Did you know that the Consumer Product Safety Commission (”CPSC”), that agency that announces toy recalls, which we’ve been hearing from so much lately, employs ONE full-time toy tester.

Yes, you read that correctly. One. Uno. Full-time toy tester.

That figure has upset a lot of parents, including myself. This news has also ignited a flurry of activity within the blogosphere, as you can see at The Parents Bloggers Network.

Parents are speaking out about their concerns throughout the blogosphere, like Susan, a blogger at DC Metro Moms Blog and Toddler Planet, who writes, “I’m becoming increasingly concerned and frustrated about the safety of my children’s toys.” In another blog entry she writes, “What can we do to fix this?”

Recalls be gone. There is a five minute solution. One quick way to take action is by sending a letter to Congress.

As if that figure of ONE (let me repeat myself here, so we’re all clear …ONE) isn’t startling enough, The Washington Post further reports that CPSC has lost 15 percent of its workforce since 2004. Action is definitely needed right now, especially with the holidays just around the corner.

Sounds to me like that Illinois Senator who recently said, “Let’s face it, our consumer product safety system is busted and in need of major reform,” hit the nail on the head.

Just three days after the release of Dr. Bob Sears’ The Vaccine Book: Making the Right Decision for Your Child (2007), the latest addition to my family was due for her first round of immunizations.

Shortly after the birth of each child, I have found myself agonizing over the “vaccine decision”—whether I should immunize my child, and if so, when.  Usually, this agony sets in at the eleventh hour, like the night before each “big” appointment. 

Luckily, immunizations have gone well in my household.  By well, I’m talking no obvious or immediate adverse reactions—maybe a little crankiness or redness at the injection site, but nothing that has set me into panic mode. 

But, I can’t help but worry generally about vaccines, especially about the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s “recommended” immunization schedule.  Don’t get me wrong, I know that vaccines are important.  I know that the polio vaccine has virtually eradicated polio.  I understand that “croup” (pertussis) can be life threatening, especially to infants.  I know children can die from the flu.

It’s what I don’t know that concerns me—even scares me.

So, like many mothers who agonize over the “vaccine decision”, I was thrilled to learn about Dr. Sears’ new book.  Though, the way I stumbled upon it was purely accidental.  My friend happened to have brought The Vaccine Book with her one morning to our coffee date.

Thankfully, I was late that morning—how often do we actually find ourselves thankful for that, especially when we have kids?  Well, my friend decided to pass time by reading the book, and she was still reading it when I arrived.  I happened to tell her about my baby’s upcoming appointment, and she insisted I take the book—given that she had just purchased the new release and was dying to read it, I think that was pretty thoughtful, don’t you?

Well, that night I read (okay, there was a lot of skimming mixed in there, too) the chapters pertinent to the first round of recommended immunizations, including Dr. Sears’ alternatives to the “recommended” vaccine schedule.  I learned more about vaccines in Dr. Sears’ easy to read, objective book than I’ve learned from all of those vaccine “handouts” given to me by the pediatrician.
 
Dr. Sears’ presentation of an “alternative” vaccine schedule supported my own thinking about vaccines—that the decision need not necessarily conform to a one size fits all approach and can often be tweaked to address individual concerns or parenting preferences.  Thanks to The Vaccine Book, I went to my baby’s appointment with an alternative immunization schedule in mind.  The pediatrician supported that schedule. 

While the schedule may require a bit more organization on my part, since I now need to bring the baby to a few extra appointments, I’m okay with that—after all, that’s why baby organizer books exist!

For the first time, my agony over the vaccine question has subsided—at least until the next eleventh hour.

November 8, 2007:  The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (“CPSC”) has announced a recall of Aqua Dots Toys, a toy craft kit, distributed by Spin Master of Toronto, Canada, and manufactured in China.

According to CPSC: 

The coating on the beads that causes the beads to stick to each other when water is added contains a chemical that can turn toxic when many are ingested.  Children who swallow the beads can become comatose, develop respiratory depression, or have seizures.

Consumers are advised to stop using the recalled product immediately and contact the company for free replacement.

The recall affects about 4.2 million units.  At least two reports of children swallowing Aqua Dots and slipping into comatose states have been reported.

For more information, check out the CPSC news release. 

It won’t be long before it’s time to renew my daughter’s first passport.  A bittersweet thought for me.  I’m sad to see her growing up so quickly (it really does go by that fast, doesn’t it?), but I take comfort in knowing that she’s been exposed to so many travel adventures in these early years.

My daughter took her first flight at two weeks old (as a passenger, of course!).  By the time her first birthday rolled around, she had logged more flights than I can remember—sorry, sweetie, but mommy obviously spent so much time in the air with you and trying to nap when you did that she simply didn’t get around to writing in your baby book. 

Today, my daughter is just as comfortable in a plane as in a car—this amazes me, given that I didn’t take my first flight until I was in college, and I felt far from comfortable on that flight! 

Up until my daughter turned two (the age at which children are required to have their own seats on a plane), the Baby B’Air Flight Vest made air travel especially comfortable for both of us—okay, at least for one of us. While I used the Baby B’Air many times with my daughter, it was a must-have when I travelled alone with her during those super squirmy months.  

The Baby B’Air is easy to use.  Your child wears the Baby B’air like an ordinary vest, and you simply attach the loop on the back of the Baby B’Air to your lap belt.   

It packs well, too.  Just shove it into the diaper bag.  

Don’t waste time feeling guilty about the thought of “confining” your child.  The Baby B’Air actually gives some slack, so your toddler will still have “just a lil’ bit” of wiggle room.  Trust me, I know from experience—so does that nervous first time flier who sat beside us on the way to Orlando.  Ma’am, I apologize if we made your travel anxiety worse.  But at least we arrived safely, right?

If you’re at all like me, you’ll appreciate both the added safety the Baby B’Air offers, particularly against unexpected turbulence, and the comfort of knowing you won’t have to spend the entire flight chasing your aspiring pilot down the aisle.

If you’re travelling by air over the holidays with a toddler, definitely check out the Baby B’Air Flight Vest.  Even if you don’t buy one to use with your own toddler, your familiarity with the product might just make a good conversation starter the next time you encounter a frazzled new parent at the airport.

Baby wearing is hip. But, baby wearing is trendy not just because there are so many chic kid carriers on the market today that allow you to show off your adorable new bundle of joy.

Rather, according to pediatrician William Sears, M.D., there’s actually a development psychology theory behind baby wearing, and engaging in other activities that encourage baby-parent closeness like co-sleeping and extended breastfeeding.

This theory, or parenting philosophy, is known as Attachment Parenting. According to Attachment Parenting International, Attachment Parenting is the practice of developing strong bonds—a.k.a. “a secure attachment”—between infants and parents (or their caregivers, like Grandma). Secure attachments built from infancy provide the essential foundation for creating a lifetime of healthy, trusting, and secure relationships.

It’s easy to get “hooked” on Attachment Parenting philosophy and practice. Long before my first child was born, and well before I purchased my first Ergo Carrier (and well before Ergo was a household name), I knew Attachment Parenting was the way to go for my family—for me, it made life with a baby much, much easier—think less crying, more cooing). Now, two babies and two Ergo Carriers later, saying I’m “hooked” on Attachment Parenting is an understatement.

Thanks to some great products on the market today, I’ve found easy ways to bond with my children—sometimes with fringe benefits, like more or better sleep for everyone in my household (see #1 below).

While it’s not “stuff” or the acquisition of “stuff” per se that makes emotionally healthy children, there are a lot of products available to new parents that make practicing Attachment Parenting and developing those bonds easier.

Here are three quality products that complement Attachment Parenting which I’ve used over and over again with each my children:

1. Snuggle Nest. The Snuggle Nest provides a safe co-sleeping area within your own bed for your infant. Besides making co-sleeping safer and giving you more time with your infant, the Snuggle Nest is convenient—think, less time running down the hall to check on your baby (I can’t be the only mom familiar with those “is she still breathing?” checks!), easier nighttime feedings, and extra sleep for mom and baby!

2. Ergo Baby Carrier. I can’t imagine parenting little ones without this versatile carrier. I swear, I’ve tried dozens of different carriers with my babies, and time after time I return to the Ergo. You can wear your baby (up to 40 lbs) on the front, back or hip. Ergo, the company, supports the 8 Principles of Attachment Parenting. That’s another plus in my book.

3. Boppy. I loved using this pillow with my children, although I admit it has seen progressively less use with each child—though, I attribute this to my increased confidence and comfort with breastfeeding and not as a fault of the pillow. The Boppy is more than a pillow for breastfeeding support. It is also great for “tummy time” and for those early learning to sit days.

Even if your “baby” is no longer a baby, don’t think you’ve missed the Attachment Parenting boat. Empathetic parenting (the core concept of Attachment Parenting) never goes out of style.

For more reading on Attachment Parenting, check out Natural Family Online which features links to articles on Attachment Parenting.

Now, it’s your turn. What products are on your Attachment Parenting must-have list?