CPSC launches investigation into Bumbo Baby Sitter seat falls

A report by a San Francisco TV station has prompted the CPSC to open an investigation into the Bumbo Baby Sitter.

The popular Bumbo, which has sold 250,000 units since its debut a couple of years ago, has been implicated in at least three accidents in which a baby has fallen from the seat. In each case, the Bumbo was put on a high surface (table or counter top) and the child toppled out of the seat, to the floor.

In the report, KGO-TV noted that the Bumbo has been marketed to parents for "eye-level feedings"----and pictures on the Bumbo's web site showed the seat on tables, counter tops and other high surfaces. Yet the Bumbo comes with a warning label that says "never use on a raised surface." (Since the TV report aired, Bumbo removed those images from the their site).

A quick search YouTube vidoes of babies in Bumbo seats reveals that many parents are using it this way---on high surfaces. But since the Bumbo has no safety strap to secure it to a table or counter top, a baby can tip and fall out of the seat.

In our book, we mistakenly said the Bumbo could be used on a chair (we based that info on the company's previous marketing). We regret this error and are correcting our book to reflect this advice:

ALWAYS use your Bumbo on the floor. NEVER put the Bumbo on any raised surface like a table, chair or counter top.