Beco Baby Carrier Recalls “Beco Butterfly” Infant Carriers

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with the firm named below, today announced a voluntary recall of the following consumer product. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed.

Name of Product: Beco Baby Butterfly Carriers

Units: About 2,000

Manufacturer: Beco Baby Carrier Inc., of Newport Beach, Calif.

Hazard: The buckles on the carrier shoulder straps can unexpectedly release tension, causing the strap to slip through, posing a fall hazard to the baby.

Incidents/Injuries: Beco has received eight reports of the carrier straps slipping through the shoulder buckles. No injuries have been reported.

Description: The recalled infant carriers were sold under brand name ?Beco Baby Carrier Butterfly.? The carriers have a black label with a green ?b? logo on the left side and a butterfly on the right side. The label is sewn on the outside of the carrier. The following carrier styles are included in the recall: Mia, Pony Express, Carnival, Addison, Ethan, Sophia, Cameron, Ava and Joshua.

Sold at: Specialty retail stores nationwide and internet sites from January 2008 through February 2008 for about $140.

Manufactured in: USA and Dominican Republic

Remedy: Consumers should immediately stop using the carriers and contact Beco Baby Carrier to receive instructions for returning the carriers for repair.

Consumer Contact: Consumers should contact Beco Baby Carrier Inc. toll-free at (888) 943-8232/9-GET-BECO between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. PT Monday through Friday, or visit the firm?s Web site at www.becobabycarrier.com

We purchased a Baby Trend Flex-Loc car seat before the birth of our second child mostly because of the Consumer Report story on how well it did in safety tests. The tests turned out to be flawed and instead of testing the infant seats at 35 mph, they were tested at 70 mph. Even after we found out the safety test was skewed we were still glad we purchased the Flex-Loc seat – it was even better as far as we were concerned. Who wouldn’t want a car seat for their child that performed great in a crash at 70 mph?

As far as ease of use, we found the base very easy to install using LATCH and it was very secure once in the car. We did initially have trouble figuring out how to adjust the tilt on the base, but once we figured it out it was easy to adjust from there.

The infant carrier was great and was a bit heavier than the Evenflo carrier we had used for my son, but that wasn’t a big issue for us. The little bit of heaviness just made it seem like the car seat was more sturdy as far as we were concerned.

We loved the fabric on the seat and most of it easily wiped clean if anything got on it, which of course always happens with kids! We bought the navy and blue Chatham print, which, at the time, was the most neutral print. I believe there are now more choices in fabrics than there were earlier this year when we purchased ours.

We also purchased a Baby Trend Snap N Go Stroller, which is a universal stroller frame that you can snap infant carriers onto. Since it was the same brand as our seat it was a breeze to use and because it’s just a frame it is super lightweight. The stroller features cup holders and a basket underneath for personal items. This was a steal for us at just $12 on clearance at Target!

If you are in the market for an infant or toddler seat, my bit of advice is to find one that fits your vehicle well – experts now say this is of the utmost importance. Also, if you can, shop in January to find great deals since most stores are trying to get rid of inventory at this time. A great price on a safe seat for your baby – you can’t ask for more than that!

What car seat is your favorite and why? Share in the comments section!