A House bill introduced today aims to limit levels of arsenic and lead in fruit juices. When the bill was announced, the sponsors cited Consumer Reports’ investigation into the issue, which found high levels of arsenic and lead in the juices we tested.

While federal limits exist for arsenic and lead levels allowed in bottled and public drinking water, there are no limits defined for juices, a mainstay of many children’s diets, putting them at unnecessary risk for serious health problems, including several forms of cancer.

The proposed Apple-Juice Act of 2012 was introduced by Congressman Frank Pallone Jr., (D-NJ) and Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro (D-CT), and calls on the Food and Drug Administration to establish standards for arsenic and lead in fruit juices in two years time.

For our investigative report, we tested 88 samples of apple juice and grape juice for lead and arsenic. We found that roughly 10 percent of the samples, from five brands, had total arsenic levels that exceeded federal drinking-water standards of 10 parts per billion (ppb) and 25 percent of the samples had lead levels higher than the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) bottled-water limit of 5 ppb. Most of the arsenic detected in Consumer Reports’ tests was a type known as inorganic, a human carcinogen.

Based on our juice test results and other evidence from our investigation, Consumers Union, the advocacy arm of Consumer Reports, had previously urged the FDA to set a standard of 3 ppb for total arsenic and 5 ppb for lead in apple and grape juice. Consumers Union supports the proposed bill. “This bill will go a long way toward protecting the public, especially children, from exposure to these toxins,” said Ami Gadhia, Senior Policy Counsel for Consumers Union.

For more information you can see our full report Arsenic in your juice: How much is too much? Federal limits don’t exist, plus you can download a pdf of our complete test results, as well as watch our video below.

Controversy over arsenic in apple juice made headlines as the 2011 school year began when Mehmet Oz, M.D., host of “The Dr. Oz Show,” told viewers that tests he’d commissioned found 10 of three dozen apple-juice samples with total arsenic levels exceeding 10 ppb. Around that time, the FDA reassured consumers about the safety of apple juice, claiming that most arsenic in juices and other foods is of the organic type and “essentially harmless.”

The FDA has since revised information on its website to include the following: “Some scientific studies have shown that two forms of organic arsenic found in apple juice could also be harmful, and because of this, the FDA counts these two forms of organic arsenic in with the overall content for inorganic arsenic.”

Previously:
Consumer Reports tests juices for arsenic and lead
Consumer Reports discloses additional data from its arsenic tests

Consumers Union: Pallone Bill to Limit Arsenic, Lead in Fruit Juices Helps Protect Public from Toxins [Consumers Union]

Consumer Reports designated the Dream on Me Bistro high chair as “Don’t Buy: Safety Risk” on Tuesday because it lacks key safety features designed to prevent a small child from sliding out of the seat or possibly being caught and strangled during a fall. We recommend that current owners of this chair discard it.

Our tests showed that the Dream on Me Bistro, a folding metal-framed high chair that costs about $70, fails to meet two key points of our tests, which are based in part on the voluntary ASTM International safety standards for high chairs.

First, the Dream on Me Bistro lacks a “passive crotch restraint,” essentially a fixed post that sits between the child’s legs to prevent him from slipping under the tray and either falling or getting his head caught between the tray and seat, which can result in strangulation. The Dream on Me Bistro has a five-point belt harness that can be buckled to hold a child in place, but it doesn’t have the fixed post that the standard specifies.

The Dream on Me Bistro also failed our test based on the ASTM standard’s “side containment” requirement, because it has openings between the chair arms and seat that are large enough for a child’s leg or torso to slip through, also posing a risk of injury.

Consumer Reports engineers found other, less serious safety hazards, including places where fingers could get pinched while folding the chair or adjusting the seat height, and openings in the chair when it is set up that could catch little fingers.

Testers also found that the trays on all three Dream on Me Bistro chairs we purchased were difficult to install, adjust or remove. On one sample, the fold lock broke while we were adjusting the tray.

“This chair just lacks the basic features we think are critical for the safety of your child when he or she is sitting in that seat,” says Joan Muratore, program leader for family and child product testing at Consumer Reports. “So we advise parents who own one to stop using it immediately.”

Consumer Reports notified the Consumer Product Safety Commission of its findings, and Director of Communications Scott Wolfson says the agency has opened a formal investigation.

For advice on what to look for when buying a high chair, see our High chair buying guide.

The manufacturer of two strollers, the Bumbleride Indie and Bumbleride Indie Twin, and product safety officials announced a voluntary recall on Friday to address a problem with the front wheel that could cause the strollers to tip. It also issued a “consumer alert” about a multi-use bar that, when adjusted incorrectly, could cause an unharnessed child to strangle.

The action comes days after Consumer Reports informed the company and the Consumer Product Safety Commission that we judge both models “Don’t Buy: Safety Risk” because of our concerns about the adjustable, multi-use bar. Our tests showed the potential for an unharnessed child to be strangled by slipping under the bar, which spans the seat of the Indie and each of the Indie Twin’s seats.

Friday’s recall, however, focused on the strollers’ front wheel. A CPSC press release said, “The front wheel can break at the axle hub, causing the stroller to tip and posing a fall hazard.” There have been 36 incidents of the front wheel cracking, including two reports of the stroller tipping over, resulting in minor injuries, the CPSC said.

The Indie, about $500, and Indie Twin, roughly $700, are designed to be used with children up to 45 pounds and up to 43 inches tall. They can be used with various car seat models from other manufacturers.

The recall affects about 28,000 units sold in the United States and 2,700 sold in Canada, all with manufacture dates from January 2009 though January 2012. The strollers were made in Taiwan.

The CPSC says that consumers should immediately stop using the recalled strollers and visit Bumbleride's site or contact the company at support@bumbleridecom or 800-530-3930 to receive a free front-wheel retrofit kit. The company is also discontinuing and stopping sale of those two models, according to Matthew Reichardt, chief executive officer of Bumbleride Inc. of San Diego, Calif.

UPDATE: Bumbleride Indie and Indie Twin strollers on the market now no longer have a wheel problem, Reichardt said in an interview Friday evening. Furthermore, they no longer come with a multi-use bar, he said.

He maintained that when used correctly, the multi-use bar is safe. But the company removed them from strollers for sale because "we can understand there could be confusion" about their safe use, he said.

The company will release a new bar in March as an optional accessory, Reichardt said. It also plans to offer an infant car seat adapter at that time. Consumer Reports will test these accessories when they become available.

Safety concern
On current Bumbleride Indie strollers, the bar is attached above the child’s legs, and can be set in three positions. In the highest position, it is intended as a grab bar or bumper bar for a child. In an intermediate position it acts as a support for an infant car seat. The third and lowest position is down against the seat for folding the stroller. When the bar is in the highest position, the strollers are safe to use and meet the voluntary ASTM-International safety standard requiring that if there is enough room for a child’s torso to fit between the bar and the seat there must be enough room for the child’s head to fit through, too.

But with the bar in the intermediate position, our tests showed a child’s torso could fit through the space between the bar and the stroller seat—but his head might not. That poses a strangulation hazard known as “submarining.” If a child is placed in the stroller unharnessed (something manufacturers including Bumbleride and child-safety advocates urge caregivers not to do, but which some do anyway) the child could slip down and be strangled by the bar. Federal data show that this type of strangulation was responsible for at least 10 infant deaths between 1995 and 2008, the latest dates for which complete data are available, though we do not know of any deaths or injuries associated with the Bumbleride Indie or Indie Twin strollers.

A small tag on the multi-use bar’s zip-on cover warns of this hazard. “Warning: When child is seated in stroller, only use bumper bar in upright position. Child can slide forward and strangle,” it says. And the strollers’ instruction manuals also state, “When used as a bumper bar, ensure that the multi-use bar is adjusted to position.” But Consumer Reports believes that some users may not read the instruction manual or notice the warning, and those who do can easily forget to adjust the bar—a foreseeable misuse.

“We reasoned that parents of babies, especially twins or children close enough in age for there to be a need of a double stroller, may be rushed and frazzled,” said Joan Muratore, Consumer Reports program leader child-product tests. “They might easily forget to move the grab bar back up from the potentially dangerous, intermediate position.”

To test this concern, we conducted a panel test with 20 staffers using Indie Twin strollers. Panelists (all current or recent stroller users, though not otherwise involved in our stroller test program) were given tasks that included putting a car seat with dummy into or out of the stroller, then putting the dummy in the stroller without the car seat. The manufacturer’s instruction manual was on hand. Yet few panelists read it and set the multi-use bar appropriately.

On February 1, the day after Consumer Reports contacted Bumbleride about the problem with the multi-use bar, the company posted a page on its website Using the Multi-use Bars Correctly. Accompanied by diagrams showing correct use of the bar, the page states: “It has come to our attention that there is a possibility for multi-use bars included with Indie and Indie Twin models (I-110, I-205, IT-111 and IT-305) to be used incorrectly, resulting in a potential strangulation hazard.”

The web page continues, “Even though Bumbleride’s packaging instructions, as well as labeling on the multi-use bar, clearly explain correct and incorrect use, we are finding that some consumers are still using these multi-use bars inappropriately.”

In recent years, Consumer Reports has given the designation of “Don’t Buy: Safety Risk” to four other strollers because they’ve had grab bars or trays that didn’t meet the voluntary ASTM-International standard and were low enough to create a strangulation hazard. In all those cases, Consumer Reports notified the manufacturers and the Consumer Product Safety Commission, and the strollers were recalled by their manufacturers. Those strollers were the Zooper Waltz, recalled in May 2011, and the all-terrain Valco Baby Tri-Mode, the Tike Tech CityX, and the Tike Tech X3 Sport Jogging Stroller, all of which were recalled in March 2010.

What you should do
If you own this stroller, get and install the wheel retrofit kit, and remove and discard the multi-use bars. (This means you will not be able to attach a car seat to the stroller.) Be sure to secure your child or children with the stroller’s harness or harnesses, as you should always do with any stroller or high chair.

Popar Toys, a new line from tech company Digital Tech Frontier, is taking an innovative approach to meshing book-reading with technology: Instead of bringing books to the device, a la Amazon Kindle Keyboard and Barnes & Noble Nook, it's using devices to enhance the books. We had an early look at the how it all works before Popar's debut in a couple of weeks at Toy Fair 2012.

The company's paper books, most of which have an educational bent, are embedded with visual markers on each page that a webcam can read and translate to a computer screen, bringing the literature to life. In a book titled "Planets 3D," each new page brings a new 3D animation on your display: a whirling planet or a solar system that you can move and view from different angles by tilting the book.

If you close the book, the animation stays on screen, which is slightly magical. Flash an included card with a similar marker in front of the webcam, and a little robot avatar reads the book aloud. Another card held under your chin dresses onscreen-you in an astronaut costume.

Kids can also create videos and digital photos of themselves to keep and share. And perhaps most innovative in this day and age, if there's no computer handy, they can just read the books—no Web connection or charging needed.

Each book costs $28 and comes with a software CD for PC or Mac; the target age range is 5 to 14 (though I suspect these will be bigger hits with younger kids). The company will also be offering a Starter Kit ($40) that includes one of four books ("Bugs 3D," "Planets 3D," "Princess & Her Pals 3D," or "Construction Machine 3D") as well as 12 3D cards, a Be It Costume Card—and a webcam.

You can try out the Popar technology at Digital Tech Frontier's website or watch an online video demonstration on YouTube.

Related:
CES 2012: WowWee to debut augmented-reality AppGear toys
Skylanders: Spyro's Adventure review

More than 2,000 tubes of Aveeno Baby Calming Comfort Lotion are being recalled by its maker, Johnson & Johnson. According to a company press release issued on Friday, a test by the Food and Drug Administration found high levels of a common bacteria within the baby lotion.

The bacteria reportedly discovered by the FDA is coagulase-negative Staphylococci, a "common bacteria often found on the skin and scalp of babies and adults, and found in commonly used household and cosmetic products, at very low levels," said the press release.

The undisclosed levels of bacteria are found in Aveeno baby lotion tubes bearing the lot number 0161LK. The company said the affected tubes of baby lotion were primarily sold in retail outlets in nine states: Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Tennessee and Texas.

Although there have been no reports of illness or injuries from the affected bottles of baby lotion, Johnson & Johnson has already asked retailers to pull the item from store shelves.

And while the company claims the tubes of recalled Aveeno Baby Calming Comfort Lotion are still safe to use, if consumers would like a refund, they can call Johnson & Johnson toll-free at 877-298-2525.

Maker recalls 2,200 tubes of Aveeno baby lotion [CNN]
Johnson & Johnson recalls baby lotion after tests discover it contains too much bacteria [UK Daily Mail]

Britax Child Safety is recalling about 14,220 Chaperone infant car seats because a defect in the harness adjuster can result in ineffective safety harness straps, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reported today.

A defective rivet can cause the harness adjuster to detach from the seat, rendering the safety harness straps used to secure an infant in the seat unable to properly restrain the child.

NHTSA is not aware of any deaths or injuries related to the recall.

The Britax recall affects the following Chaperone infant car seat models:

• E9L692J
• E9L692K
• E9L692L
• E9L692M

The harness adjuster is located at the foot of the car seat and can be accessed by lifting the fabric and checking that the adjuster is secured in place by the rivet.

The recalled child safety seats were manufactured from September 2010 through April 2011.

Britax intends to provide consumers and retailers with a remedy kit to ensure the harness adjuster is securely attached by Feb. 6, and will continue to replace seats with detached harness adjusters until that date.

Owners of the recalled car seats whose harness adjuster is detached from the seat are advised to stop using it and contact Britax to have the issue resolved.

Consumers who have a detached harness adjuster or that would like further information about this recall should contact Britax Child Safety at 888-427-4829 or www.britaxusa.com.

For more information and to sign up to receive e-mail alerts about recalls for child safety seats, vehicles, and tires visit www.SaferCar.gov.

Consumer Advisory: Britax Recalling 14,220 Child Safety Seats for Safety Harness Straps That Will Not Properly Restrain Child [NHTSA]

Many hospitals have succeeded in reducing the number of babies who are delivered early without a medical reason, according to a report from the Leapfrog Group, a nonprofit watchdog organization that collects quality and safety data from hospitals on behalf of employers. In 2010 only 30 percent of hospitals that report data to Leapfrog maintained an early elective delivery rate of 5 percent or less, which experts feel is a reasonable target for hospitals. That figure improved to 39 percent of reporting hospitals in 2011.

The report notes that there is still a lot of room for improvement. Further reducing the number of elective early births could potentially save the healthcare system nearly a billion dollars, and more importantly, prevent unnecessary harm to newborns.

Unborn babies need at least 39 weeks in the womb to fully develop. Early birth can contribute to breathing problems, temperature instability, jaundice, infection, longer-hospital stays, and a higher risk of death. There is occasionally a clear medical reason to schedule a delivery before 39 weeks—if the pregnant mother has high blood pressure or if there are broken membranes before labor begins, for example—but it is relatively rare.

“Of the hospitals that reported an elective delivery rate in 2010 and 2011, 65 percent improved their performance,” said Leah Binder, Leapfrog's chief executive officer, in a statement. “But there is still work to be done. We are seeing far too many newborns delivered early and without a medical reason.”

At some hospitals, scheduling early elective births is anything but rare. The Leapfrog Group's report notes wide variation among the 757 hospitals that report data. Some of those hospitals reported that over 40 percent of their deliveries were done early without a medical indication. And there is no information on the hospitals that don't voluntarily report their data to Leapfrog. “Next we need all hospitals to make the data available to the public,” said Maureen Corry, executive director of the maternity care advocacy group Childbirth Connection, in a statement.

Experts note that there are financial incentives for hospitals and doctors to intervene in childbirths, rather than let the pregnancy proceed on its own course. Some obstetricians may simply prefer to control the scheduling, so labor doesn't occur when they are unable to deliver the child. That’s why choosing a provider is so important, Corry says. Family physicians generally have lower rates of scheduling early deliveries than obstetricians, she says. And midwives generally have the lowest rates. But there are always exceptions, so talk to your provider.

Some women may schedule their births for their own convenience without realizing it increases risks for their child. That's why, Corry says, “it's critical for women to be informed, know their rights, and protect themselves and their babies.” To look for your hospital's rate, see the Leapfrog Group's report.

For more on maternity, see: “Back to basics for safer childbirth,” and “10 over-the-counter drugs to avoid during pregnancy.”

Lee Carter Company, of San Francisco, Calif., has recalled about 7,000 packs of its Super Luchamania Action Figures, due to excessive levels of lead paint, the Consumer Product Safety Commission reported today.

The surface paints on the action figures contain excessive levels of lead, which is prohibited under federal law. No incidents or injuries have been reported in relation to this recall.

Sold for $12 to $14 per packet at various specialty craft stores nationwide from June 2000 through October 2011, the recalled action figures were manufactured in Mexico.

The recalled Mexican wrestling Super Luchamania action figures were sold in packs of 12. The multi-colored action figures are plastic, have plastic capes and measure about 4-inches tall. "Super Luchamania" is printed on the action figures' packaging.

Consumers should immediately take the recalled action figures away from children and return them to Lee Carter Company for a full refund or credit towards a replacement product.

For more information, call Lee Carter Company collect at 415-824-2004, or visit www.leecartercompany.com.

Mexican Wrestling Action Figures Recalled by Lee Carter Co. Due to Violation of Lead Paint Standard [CPSC]

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission and the Lee Carter Co., of San Francisco, Calif., have issued a recall of roughly 25,000 infant rattles for handles that pose a choking hazard to children.

According to the CPSC, the handles are small enough to fit inside a child's throat and violate federal safety standards designed to protect children from choking dangers.

There have been no reported incidents of babies choking on the rattles. Consumers, however, should immediately take the recalled rattles away from infants.

The recalled rattles measure about 4-1/2 inches long, are woven from multi-colored plastic and have a bell inside. "Made in Mexico" and "Lee Carter Company" are printed on a tag on a purple plastic loop at the end of the rattle's handle.

They were sold at various Mexican specialty craft stores nationwide from February 2001 through October 2011 for about $4.

In addition to removing the recalled rattles from children's use, consumers are advised to return them to Lee Carter Co. for a full refund or credit towards a replacement product.

For additional information, consumers should call Lee Carter Co. collect at (415) 824-2004 anytime, or visit the firm's website: www.LeeCarterCompany.com.

Infant Rattles Recalled by Lee Carter Co. Due to Choking Hazard [CPSC]

California Innovations has recalled about 55,000 of its Travelin' Chef Expandable Thermal Food Carriers, due to damaged freezer gel packs that pose a poisoning hazard, the Consumer Product Safety Commission reported today.

Gel that contains diethylene glycol and ethylene glycol can leak out of the damaged gel packs, posing a poisoning hazard if ingested. No incidents or injuries have been reported in connection with this recall.

Sold at Walmart for about $22 from August 2008 to December 2011, the recalled thermal food carrier is a four-piece set, which includes a light blue thermal carrier with black carrying handles, a medium and large plastic food container, and a freezer gel pack. Code 1-38018-69-07 is printed on a white label on the inside of the main compartment on the left hand side. The gel pack is an 8.5-inch by 8-inch, opaque blue plastic pouch filled with liquid gel. The words "Cryofreeze" and "Ice Pack/Hot Pack" are printed in white letters on the front of the pouch.

The thermal carrier is 18 inches wide, 10.5 inches deep and 4.7 inches high, and made of vinyl and polyester. The medium food container measures 9.75 inches by 6.25 inches by 3.5 inches. The large food container measures 11.75 inches by 8.75 inches by 3.5 inches.

Consumers should stop using the gel packs and dispose of them according to federal, state and local regulations. It is recommended that consumers contact their local waste disposal authority for instructions. Consumers may return the gel pack to Walmart for a refund of $6, or contact California Innovations at 800-722-2545 for the same refund.

This recall follows an earlier one of another type of insulated lunch box also from California Innovations that included a freezer gel pack that contained diethylene glycol and ethylene glycol, which can leak out of damaged packs, posing a poisoning hazard if ingested. The previous recall, which we reported, affected about 248,000 Ci Sport three-piece, expandable, insulated lunch box sets.

For more information, call California Innovations at 800-722-2545, or visit www.californiainnovations.com.

Food Carriers Recalled by California Innovations Due to Freezer Gel Pack Ingestion Hazard [CPSC]

The U.S. Consumer Products Safety Commission has issued a safety recall notice for insulated lunch boxes with freezer gel packs from California Innovations Inc., of Toronto, Canada. The gel packs contain diethylene glycol and ethylene glycol which can leak out of damaged freezer gel packs, posing a poisoning hazard if ingested by children or adults.

According to the CPSC, California Innovations has received two separate reports of a dog chewing and ingesting gel from the gel pack. One dog reportedly died from ingestion of the gel. The other was reported to have received treatment and has recovered.

Consumers should immediately stop using the gel packs and dispose of them according to federal, state and/or local regulations. Consumers may also return the lunch box set to Costco for a full refund or may receive a $5 cash refund for the gel pack only by contacting California Innovations (toll-free: 800-722-2545 e-mail: ci-recall 'at' ca-innovations.com).

The recall affect about 248,000 Ci Sport three-piece, expandable, insulated lunch box set, which includes the lunch box, aluminum bottle and the freezer gel pack. The lunch box of the recalled set has the code "1-61731-99-57" printed on one of the two white labels that are sewn under the white fastener inside the main compartment. The lunch box is 8 inches wide, 5 inches deep and 10.25 inches high. It is made of vinyl, polyester nylon and crushed nylon and has a logo with the words "Ci Sport" attached to the upper left corner.

The lunch box has a carrying handle on the top and a mesh carrying pouch for the aluminum bottle on the side. The aluminum bottle measures 2.75 inches in diameter and 7.5 inches tall. The gel pack is a 6-inch by 4-inch transparent plastic pouch filled with blue liquid gel. The words "Cryofreeze" and "Ice Pack/Hot Pack" are printed in white letters on the front of the pouch. The lunch box was available in four colors: navy blue, red, black and denim blue.

They were sold at Costco Wholesale Clubs, Leon Korol and Cost U Less stores between May 2007 and September 2008 for about $10.

For additional information, consumers can also visit the firm's website: www.CaliforniaInnovations.com

Expandable Lunch Boxes Recalled by California Innovations Due to Freezer Gel Pack Ingestion Hazard [CPSC]
Expandable Lunch Box (Cryofreeze Gel Pack Recall) [California Innovations]

Although melanoma is one of the two most common cancers afflicting young Americans, with sunburn at an early age almost doubling the risk for developing the disease in adulthood, the lure of tanning seems to outweigh tweens’ desire to protect themselves.

A study in the February 2012 issue of Pediatrics, “Prospective Study of Sunburn and Sun Behavior Patterns during Adolescence”, surveyed 360 children in Massachusetts in 2004, when they were 10, and again in 2007, when they were 13, to determine their attitudes about tanning, sun protection and incidence of sunburn. By the time they were teenagers, only 25 percent of the study participants were using sunscreen routinely.

“Sunscreen use dropped by 70 percent,” said Dr. Stephen W. Dusza, lead author of the study. “We’re not sure why.” He suggested that behavioral issues, like children wanting to enhance their tans, contributed to decreased sunscreen use.

Consumers Reports recommends that older children protect themselves against sunburn by wearing tightly woven hats and clothing, as well as applying sunscreen to any exposed skin. With older children and teenagers who may not be under direct adult supervision, it’s important to pack extra tee shirts for beach excursions, as wet tee shirts won’t be as protective against UV exposure. Teenagers should also be reminded about the risks associated with using tanning salons.

In general, people should avoid exposure during peak mid-day hours when there is maximum UV radiation, usually between 10 AM and 4 PM. Using your zip code, check the local UV index, to make a decision about spending time in the sun. The index indicates the strength of solar UV radiation on a scale from 1 (low) to 11+ (extremely high).

Consumers Reports recommends that people select a sunscreen based on our free buying guide and our Ratings (available to subscribers).

“The public health message is that limiting sun exposure is important,” said Dusza, especially “at a time when kids are flexing their independence. This is laying a foundation for what you do as an adult. Lots of studies have shown that early life exposure to intense sun is highly associated with developing melanoma later on. This is a bad time to get a lot of sun exposure. It’s an important time to practice prevention.”

See our buying advice and Ratings (available to subscribers) for a wide range of products for babies and kids.

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When my son was an infant, I was never without "Baby 411," a reference book that takes you through nearly every possible medical scenario your child might face. A new app from WebMD serves a very similar purpose and will significantly lighten up your diaper bag.

WebMD Baby is a medical reference app for your little one that allows you to track your baby's life from the get-go. More important, it contains all of the medical research from the reputable online medical reference WebMD.

With this app, you can add each child in your family and track them separately. You can keep a journal for each child and use your device's camera to capture photo and video memories of milestone moments. You can't print these memories out into a physical baby book, but you can post them to Facebook or send them via e-mail.

There is also a growth chart and a feeding, sleeping, and diaper-changing log to help you keep track of baby's basic functions in the very beginning—which can be helpful when the doctor asks how many times the baby has peed in the first 48 hours. Sleepy new parents can lose track of this easily, but the information is important as an indicator that the baby's organs are functioning properly.

By far my favorite part of this app is the Illnesses & Emergencies section. It allows you to search through symptoms such as diarrhea or conditions such as eczema. There is a definition for each term as well as tips on when to call the doctor. And for more panicky new parents (like I was), a red button called When to Call 911 will give you some guidelines on when it is—and is not—appropriate to panic.

This app has many other fun features, such as parenting tips for just mommies or just daddies. It also has featured articles that may pertain to events you are facing—like when to start potty training, which is a stage we are approaching in my house! The app will also remind you of your child's next wellness visit according to his or her birth date and give tips of what to ask the doctor or expect from that visit.

WebMD Baby is a free app for Apple iOS devices. It is aimed at parents of babies under the age of two. The daily tips and articles do not apply to children older than two.

Check out our Buying Advice (free) and Ratings (available to subscribers) for a wide range of products for babies and kids. And follow us on Facebook and Twitter.

At an event at New York City's Guggenheim Museum today, Apple announced its intention to dive into the education market: The company plans to enhance the textbook experience on the iPad tablet computer, making e-textbooks cheaper, interactive, accessible, and easily navigable, adding elements like video, rotatable 3D imagery, and more.

iBooks 2, which launches today, is an update to the iBooks app that's tailored to present the new interactive textbooks. It's available to iPad owners as a free app. And the iBooks store is adding a new Textbooks section that will features high-school textbooks initially; the books will cost $14.99 or less.

Also launching today is iBooks Author, a free app designed to let everyone easily create interactive e-books.

Publishers Pearson, McGraw-Hill, and Houghton Mifflin were announced as partners in Apple's textbook initiative.

Apple rolls out digital textbook service iBooks 2 [Reuters]
Apple for the teachers [Technologizer]

Since the Apple iPad first shipped in 2010, tablet computers have been hot. Much as adults love them, though, children may just love them even more, as tablet-owning parents can verify.

Recently Fisher-Price, LeapFrog, Vtech, and Vinci came out with tablets created just for kids that feature at least some of the capabilities of real tablets. Consumer Reports tested tablets from each company in our lab and with children within the manufacturer-recommended age ranges to see how well they work and whether kids would enjoy playing with them. Our video shows how we tested and which products came out on top. And you can get more details from our full story, Review of tablets for kids, at ConsumerReports.org.

As part of on-going efforts to deal with potential safety hazards in children’s toys, ASTM-International has recently sent revised specifications to the Consumer Product Safety Commission for adoption. These revisions primarily deal with heavy metals and how to measure those quantities; the stability of ride-on toys; strangulation concerns in squeeze toys, cords, straps, elastics, and strings, and rigid projections on bath toys that could potentially puncture a child’s skin or cause other impalement injuries if he were to fall on it.

“The heavy metals testing has been made more robust,” said Leonard Morrissey, director of technical committee operations for ASTM-International. Similarly, with the squeeze toys’ revision, the idea was to be “consistent with revisions about strangulation hazards.”

ASTM-International (formerly known as the American Society for Testing and Materials) announced these revised standards on December 15. If approved, the revisions would go into effect in 180 days.“There’s every indication that the CPSC is happy with the revisions,” Morrissey said, adding that working on safety standards is “an evolving, living document. Other changes will be coming in 2012.”

Check out our Buying Advice (free) and Ratings (available to subscribers) for a wide range of products for babies and kids. And follow us on Facebook and Twitter.

I've been dealing with a picky eater lately, so I'm on the lookout for tools to teach my toddler that food is fun and interesting. ABC Food for iPad and iPhone is one of the new apps I'm trying out.

The developers say the app is for children of all ages. It is visual enough for infants to enjoy the pictures—providing you allow your infant to play with your Apple device, that is. It is also packed with educational activities for toddlers and older children.

The app has food categorized by letter. When you touch a letter, you are presented with a few choices for foods that begin with that letter. When you choose a food, it is displayed full-screen with a beautiful high-res image. A child's voice clearly says the name of that food. "C... cheese!" (See the embedded video demo, below.)

On the page with the image of the food is also an activity. A cartoon of a little girl dressed as a chef asks your child to interact with the food. She may say something like, "Can you help me slice the strawberry?" or "Can you help me break open the garlic?" The tasks are not hard. You just wave your finger across the image and the task is accomplished. No cutlery required, thankfully!

The letters that spell out the name of the food are also interactive. When you touch another letter, you get a new choice of words that begin with that letter.

There are over 70 different types of food represented in this app. Some are accompanied by multiple images, and some have video animations of the foods with songs and rhymes. You need an Internet or mobile connection on your device if you want to play the videos, however, because they do not cache on your phone. They will be called up from YouTube when you want to play them, which allows the app to take up less space on your phone.

Peapod Labs makes a similar app called ABC Go, which features images and words of motion-related words like "tractor" and "kayak." The images are less beautiful, I gotta say and the activities not as fun. And it's not that my son lacks interest in motor vehicles! But it's food I want him to learn to appreciate. For that reason alone, I was more than willing to fork out $1.99 for ABC Food.

Check out our Buying Advice (free) and Ratings (available to subscribers) for a wide range of products for babies and kids. And follow us on Facebook and Twitter.

In the Robotics area at the Consumer Electronics Show, one little automaton caught our attention: The SketRobo (seemingly also named the Sketch Master), from TOSY Robotics, sat quietly creating tiny, perfect drawings as the hubbub of the show swirled around it.

This particular SketRobo model was there for demo purposes and was drawing preset images, but when the 'bot ships in September of 2012, it will have a camera with motion detection and facial recognition built in and be able to sketch from life. We're looking forward to seeing how well that works!

It'll be quite affordable, as well, priced at around $50, the TOSY rep told me. With this device, the company is targeting kids, but I think it'll be pretty appealing to grownup fans of art (and robots) as well.

TOSY also debuted a new robot called mRobo Ultra Bass: it's "a brand new, state-of-the-art portable speaker that doubles as a fully-functional robot that dances to any of your favorite music." I'm so sad that I missed this coming-out event, as none other than Justin Bieber hosted. The mRobo launches this fall for $200.

There’s something undeniably cherubic about the image of an infant sleeping peacefully in a charming bassinet. But for your baby’s safety, not to mention the money you’ll save, this is one purchase you might want to skip.

The fact is, the safest place for your baby to sleep is a bare crib with only a fitted sheet, meaning no soft bedding, pillows, bumpers or cuddly stuffed animals. To keep your baby warm, use a footed sleeper, wearable blanket or sleep sack.

There are no federal standards for bassinets, cradles or Moses baskets. While some cradle and bassinet manufacturers opt to voluntarily comply with standards established by ASTM International, it’s not required, which means that the products aren’t subject to recalls if they don’t meet standards. Consumer Reports does not recommend the use of Moses baskets, which are handled-baskets with a bottom pad and puffy fabric sides, meant for transporting your baby.

“Bassinets are cute,” said Gary Smith, M.D., who concurs with Consumer Reports’ position that they’re not a good idea. Smith is director of the Center for Injury Research and Policy at Nationwide Children’s Hospital and past chairman of the Committee on Injury, Violence and Poison Prevention for the American Academy of Pediatrics. “What I say to parents is that the crib is the safest place from Day 1.”

If a family already has a bassinet from an older child—one that has not been repaired or recalled—Smith conceded that there may be limited use for a bassinet. The item may be handy for keeping an eye on a sleeping infant while a parent works on the main floor of a home (using a crib for bedtime sleeping).

Disadvantages outweigh any advantages. As Smith added, “Children will grow out of them quickly, usually by four months. Bassinets are not as safe as cribs.”

Check out our buying advice for cribs, bassinets and a wide variety of products for babies and kids. Subscribers can see our Ratings for cribs and other products for babies and kids.

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Thule Child Transport Systems of Canada has recalled about 44,000 bicycle trailers and 70,000 bicycle trailer conversion kits, because the bicycle trailer’s hitch mechanisms can crack and break, causing the trailer to detach from the bicycle and posing an injury hazard to children in the bicycle trailer.

The company has received 24 incident reports worldwide, three of which occurred in the U.S., involving the bicycle trailers and the conversion kits, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission reported today. No injuries have been reported.

Chariot Carriers convert to strollers, jogging strollers and bike, hike or ski trailers. The recalled trailers have serial numbers from 1205-xxxx to 0710-xxxx located on the left side of the frame. The serial numbers represent manufacture dates December 2005 through July 2010.

Recalled conversion kits have hitch arms that attach the carrier to the bicycle with model number “20100503” printed on a label attached to the aluminum tube next to the warning label. Older conversion kits without a label, but with a release push button located where the hitch arm inserts into the carrier, are also being recalled.

Chariot bicycle trailers were sold for $400 and $925 at specialty bicycle stores nationwide and on various websites from December 2005 through August 2010, and the bicycle trailer conversion kits were sold for $40 to $70 from October 2002 through August 2011.

Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled bicycle trailers and bicycle trailer conversion kits and contact Chariot Carriers for a free repair kit, which the consumer can install. For more information call Chariot Carriers at 800-262-8651, or visit www.chariotcarriers.com.

Chariot Carriers Recalls Child Bicycle Trailers and Conversion Kits Due to Injury Hazard [CPSC]

The Land of Nod has recalled about 1,600 of its Blake Bed Frames because a child's torso can become lodged in the gap between the footboard's top rail and the mattress, posing an entrapment hazard, the Consumer Product Safety Commission reported today.

The company has received one report of a child who was entrapped in the gap—the child was freed by her parents without injury.

The Blake model bed frames were sold in full and twin sizes, in either a blonde stain or painted white. "The Land of Nod" and "Blake" are printed on a barcode sticker affixed to the headboard.

Sold exclusively at The Land of Nod stores in Illinois and Washington, as well as The Land of Nod catalog and website from September 2009 through October 2011. The twin model sold for about $600, and the full model sold for about $700.

Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled footboard and contact The Land of Nod for a replacement footboard with a closed-gap design. For more information, contact The Land of Nod at 800-933-9904, or visit www.landofnod.com, or email recall@landofnod.com.

The Land of Nod Recalls Bed Frames Due to Entrapment Hazard [CPSC]

Kids’ birthday party guests often look forward to the goody bags they get at the end. But some parents may not like to spend money on disposable trinkets, or overpriced favors on top of the cost of a party.

There are alternatives. Here are some tips for cutting costs while upping the creativity from some parents we spoke to—including some Consumer Reports staffers. (Learn more about ways parents control spending on kids’ birthday parties.)

Shop smart. “Try stuff that’s on sale, like school supplies, a scarf, a beach towel, or a cute T-shirt from a discount store like Old Navy, Target or T.J. Maxx,” suggested Amy.

Swap books. “Do a book swap, where every child brings and takes home a new book,” Michelle said.

Say cheese! “I take a picture of all the kids together and print it up for the kids as a memento,” suggested Cynthia.

Say no to junk. “Give one small item instead of a bag of plastic junk that ends up rolling around the car or embedded in the couch,” Gayle said.

Free is good. “We make coloring books by printing copies of free online coloring pages instead of buying junky toys that break in five minutes,” said Carol.

See our toys buying guide, and blog on avoiding dollar store goody-bag gifts, for related information.

I am 5 months pregnant, and my new baby has named itself Lucien if it is a boy and Adeline if it is a girl. The little in-utero darling did so with the Kick To Pick iPhone app.

The app lets you create a shortlist of your favorite baby names. Then your baby chimes in in by kicking for its choice. Of course, the baby cannot read what is happening on your phone's screen. This is not science. It's a silly but fun way to browse through names and giving your little one a "say" in the matter.

If you don't have any favorite names going in, you can always scroll through all the boys or girls names, but that will take a while. The list of names is exhaustive, with variations on spelling and cultural interpretations. You can even choose the name Adolph if you want, but your baby may kick you for a different reason if you do.

Once you have a list of names that you like, you lay down comfortably, rest the phone on your bulging belly, and wait for the little one to kick you when the right name appears on the screen. You should lay still, but the app does not mistake regular breathing for kicks.

I don't know the gender of my baby—and don't plan to find out beforehand—so I scrolled through a short list of some favorites as well as all of the boy and girl names. My little one kicked for Lucien and Adeline; it kicked for other names too, but the phone did not register those kicks. At 21 weeks along, my baby may need to develop some muscles before it can really ring in.

If putting radiation too close to your pregnant belly is a concern, this app addresses that. It instructs you to put the phone on Airplane Mode before you start, which is wise while the science of radiation effects of childhood development is still being figured out.

This app is a great way to discover names you had not previously considered, too, but I do wish there were a Search function in the name list. Since there isn't, you have to search names by scrolling through hundreds of others in alphabetical order, which can be tedious.

Is this app worth 99 cents? If you and your significant other are in an intense dead heat over a few possibilities, you could really let the baby choose with this app. It would make for a fun story to tell him/her later in life.

The app could also be a fun baby-shower pastime, although I hardly think it's fair to hold the baby solely responsible for his or her own name this early in life. I wouldn't rely on it completely.

"You kicked for that name, Hilmer!" might not be the kindest parenting tactic. It's none of my business, but I'm just saying.

Check out our Buying Advice (free) and Ratings (available to subscribers) for a wide range of products for babies and kids. And follow us on Facebook and Twitter.

Welcome to winter. For much of the country, ‘tis the season of snowstorms, icy road conditions and power outages. It’s a good idea to be prepared, especially if you have a baby or toddler.

For one thing you will want to have a bag ready with appropriate supplies in case you and your family have to leave your home. See Packing your baby’s emergency bag. It’s equally critical to have enough on hand to take care of your little ones should you get stuck in the house for a few days.

“You need a three-days preparedness kit,” said Dr. Wendy Sue Swanson, a pediatrician and spokesperson for the American Academy of Pediatrics “You want three days of water, and three days of formula.” She recommends that people stock at least a gallon of water per day, per person.

It’s also important to keep supplies of food that offer ample “calories in not a lot of space,” said Dr. Swanson who writes the Seattle Mama Doc blog for Seattle Children’s Hospital. She suggests food like peanut butter, Gatorade powder, raisins and granola bars. Other good choices include canned, high-calorie foods like tuna, chili, vegetables, soup, as well as comfort foods, such as chocolate or candy, to appease your children who may grow restless from “cabin fever” when stuck at home.

Don’t forget to have extra supplies of diapers, baby wipes, garbage bags and hand sanitizer.

Dr. Swanson also urged parents to have a week’s supply of any prescription medicine for your child safely on hand. Remember to “rotate your stock”—use medicines before their expirations dates and replenish your extra supply. It’s also useful to have over-the-counter remedies like infant’s and children’s Tylenol and first aid supplies like band aids, gauze, tape and antibiotic ointment.

Check out our buying advice and Ratings (available to subscribers) for a wide range of products for babies and kids. And find us on Facebook and Twitter.

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that infants be placed on their backs to sleep to reduce the risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). If your baby starts rolling onto his tummy when he's sleeping, which is an important developmental milestone, put him back on his back.

But don't feel compelled to check on him throughout the night to make sure he hasn't rolled over. You need your sleep, too. Instead, accept the reality that he might end up on his tummy. But remember that baby's crib should be bare--just a mattress, fitted sheet, and baby. There should be no blankets, pillow, sleep positioners, bumpers, pads, toys or other items. Babies who are able to roll over can move around even more, and scoot near a crib bumper or get a blanket wrapped around their head and suffocate.

See more safe sleeping crib tips, and our crib Ratings and buying advice.