiden and Jayden. After a banner year for outrageous names in 2013, Belly Ballot is forecasting some shocking naming trends for 2014, that will push the boundaries of what was previously considered, “normal.” Vogue sounding names ending with -den, such as Brayden, Jayden, Aiden, etc… along with the popularity of the “X” in names like Axl and Xander are on the way out. And, as parents strive to distinguish their children from peers, social baby naming website, Belly Ballot is predicting some surprising New Year’s trends, based on naming data from over 3,500 parents, along with 25,000 votes from their friends and family… the site has released the following predictions for the 2014 New Year:

Unconventional Spellings
Unusual, and borderline eccentric spellings have become the simplest way to become distinctive. The names are still traditional in their pronunciation, yet extremely unique in their spellings. Rules of grammar and morphology aside, this is a perfect fusion for parents who don’t want to stand out, but still want to give their child a name with a modern twist. As a way of breaking from stereotype, parents choose Izak, Karder, Riyan, Kooper, Mykel, Emhily, BrookeLynn, or Meeya.

It’s All about Show Business
Every year there are new TV shows, movie blockbusters, and celebrity babies that serve as inspiration for parents when choosing a name for their child. We saw it when Twilight Saga’s Isabella became the most popular feminine given name in the US a few years ago, when Aria from Pretty Little Liars skyrocketed from absolute zero popularity to one of the most favorite, and when Addison switched its usage from a boy to a girl thanks to the attractive and intelligent Dr. Addison Montgomery on Private Practice. 2014 favorites will be Hayley and Camille from vampire craze The Originals, Piper from Orange Is the New Black, Ichabod and Katrina from a new TV series Sleepy Hollow. As for celebrity babies, odds are in favor of Milan (Shakira’s baby boy), Lincoln (Kristen Bell’s son), Everly (daughter of Channing Tatum) or Autumn (Jennifer Love Hewitt’s newborn).  http://babynames.net/list/rockstar-names

Hispanic is Caliente
Hispanic names are more and more popular, and not only with the Latino parents. With the rise in Latino community in the United States, increasing number of White couples are giving their children Hispanic names. The main reason seems to be the expectation that their children will assimilate more easily in the society, where Latino culture might prevail later on in their lives. They might not appear among the first 10 most popular names in the US, but there’s no doubt their popularity will expand within the next decade. Hence names such as Lola, Maria, Carmen, Sierra, Ernesto, Diego, Santos, Miguel, or Luis are likely to soar.

Return to the Bible
Who wouldn’t like to go back to old traditions at some point? After a few years of innovations and experimenting, parents are restoring old customs to regain the essence of religious values – welcome Isaac and Naomi! Biblical names are nothing new under the sun. Names like Jacob, Michael, or Noah have been scoring the highest popularity ranks for years, but the surge of others, previously less frequent Biblical names is about to hit in 2014: Caleb, Levi, Luke, Isaiah, Naomi, Shiloh, or Judith. http://babynames.net/list/biblical-names

Mythological Names
The trend of going back to Biblical names is complemented by parents going even further in history, choosing names from Ancient Mythology. One of the greatest perks of these names is the fact that despite being ‘ancient’, they have that mystique and exotic uniqueness parents often seek Luna, Camilla, Gaia, Tristan, Damon, or Thor. http://babynames.net/list/heroic-names

Hidden Nursery Room Dangers

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I recently had an opportunity to be part of a local news story on dangers and hazards that can be found in a baby’s room. Patti Laird from Safer Kids and Homes came over to my home to show me what types of problems may exist and how to make them baby-proof! Local 10 (Miami) Reporter Constance Jones was also there to interview us for her story!

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Some of the potential issues discussed were use of crib bumpers, pillows and blankets in the crib, also the need to bolt down and anchor shelves and dressers to prevent them from toppling over. Patti also talked about dangling cords, plastic outlet covers, lamps and light bulbs, even the “cute” vinyl decal decor often used in a baby’s room!

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Other hazards in the home that weren’t mentioned in the piece include the danger of a TV – need to anchor it down or mount it out of a child’s reach, also windows, doors and handles in case baby tries to make a getaway! And all this is just scratching the surface…so when you are designing baby’s room, also be sure to consider all the safety factors too! Below press play to watch the segment that aired in South Florida!

Top Baby Names for 2013

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Babycenter has released it’s list of it’s top baby names for 2013 and for the first time in 8 years Aiden is not holding the number one spot on the boy’s side, however Sophia remains firmly in the top spot for girls’ names, for the fourth year in a row! I’ve listed the top 10 for each sex below…for the complete list for the top 100 click here.

Girls

  1. Sophia
  2. Emma
  3. Olivia
  4. Isabella
  5. Mia
  6. Ava
  7. Lily
  8. Zoe
  9. Emily
  10. Chloe

Boys

  1. Jackson
  2. Aiden
  3. Liam
  4. Lucas
  5. Noah
  6. Mason
  7. Jayden
  8. Ethan
  9. Jacob
  10. Jack

When it comes to picking a name for a baby, that is no easy feat….so many factors to consider and so many names to pick from! We really debated about what to name our son born last July, and now I see the name we chose (Isaiah) made the list at #63 for this year. Hopefully that means people will be able to spell it and pronounce it with ease! 😉