News yesterday of yet another child product recall, this time for the Bumbo chair. We’ve used the Bumbo chair for years and it is a great product. It allows babies to sit up before they can do it themselves. Thing 3 loves to sit in his Bumbo and watch his brothers play. It’s like he’s one of the big boys.
The reason for the recall is not due to some product defect. Rather, it is due to misuse, and frankly, lack of common sense on the part of some parents. While the Bumbo is good for keeping babies “stuck” in the chair, it isn’t fool proof, and babies can sometimes get loose. It clearly says this when you buy the product. Not to make light of serious injuries which have occurred, but it seems obvious not to put a Bumbo on a table or counter, or anywhere the baby could get hurt if he falls out. If you put the Bumbo on a carpeted floor, the baby won’t get hurt when he falls out.
So the company will now put large warning labels on the Bumbo, saying not to place on surfaces where the baby would get hurt if he falls out. They even published a gallery of videos showing safe use of the Bumbo. Isn’t this a little extreme? I mean, do parents really need to be told not to do stupid things? Should soccer balls come with a warning not to play with them near traffic? Should bikes come with a warning that you can fall off them? There aren’t any toys which, if misused, can’t cause some harm. Do parents really need to be warned about every one?
Are you telling me I shouldn’t use the bumbo seat in the middle of the street, on the edge of a cliff, in the fireplace? :-)
JC, that was well said!!!! Some PARENTS are just dum, and there is 1 parent that I know of that is taking legal action for her kid falling out of a BUMBO that she put on a counter. I hope that that parent dose not win her case!!
I am so glad to see your comments…that was so well said.
I have given the Bumbo chair to so many 1st time moms as shower gifts that when I heard about a recall I felt so bad to have given them something that was deffective. I couldn’t understand how…but it not the product but the USER.
I have one of these things, and so far I am yet to drop either of my kids onto their heads due its misuse.
Given that I am not the sharpest tool in the shed myself I can only assume those that have managed to injure their kids through poor use of a bumbo are so irrevocably stupid as to it actually being dwarinian theorem in it’s purest form that means these kids are being brained.
Why must morons make life more difficult for those of us with merely below average intelligence?
Like Brad Stine, the conservative comedian, says “PUT A HELMET ON!!!!” Stupid people!
I guess some parents really ARE that stupid. I’ve seen parents do things that make my hair stand on end and but for the grace of God… It makes me krazee.
This is all part of a larger issue in American culture. People claim that they don’t want to be told what to do, yet they want nothing to do with personal accountability. You can’t have both. Accident happen, don’t get me wrong, but if you, don’t have the wherewithal to make sure your child doesn’t get injured on account of your poor decision making or laziness, then you don’t need to be having children.
I just read an article saying recall on bumbo chair. When I read it, I was kind of annoyed. People need to watch their children. It is there fault, not the manufactures. People amaze me. I think they need to stop making it so easy for people to sue these says. Just like the lady who sued McDonalds for like 2 million dollars because she spilled hot coffee on herself. What an idiot. I am sure many us have done it, by accident, how is that Mcdonalds fault.
And as read above, I too hope that lady does NOT win her case. She should feel like an idiot for not paying attetion to her child!
Ahh, I am so annoyed!
Sorry, but you are simply wrong. Any product that inherently lends itself to misuse or error needs to be redesigned. The risks were NOT well disclosed in the original release. Car seats have detailed warnings and instructions attached, the Bumbo should have too. Not everyone who uses the seat – sitters, grandparents, etc – will have had access to the instructions or understand the risks. Adding a sticker that makes the risks clear and makes the appropriate uses clear is a common sense step that the manufacturer lacked the nerve or knowledge to do right the first time.
How dare you blame it on bad parenting, were you there when these incidents happened? I’ll have you know my 6 month old fell out face first while I was feeding him, he was on the floor and was fully supervised but still managed to wiggle his legs enough to fall out in the matter of seconds.
Are you telling me that’s my fault? that I did something wrong? All I did wrong is put my trust in something that is supposed to be tried and tested to ensure the safety of children. how dare you say I’m stupid or an idiot why don’t you get your facts right first before you defend an item you have absolutely no knowledge about. The simple fact is there has been many cases of children getting injured through fault of the chair and this needs to be looked into.
I am sorry but parents don’t get it. I voiced my concerns to my sister in law about her Bumbo chair after she placed it on a chair and turned away (with daughter in the chair). I was told that the seat is too deep for the baby to fall out of. Even after I pointed out that at 7 months (her present age) baby is capable of using feet to push herself up and out I was told I was silly and have since witnessed her using it on a table top. I think parents see these products advertised and just assume they are safe or maybe it is that they think that the bad stuff will never happen to them but it could! Also Suburban Daddy you say that a child won’t get hurt if they fall onto carpet and I think that is wrong too. A fall is a fall and all falls are dangerous! Please parents don’t risk a child’s life just so you can get some more free time!
@ tammy, he didn’t have to be there when the incidents happened since the recall website said all the incidents were due to parents putting the chair on a table… And, to Bob Shore, this is something the back of the chair clearly says to NOT do. The stupid parents are the ones who don’t read directions or ignore warnings… or who don’t have an ounce of common sense. And to tammy, he wasn’t referring to you personally, stop being so sensitive. My son squirmed his way out of his Bumbo the first time we put him in there. In fact he wouldn’t stay in it for longer than 5 minutes. What did we do? We just stopped using it. Problem solved.
Yes, apparently they do need such warnings! Remember walkers? Not made anymore because too many kids rolled them down the stairs…hello? A person is smart…people are stupid.
I think everything should have risk labels but that doesnt mean children will not get hurt cuz of parents stupidity. I know some parents arent like that but i also have seen parents mistakes with their children. I dont know why parents think that any product is gonna solve their live. Be mature. If they were mature to have sex they should b mature to wath their children every single minute. Im a parent and i love my children i watch them all the time cuz they are my life.