Product Recall: Bassettbaby cribs

Manufacture of cribs is governed by federal laws to ensure the safety of babies who will be using them. This is also in response to an alarming number of crib-related deaths in the country. Every year an estimated 26 infants die, and around 11,500 are hospitalized due to injuries acquired in cribs. Common causes of these deaths and injuries are suffocation and entrapment. These two are also the top reasons for several crib recalls in the past year.

Recently added to the list of recalled cribs is a full size Bassettbaby crib from the Wendy Bellissimo Hidden Hills Collections and exclusively sold by Babies “R” Us. Some versions of this Navajo Pine finish crib, which were sold in Babies “R” Us stores from November 2007 to February 2008, were found to have spindles that do not meet federal guidelines regarding spacing. According to the Consumers Products Security Commission, these cribs highly pose risks of entrapments for infants. For this reason, Bassettbaby is voluntarily recalling the said cribs, which are estimated to total to 550 in total number. Consumers are advised to check their Bassettbaby cribs to see if they carry the model number 5446-0521, and contact the company through (888) 897-4689 to get a free repair kit.

This is not the first time that Bassetbaby cribs were recalled – in fact, this has happened at least three times in the past year and mostly for the same entrapment hazards. But probably the most celebrated case of crib recall is Simplicity's recall of almost one million units of Graco and Simplicity cribs due to three reported cases of infant deaths in the said cribs.

To avoid these incidents and the hassle of recalls, you can personally check the cribs you are buying for compliance with federal standards using this Guide to Baby Cribs . Slats should not be more than 2 3/8 inches apart while the corner posts should not be 1/16 inches above the crib panels and the interior should at lest be 51 ¾ inches long and 27 ¾ inches wide to prevent suffocation. Likewise, make sure to carefully follow the manufacturer's manual when assembling your infant's crib.