Beco Butterfly RECALL

This information is also on my website:
http://www.mckinleykidz.com/catalog.php?category=37

The Beco Butterfly is officially being recalled via the procedure for the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, effective immediately, because of the slipping issue I notified you of the other day. No one has been injured but 10 incidents of slipping have officially been reported to the company.

Beco will also be contacting you directly, as I am required to send them purchase information. With the form in hand though, you may send your carrier back any time. Please note the special requirements as outlined on the form:

IMPORTANT: Product is to be send WITHOUT: HOOD, RETAIL BOX, DVD, MANUAL

PDF of the official Press release for Butterfly Recall.
All Beco Butterfly carriers bought from Jan 1 to March 6 are affected.

If you own an affected carrier stop using it, print this form, and send your Butterfly in for retrofitting.

Our next shipment of Butterflies will come in April, they are being being sewn with the design changes mentioned below and several new colors.

We are doing our very best to help our customers and we are so very sorry for the hassle! We value our relationship as your retailer and we are here to answer all questions and help facilitate your process with the manufacturer. Standard operating procedure with a recall is for carriers to be sent directly to the manufacturer, not to the retailer. If you choose to return your carrier to us then standard policies of restocking fees and subtracting the cost of free shipping to you will still apply.

wearing a Peekaru for a back carry

The official version is to put your child in a carrier on your back and then put your head through. Then, tug the vest over the head of your child.

My son has a big head though and even though he is older, he refused to help get the vest over his head using the official method. So, I had to get more inventive. Below are two ways I make the Peekaru work for us in a back carry.

When using it with a mei tai I put it over Cormac's head first and then swing him up on my back in a superman toss. I then pull the rest of it over me and zip the side.
With an SSC (like a Beco, Pikkolo, or AMC II) I pull it over Cormac's head first, then I put him on my hip and pull my head through. I hip scoot him to my back and quickly get the straps on. I straighten out the vest and then attach the chest belt on the carrier.

Certainly it takes more practice, just like back carries themselves do, because everything is in back of you.

baby carriers in Alaskahttp://www.blogger.com/img/gl.link.gif

It's amazing how much babywearing has "caught on" up here over the last few years. While Christmas shopping I saw lots of pouches, ring slings, sscs, and even some stretchy wraps! It's so great in the cold weather of Alaska to be able to tuck your little one into a carrier and then under a babywearing coat or vest.
I actually took a stroller with me this year and though our toddler enjoyed the ride (and I enjoyed a basket for shopping bags) I really missed talking to him. Well, we chatted and sang but he was so much further away! It was hard to hear. :(

So, we have a new shipment of the beco Obi in stock. I love the simplicity of this design and the fabric is gorgeous. It's wonderful to have carriers that allow for comfortable and safe forward facing-out positions; the pikkolo is also amazingly comfy and new fabrics will be on the way later this winter.

We're getting into the season for cabin fever and claustrophobia...
A great investment for the next few years is a Peekaru vest or Kindercoat. Both are amazingly warm and versatile enough for Alaskan weather. Easy to wear and relatively stylish, they allow for easy winter babywearing.

I'm in the process of listing organic BabyLegs and a new line of nursing necklaces! I love both of these and they make great baby shower gifts too.

a little more on cold weather baby wearing...

It can be difficult to figure out the best way to keep warm, safe, and comfortable while babywearing in cold weather. This article is meant to present you with options, not finite answers. The best way to figure out what works for you and your baby is to try and then tweak your system on the next outing.

There are heavier carrier that are meant to give a little extra warmth if the weather is cool, no cold. These are also great for wearing under or over cold-weather gear or for quick trips outside. Karma Baby makes a luxurious and beautiful microfleece pouch sling that is like a warm hug. Scootababy's fleece lined choice makes for an especially snug and cozy hip carrier. Coming soon to McKinley Kid are the Calin Bleu microfleece wrap and a minkee-lined soft-structured carrier from Active Mom.

The easiest way for both you and baby to stay snug while walking in the chilly air is to put baby in a sling or carrier in a front position, then put a large coat or jacket on over both of you. One caution when doing this is that you don't overdress baby, causing him to overheat. Just dress him as you would dress yourself under the coat, then add a warm hat and socks and/or shoes. BabyLegs are a wonderful extra layer under baby's pants to keep warm.

Always make sure there is sufficient airflow around your baby's head when you wear him/her under a coat and continue to check on the baby to ensure the situation has not changed. Two wonderful options in babywearing jackets are Suse's Kindercoat and the Peekaru babywearing vest. The Peekaru is a great three season vest for Alaskans (spring, summer, fall) and the Peekaru can be used while wearing your baby on your front or your back. If you are worried about baby's toes getting cold then slip some handwarmer packets into the feet of the snowsuit, though not directly touching baby's skin.

Becos coming too!

Wow. It's a busy week. My order of bECO baby carriers (4th generation) are on the way. bECOs are beautiful and high quality soft-structured carriers.
Before I get these posted on the website they will be available by request (first-come first-served) to customers within Alaska. They are $126 each and carry babies from infancy through toddlerhood.
On the way:
Sky Temple (2)
Organic Avocado (2)
Ladybug
Eggplant Bird (replacing Brick Bird)
Cocoa Butterfly

Infant inserts and waist extenders are also available.

Suse's Kinder Coat

This is the perfect full babywearing coat for Alaska! I have a couple of each size on the way. These run a little large and so a size large should fit clothing sizes 14-16. No extra-large is available at this time but if you need a bigger size please e-mail me and I will keep you posted. These will appear on the site within the next couple of days.

Features:

• You get a waterproof shell babywearing coat with removable fleece liner that can be worn alone .
  
• Adjustable opening in the back. 3 Pockets on inside of shell. One larger one with a zipper on your lower back.
  
• Drawstring below your waist to keep baby warm. And one on bottom of babywearing coat. 2 Drawstrings to adjust back opening from the front on both, shell and insert. .
• 1 Insert for the front to be used with shell alone. Has no lining. (has hood for baby built in - unique to this babywearing coat!)
  
• 1 Insert with fleece lining to be used with shell and lining for colder temperatures (has hood for baby built in)
  
• 1 Half insert for the fleece liner to wear baby in front
  
• 1 hood for baby wearer hidden in collar
  
• works for temperatures to about -25 degree when worn with a sweat shirt or sweater underneath.

• Does not mess up your hair when putting on this babywearing coat!
• Pockets on insert for a finished look
• more buttons on back opening in fleece liner so it can easily and in style be worn as a separate babywearing coat.

ScootaBaby coming!

We'll be adding the Scootababy hip carrier to our line this month. The Ellaroo mei hip has been a great seller but I like the improvements to the generic hip carrier design that Scootababy has made. It's comfortable and easy to use/adjust but the padded waist, like on a Patapum and other sscs, is fantastic. Even with a 35 pound 2 year old it is wonderfully supportive.
I highly recommend it. One thing I love about hip carriers is that you can comfortably sit while wearing your baby or toddler. Last year I took Cormac to a couple of Aces games in the mei hip and we easily fit into the seat. He was cozy and happy and not trying to get down on the icky sticky floor!
Scootababy comes in black canvas with two liner options; the one I have is fleece and the other is a soft cotton print.
These will retail for $107 and are well worth the money for comfort, support, and ease of use.