Bumbo baby seats recalled

Even after a 2007 recall warning consumers against using the Bumbo baby seat on raised surfaces, Health Canada has received five reports of such incidents, three of which resulted in minor injury.

Meanwhile, in the U.S., the Consumer Product Safety Commission and Bumbo International know of at least 50 incidents after the 2007 voluntary recall in which babies fell from a Bumbo seat while it was being used on a raised surface. Nineteen of those incidents included reports of skull fractures. 

CPSC and Bumbo International are aware of an additional 31 post-recall reports of infants who fell out or manoeuvred out of a Bumbo seat used on the floor or at an unknown elevation, resulting in injury. Two of these incidents involved reports of skull fractures, while others reported bumps, bruises and other minor injuries.

This has prompted another recall on the product. About 341,991 units were sold in Canada. More than 4.2 million were sold in the United States. The recalled products were sold from August 2003 through August 2012 at various children's stores nationwide and through online retailers, Health Canada stated in its recall notice.

The Bumbo seat is constructed of a single piece of molded foam and comes in various colours. The seat has leg holes and a seat back that wraps completely around the child. The bottom is round and flat with a diameter of about 38 centimetres (15 inches).

On the front of the seat in raised lettering is the word Bumbo with the image of an elephant on top. The bottom of the seat has the following words: “Manufactured by Bumbo South Africa Material: Polyurethane World Patent No. PCT: ZA/1999/00030.”

The back of the seat has several warnings, and seats manufactured since 2008 also have warnings on the front of the seat against use on raised surfaces.

Hazard identified in the recall notice include infants can arch their backs and flip or manoeuvre out of the Bumbo seat, posing a risk of serious injuries or fall.