Bumbo Recall - Dozens of serious injuries have sparked a baby seat recall for the popular Bumbo seat, as unattended babies have suffered skull fractures.
The Bumbo recall involves this model of the Bumbo seat:
CBS News Video - Bumbo Seat Recall
How not to use your Bumbo seat:
Basically, you never want to elevate your baby in their Bumbo seat because they can quickly fall backwards by arching their back.
While the baby seat recall is strictly voluntary, it’s important to note that many injuries have happened when mothers turned their backs for just a second or babysitters got distracted.
All it takes is a moment and serious injury could result, so it makes sense to be extra careful using a Bumbo seat.
Consumer Product Safety Commission Bumbo Recall
The Consumer Product Safety Commission has announced the voluntary recall of about a million Bumbo “Baby Sitter” Seats, made by Bumbo International of South Africa.
The CPSC says, “If the seat is placed on a table, countertop, chair, or other elevated surface, young children can arch their backs, flip out of the Bumbo seat, and fall onto the floor, posing a risk of serious head injuries.”
The agency says it’s had 28 reports of young children falling out of the seats, and sustaining injuries that included three skull fractures suffered when kids fell out of Bumbo seats that had been placed on tables.
The seats were sold by Target, Wal-Mart, Sears, Kmart, Toys R Us, Babies R Us, USA Babies, and various other toy and children’s stores nationwide, as well as numerous online vendors, from August 2003 through October 2007, the CPSC says.
And that’s the latest news on the new baby seat recall announced today, aka the Bumbo recall.
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October 25th, 2007 at 3:00 pm
[...] HitsUSA wrote an interesting post today on the Bumbo Recall - Dozens of serious injuries have sparked a baby seat recall for the popular Bumbo seat, as unattended babies have suffered skull fractures. The Bumbo recall involves this model of the Bumbo seat: … [...]
October 25th, 2007 at 5:58 pm
[...] hitsusa wrote an interesting post today on Bumbo RecallHere’s a quick excerpt… as well as numerous online vendors, from August 2003 through October 2007, the CPSC says. And that’s the latest news on the new baby seat recall announced today, aka the Bumbo recall. Tags: News, Video, Web Site Traffic. [...]
October 26th, 2007 at 3:16 am
Sounds like this thing has got many people thinking about it and what it says about parents.
http://hubpages.com/hub/Bumbo-Recall
October 26th, 2007 at 9:02 am
[...] Read the rest of this great post here [...]
October 26th, 2007 at 12:25 pm
This Bumbo Seat is pure evil, I tell ya.
Here’s my take on it:
http://www.pixelrn.com/2007/10/10-ways-to-not-use-a-bumbo-baby-seat.html
October 26th, 2007 at 3:41 pm
My daughter in law has one (which I purchased for her).
My grandson was sitting in it on the kitchen floor while she was doing the dishes and he fell out and hit the floor, so you can be on a flat service right near your baby and he can still be hurt .(sorry I purchased it now)
October 26th, 2007 at 5:58 pm
We have one and my son loves it. It helps with his reflux. I made sure that he was able to sit in it and that he wasn’t too small for it. I watch him closely when he’s in it and it’s always on the floor. I don’t get why parents use these things as babysitters. If you need to do the dishes, use a sling. But then again, a baby could fall out of one of those too. Best bet, wait till they are napping to do house chores. That’s what I do.
October 26th, 2007 at 6:29 pm
The kids that are falling out are to old to be in it anyway. This is not a baby sitter. It is to be used for babies that can not sit up by themselves. We love our bumbo!!!!!
October 26th, 2007 at 8:35 pm
My daughter-in-law used one and we loved it. The key is NOT to leave your baby unattended! A baby can wiggle out of your lap if your not paying attention. Are we going to ban that!
October 26th, 2007 at 9:06 pm
I loved the bumbo! I agree that it is not a baby sitter we used this to help our child learn to sit when ever we were sitting around doing stuff she loved to sit in her bumbo and feel like a big girl once she was able to get out of it on her own we stopped using it for a while so she would not fall out but now she climbs in and out of it like any chair and still loves it!
October 26th, 2007 at 10:18 pm
My daughter is 9 months now. When she was younger she enjoyed being able to sit down in the Bumbo and play. Of course when she got to the point of crawling and standing up she didn’t want to sit and would try to get out. These parents expect too much out of these toys. It’s a seat, no harness, think about it. Keeping the Bumbo for the next one.
October 26th, 2007 at 11:16 pm
We love our bumbo. We stopped using it when our baby could sit up by himself. He started arching his back when he was put in it, that was our sign that we shouldn’t use it anymore. I will definatley use it again for our second child.
October 27th, 2007 at 3:55 pm
I don’t understand the recall. Our Bumbo already has a warning that says “Never use on a raised surface, Never use as a car or bath seat. Designed for floor use only. Never leave your child unattended as the seat is not designed to be totally restrictive and may not prvent release or your baby in th event of vigorous movement.”
Are parents not reading the warning? or, are they just ignoring it and blaming the company because they didn’t follow the warning?
October 28th, 2007 at 7:59 pm
I have a 6month old daughter. Of course I get paranoid when I here that toys or other things for infants getting re-called. But, I honestly feel that it’s sad that so many useful things that are coming out now are being re-called because of a simple lack of common sense & neglect. I purchased a Bumbo for my daughter & she loves it. But, i also had enough common sense to read the box which say DO NOT put on any elevated surface such as a counter or table, DO NOT use in a bath tub or car seat. If you bother to read things before you buy them for your child you would see the ups & downs. I do not put my daughter in the Bumbo & put her on a counter or elevated surface or WALK AWAY from her & leave her UNATTENDED! So I will continue to use my daughter’s Bumbo in the correct way until I feel she is to big for it.
October 29th, 2007 at 12:14 am
The Bumbo chair is the best thing ever made. If a parent has any common sense then the recall should never happen. It’s too bad that there are these people out there that have nothing better to do than complain about their own stupid actions. If the child is old enough to climb out, maybe it’s time to only use it on the carpeted area. Are these parents going to complain to every other company and blame everyone else out there because their child is walking against a table or chair and they fall and hurt their head on the floor…no….children are going to fall that is what a child is about. Maybe it’s time that these parents brain up and stop leaving their children unattended when it’s their own fault that the child fell off an elevated surface. Hmmm just like the baby walkers that are now banned in Canada….all because the retarded parents out there that don’t know how to use a baby gate and blame the manufacture for their childing fall down the stairs. Now my child can’t use one because of the stupid sensless parents that let their children fall down the stairs….maybe these people should have kids. Gee parents, shake your head and get the marbles out. We can’t recall and ban everything out there, i think it’s time the parents take time out of their busy life and look after their children properly and this stuff won’t happen.
We love and support the Bumbo 100%, it’s the best thing ever made, I will recommend this chair to everyone I know. Stop blaming the chair, it’s the parents fault, not the manufacture or the product. Brain up people.
October 31st, 2007 at 4:27 pm
WOW. I agree with many of these posts. The warning on the seat is already sufficient. Who would leave a child UNRESTRAINED in a seat on an elevated surface?? A baby in the bumbo seat on the floor is as risky as a child sitting on their own and falling over or backwards. I can’t imagine the extra couple inches of height would make that big of a difference. To be safe, why not use this product on a carpeted or soft floor in the first place? My daughter loves the bumbo. I even take it to restaurants and use it as a high chair. She is too little for a regular high chair (plus the restaurant ones are usually dirty) and she is too old to want to be strapped into her infant carrier. The bumbo is the perfect solution. I put my arm around the back, around her shoulders, and I have my other hand free for eating. It’s actually quite comfortable for me and she gets to play and be part of the action at the table. YES, the table is elevated and note I consistently have my arm around her. Some would say inconvenient for me, but it’s easier than holding her in my lap. Anyhow, I think this is a great product to be used the way it should be and always while supervising (like anything else).
November 1st, 2007 at 9:09 am
Hello,
First let me mention I love the Bumbo seat. I think it was the best invention for my daughter. It was great at feeding time and when we were reading to her. This product allowed her to sit up and join the world before she could sit up on her own.
After reading about the recent Bumbo Recall or new ‘news’ in the media, I’m astonished. Though I probably should not be with how our society is ‘pointing the blame’ at everyone else but themselves.
These video’s and people who are complaining should be turning the table to look at there own parenting. Whose fault was it that the kids were left unattended? The parents. Whose fault was it that the child got hurt? The parents.
We as PARENTS need to stand up and be accountable for our actions, not point the blame at someone else. I’m a young first time mother and my common sense said that when my daughter was able to sit up on her own and started crawling that she had outgrown this seat and she was moved to the floor to crawl around. She was then secured into a high chair to eat. Common Sense People!
I just wanted to say you have a great product and I have been raving about this since a friend sent me the link to your site. These people need to think about the full situation before running to scream how bad something is.
Keep up the Great Job, this is an Awesome Product!
May God Bless this Country and the People in it!
Ft. Campbell, KY 42262
November 1st, 2007 at 9:12 am
YOU KNOW I BOUGHT ONE OF THESE BUMBO SEATS FOR MY DAUGHTER WHEN SHE WAS ABOUT 4 MONTHS THE BOX SAYS YOU CAN USE IT UNTIL SHE IS 12 MONTHS WHICH IS SO WRONG. EVERYONE IN THE OTHER POSTS ARE POSTING SUCH NEGATIVE COMMENTS ON HOW BAD THE PARENT IS. DO THESE PEOPLE EVEN HAVE KIDS AND OWN A BUMBO. IT WAS A GREAT INVENTION. BUT IF YOU’VE NEVER HAD KIDS BEFORE HOW DO YOU KNOW HOW THEY ARE GOING ACT IN THIS SEAT. I HAVE BEEN RIGHT IN FRONT OF MY DAUGHTER WHILE SHE WAS IN IT AND SHE FELL OUT. KIDS MOVE MOVE FAST. THANK GOD SHE DIDN’T CRACK HER SKULL. I WONDERED WHY THERE WASN’T A RECALL BEFORE. BECAUSE THEY ARE KIND OF DANGEROUS. AND TO THE OTHERS IT’S NOT ABOUT SUPERVISING.
November 1st, 2007 at 10:33 am
The Bumbo instructions state clearly…Do not use on elevated surfaces…Do not leave child unattended. Read the instructions before pointing the finger at the manufacturer.
November 1st, 2007 at 11:20 am
[...] a baby seat recall for the popular Bumbo seat, as unattended babies have suffered skull fractures. Bumbo Recall Recall: Bumbo Sitters Pose Risk of Head Injury Recall: Bumbo Sitters Pose Risk of Head Injury - [...]
November 1st, 2007 at 11:25 am
[...] a baby seat recall for the popular Bumbo seat, as unattended babies have suffered skull fractures. Bumbo Recall Recall: Bumbo Sitters Pose Risk of Head Injury Recall: Bumbo Sitters Pose Risk of Head Injury - [...]
November 1st, 2007 at 11:26 am
[...] a baby seat recall for the popular Bumbo seat, as unattended babies have suffered skull fractures. Bumbo Recall Recall: Bumbo Sitters Pose Risk of Head Injury Recall: Bumbo Sitters Pose Risk of Head Injury - [...]
November 1st, 2007 at 3:32 pm
Bumbo is a wonderful product!!! I look at those videos and I can’t believe how old those kids are that are falling out of it. This is a chair for babies who cannot support themselves. I know that my 4 month old daughters couldn’t fall out of it no matter how hard they tried. If your child is old enough to crawl out of it by themselves they are too old. Yes my 4 year old can still sit in it. I’ve watched him. It’s hilarious. Am I going to send it back because he falls out of it? No. Sounds like what some of you parents want is a chair with handcuffs and leg shackles. Then maybe you can get your 2 year olds to sit so they can’t hurt their fragil little skulls.
I love Bumbo. Me and my girls sit in a circle together and laugh and giggle about how big they are sitting in their Bumbo seats. I support Bumbo 100%!! Some parents just need to get a clue.
November 2nd, 2007 at 6:42 am
We bought one for my daughter at about 6 months at the request of her baby-sitter because we really thought it was a great, innovative product; soft - what sould go wrong?
Well, the next week, the babysitter complained that my daughter would throw her entire body backwards in the Bumbo and almost fell out backwards. She was on the floor being supervised by the babysitter. My babysitter told me that she could no longer use the Bumbo because she was scared my daughter could fall out and hit her head. So I’m sorry - Bumbo needs to be taken off the shelves until they can come up with a safer, sturdier design especially for the more active babies.
And YES - I want my money back.
November 2nd, 2007 at 12:56 pm
You know, I am one of those parents that says “take a little personal responsibility”. If you leave your kid in a walker near stairs unattended, reap what you sow. But I was given one of these Bumbos for a gift. My son isn’t particularly thrilled with it but tolerates it from time to time. My niece absolutely LOVED it. Anecdote: my son was sitting ON THE FLOOR in it and arched his back and SPLAT out he came. Onto carpet and was not seriously injured but pissed him off pretty good. He’s an underdeveloped (preemie) 5 month old so he’s certainly not too old for the seat, can barely roll over on his own and is no where near sitting by himself but yet he got out in an unsafe manner. So it doesn’t take much strength from a baby to get out, it’s not just parents of 2 year olds with problems. And a 12 month old who was 3 months premature and grew/developed slowly MIGHT be able to still use the product. Just because your child was not able to (my daughter never could have), don’t judge all. And when he fell out I was 5 feet away tending to my 21 month old and did not get there in time to fully catch him. Was I neglectful for taking ONE step away? I personally think not, but judge me if you will.
So:
YES if he had been on an elevated surface he would have been seriously injured
NO he is not too old or strong for the toy by ANY means
YES I would prefer my money back. There are other toys safer for him.
NO I would never fault the company, if you put a baby on a table and walk away you’re going to get what you ask for. I think they’re being responsible in offering a refund for parents who no longer feel comfortable using their product.
Final anecdote: I saw a pediatric resident at Children’s hospital who chided me for using a walker saying they’re soooooo dangerous and the AAP was going to outlaw them. In the same breath she said they endorse the Bumbo. HA, yeah right. Who looks stupid now??
November 2nd, 2007 at 6:31 pm
I love my Bumbo! My 7 1/2 month old son loves it. Yes he has fallen out of it, but then again he’s a wiggler. We’ve even been sitting on the floor and he’s wiggled out of my lap.
The Bumbo has nothing to do with the fact he fell out of it. He prefers to move.
November 4th, 2007 at 1:55 am
Bumbo is a great idea ; it is just lacking one thing !
A safety belt to hold the children in place and would be better if the base was wider , to make it more stable . We have a 7 month old boy that moves real fast . I always read the safety instuctions before using a new product . It clearly states , “do not leave child unattended . ” I think if the company would make the base a little wider and put a child restraint belt on it , it would be a safe and comfortable seat for everyone’s kids.
November 6th, 2007 at 10:44 pm
[...] Posted in Mama-Mia!, Oh shut up already!, Punky Doodle at 3:44 am by kristin2109 If you haven’t heard…Bumbo Recall [...]
November 8th, 2007 at 10:14 pm
I bought a bumbo for my 3 month old girl, and I love it. She loves it too. My mother is the one who called me and told me that it had been recalled. My reaction was that the child was probly too old to be in it and that the child was probly unattended. I would never put her in the Bumbo and walk away. I think maybe they shouldn’t put that it is a babysitter because some people believe everything the hear. I read all the instructions and warnings. If you leave any child unattended anything can happen. Some people just need to use common sense with anything they put there child in. I am NOT sending her bumbo seat back. Yes it was horrible that a child has fallen out of one. If you know your child can get out of it its time to stop using it!!
November 10th, 2007 at 10:02 am
My wife and I used one till the time our daughter started to move around then quit using it. Sounds like more parents needed to read the instruction pamplet. Quote,”some babies will beable to move out of the bumbo”
November 15th, 2007 at 10:13 pm
I have designed baby products for 8 years and personally saw the Bumbo seat befor it was sold in the USA. There have been millions of the Bumbo seats sold outside of the USA long before it was sold here. There have been knock offs of the same product made and sold in the USA and still are today because the product was so well liked by juvenile manuafactures. It does have limitations to know when exactly your child may be to old for the use of the Bumbo seat that discrection is left up to each individual parent. Risk hazards can happen with any child if a product is being used in a manner that was unattended misused, misinformed, or if the strength of a child is at a level where they can push or perpel themselves out of it’s sitting position. It’s recommended for the infant that will sit and do just that. It’s designed to help them sit. Not designed to be a launch pad or a baby sitter. If a child is arching and leaning to such a degree that they will wriggle out, or fall out, then the child has matured and needs another seat for that stage. There is no question parents want the best products for their children. The Bumbo seat has helped millions of children even babies with special needs that require assistance in sitting up. Be wise, choose for yourself, use correctly, but I think you’ll see more inventions like Bumbo seats to come in the future.
November 15th, 2007 at 10:19 pm
I have designed baby products for 8 years and personally saw the Bumbo seat befor it was sold in the USA. There have been millions of the Bumbo seats sold outside of the USA long before it was sold here. There have been knock offs of the same product made and sold in the USA and still are today because the product was so well liked by juvenile manuafactures. It does have limitations to know when exactly your child may be to old for the use of the Bumbo seat that discrection is left up to each individual parent. Risk hazards can happen with any child if a product is being used in a manner that was unattended misused, misinformed, or if the strength of a child is at a level where they can push or perpel themselves out of it’s sitting position. It’s recommended for the infant that will sit and do just that. It’s designed to help them sit. Not designed to be a launch pad or a baby sitter. If a child is arching and leaning to such a degree that they will wriggle out, or fall out, then the child has matured and needs another seat for that stage. There is no question parents want the best products for their children. The Bumbo seat has helped millions of children even babies with special needs that require assistance in sitting up. Be wise, choose for yourself, use correctly, but I think you’ll see more inventions like Bumbo seats to come in the future.
November 28th, 2007 at 8:00 pm
YOU HAVE TO BE REALLY STUPID TO THINK THAT YOU CAN SUE BUMBO FOR A PARENTS STUPIDITY. IN THAT CASE CAN WE SUE ALL MAKERS OF BEDS, FOR ALL THE KIDS THAT HAVE FALLEN OFF OF ONE OF THOSE? TAKE CARE OF YOUR CHILDREN PEOPLE IT IS YOUR RESPONSIBILITY!
November 28th, 2007 at 8:02 pm
YOU HAVE TO BE REALLY IGNORANT TO THINK THAT YOU CAN SUE BUMBO FOR A PARENTS IRESPONSIBILITY. IN THAT CASE CAN WE SUE ALL MAKERS OF BEDS, FOR ALL THE KIDS THAT HAVE FALLEN OFF OF ONE OF THOSE? TAKE CARE OF YOUR CHILDREN PEOPLE, IT IS YOUR RESPONSIBILITY!
December 3rd, 2007 at 11:19 am
This recall is ridiculous. The seat clearly says to supervise the baby. To the comment: “do any of you even have children and a bumbo”? YES
December 28th, 2007 at 9:27 am
My son was sitting up at 5 months. By 6 months, he was able to tip the Bumbo over on the side and roll out of it. I always kept it on the floor, too, which was a good thing. After tipping out of it a few times, I dumped it. Wish I’d known about the recall, but I had mine a good year before the recall.
February 26th, 2008 at 2:13 pm
Who in their right minds would put a child on top of a table or counter in any type of contraption, and leave. Not the bumbos fault…..common sense ppl. i have a bumbo n i love it.