Target has received eight reports of the booster seat buckles opening unexpectedly, including three reports of bruises. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed.

This recall involves Circo booster seats with manufacture date codes XJ0811, XJ0812, XJ0901, and XJ0902. The plastic booster seat is blue with green trim and has white straps. The manufacture date code is printed on the backside of the seat next to the consumer warning information. “Circo” can be found on a label located in the front of the seat.

These seats were sold exclusively at Target stores nationwide from December 2008 through June 2009 for about $13. Consumers should immediately stop using the booster seat and return the item to the nearest Target store to receive a full refund.

For additional information, contact Target at (800) 440-0680 between 7 a.m. and 6 p.m. CT Monday through Friday, or visit the firm’s Web site at www.target.com

Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed. The recall involves the Safety 1st SmartLight Stair Gate with model number 42111, which is printed on a sticker under the handle panel. The gates, which were manufactured before December 20, 2008, are white metal with a gray handle and a motion sensor nightlight that illuminates on approach. The manufacture date is located below the gate’s handle as a date wheel imprinted in the plastic; an arrow indicates the month, and the year is stamped inside the circle. The manufacture date is also printed on a sticker inside the battery door.

These gates were sold at mass merchandise and juvenile product stores nationwide, including Babies R Us, Toys R Us, Wal-Mart.com and other online retailers from January 2005 through July 2009 for about $60.

Consumers can call Dorel Juvenile Group toll-free at (866) 690-2540 Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. ET; complete an online order form on the Dorel Juvenile Group Web site at www.djgusa.com/safety_notice/ to obtain their free repair kit; email the company at Smartlightgate@djgusa.com, or send a fax to (800) 207-8182. Consumers should not return the stair gates to retail stores.

Easy baby or not, every new mama has some essential products that they depend on during the first month of their baby’s life and I am no exception.  I have some go-to items that make everything just a bit easier.  Some things – A LOT easier!  I thought I would put together a list of some of my current personal favorite must-haves that have gotten me through month one.  Of course, there are other products that will be needed in later months – but here are my everyday baby essentials for life with Sutton. 

*Disclaimer:  This is not a complete list!  And, yes, I use essentials such as a crib and a car seat that are not on the list.  Please don’t email and tell me that I should be using a car seat!  Of course, I’m using a car seat.  I just thought that was a no-brainer and didn’t need to be added to my list.  

Nursing Cover
My personal choice:  Bebe au Lait Nursing Cover
I think my baby considers me a cafeteria many days.  He can just visit and snack all day long!  We are trying to establish a schedule but like many moms know, a newborn nurses on demand at the beginning.  Does he care if we are out running errands?  Nope.  Does he care if company is over?  Heck no.  When he wants to eat, the world stops.  So, my nursing cover is always with me.  And it’s used A LOT!  I especially like my Bebe au Lait Nursing Cover because the pattern is chic, the rigid neckline allows to me see my baby without everyone seeing him nurse, and the fabric is lightweight so that he doesn’t get too warm in the summer heat.  

Nursing Pillow
My personal choice:  Boppy Nursing Pillow
So, as I said, we are nursing a lot!  When I am feeding at home, I depend on my nursing pillow to make it an easier and more comfortable experience. The Boppy wraps around the front of me and lifts my baby up to a more comfortable position for nursing.  Plus, it takes the pressure off of my arms because the pillow supports his weight.  Okay, it’s only 8 lbs – but 8 lbs can get heavy 12 times a day!  Did I forget to tell you that he eats 10-12 times a day?

Breast Pump
My personal choice:  Medela Freestyle
Yes, we are still talking about boobs!  This is a new item on my favorites list.  Well, a breast pump isn’t really a favorite product of mine because it makes me feel very “cow-like” – but in my case, it will be a necessity.  I had never personally used a breast pump before (not with either of my first two babies).  So, I was a bit nervous.  In preparation for an out of town trip coming in September, I decided a breast pump was in order this time.  The Medela Freestyle is amazing especially for a new pumper like me.  It’s an electric pump that allows me to pump one breast at a time or both at the same time to get it done quickly.  The Freestyle is lightweight, compact and even comes with a handy bag to travel with.  The Freestyle and I are still getting to know each other – so stay tuned for my full review of the Medela Freestyle.  

Peg Perego Tatamia
Now, this is another new item on my favorites list! The new Peg Perego Tatamia is a multipurpose baby seat that is a triple threat in the world of baby gear. This versatile seat does the duty of three pieces of baby gear that can be used from birth to preschool age. The Tatamia works as a baby recliner, a swing, and a high chair.

We only use the Tatamia in two of the three functions right now but we use it every single day.  Since I have a very energetic 2 ½ year old, I love that I can put the baby up in the baby recliner out of his brother’s reach.  The recliner sets up high (about the height of a high chair) and has been my go-to place to set Sutton down when I can’t carry him around.  (I applaud those moms that can carry their newborn around all day but it’s not me.  Remember those two other kids?)  His overly-loving brother can see him but can’t actually get to him to try to take him out like on a normal bouncy seat.  The swing feature is also nice for those times that he is a bit fussy.  I would like the swing a bit better if it had a motor – but I am able to swing it with my foot as I am typing away on the computer.  Now, that’s multi-tasking at its finest!  *To see my full review with video of the Tatamia visit:  http://www.babygizmo.com/news/pegperegotatamia.php

Swaddle Blanket
My personal choice:  SwaddleMe
Yep, I’m a swaddler.  My babies just sleep better that way.  And whatever helps baby sleep – helps mama sleep.  The SwaddleMe blanket is a specially designed blanket that makes swaddling your baby super easy. The “fabric wings” allow me to wrap his upper body snuggly and stays put with two Velcro fasteners. It has a leg pouch that is roomy enough for him to kick a bit if he wants to and is easy to bring down to change his diaper without unwrapping his arms. The best thing about the SwaddleMe is that it’s quick and easy to use.

Double Stroller
In order to take the three kids out by myself, I cannot live without a double stroller.  Okay, maybe I could live without a double stroller – but why would I want to?  My son (remember we affectionately refer to him as the “runner”) still needs to be seated in a stroller when we are out in a busy, public place.  And unless I’m wearing my newborn (ala sling-style), a double stroller is a much needed product for us.  We have been testing a few really great double strollers this summer – so we don’t always use the same one.  That’s why I don’t list “my personal choice”.  Okay, if you pressure me about it…a few of my favorites are the Bumbleride Indie Twin, Uppa Baby Vista with Rumbleseat, Baby Jogger City Mini Double and the new Tech Tike Double City X3. 

Diaper Bag
My personal choice:  Storksak Gigi
With three kids, a large diaper bag is a must have for me.  I carry with me:  bottles, sippy cups, juice boxes, snacks, toys, diapers, wipes and much, much more.  So, in anticipation of Sutton’s birth, I chose the Storksak Gigi as my main diaper bag.  It is large and has three separate zippered compartments to keep all my on-the-go essentials organized.  It comes with a large changing pad and a bottle pouch and I love that it looks more like a large purse than a diaper bag.

Binky Holder
My personal choice:  JJ Cole Pacifier Pod
This is a small item but it’s still an every day essential for me.  Since I like quiet, calm babies – I am a big advocate of pacifiers.  Since I keep a pacifier with me where ever we go – I like to keep them in a pacifier holder to keep them clean.  The JJ Cole Pacifier Pod comes in a few great colors/patterns (I have the one in blue square) and hangs nicely off the side of my purse or diaper bag.  This pod is great for holding one pacifier so that I always know where one is in a hurry…unless I forget to put on in, of course. 

Sling
My personal choice:  Hotsling
I must admit that I don’t use my sling every day but I do use it.  When I need a little hands-free time but my baby needs some bonding time, I throw on my Hotsling and we are ready to go.  When I go out, I always make sure that I throw my sling in the diaper bag so that I have it just in case I need it. 

Video Monitor
My personal choice:  Summer Infant Handheld Video Monitor
I LOVE my video monitor!  I have been using it everyday for 2 ½ years.  Yep, you heard that right – every single day!  I have had to order a new battery once but other than that it has been going strong since I bought it.  (Well, we did have a little episode where my 4 year old poured water into her camera in her room – so I do recommend that you keep the camera out of reach of your children no matter what age.  Water + camera = bad news!)  Other than our little camera snafu, we now have two cameras that work on the same handheld unit giving me a great picture in my two youngest kids’ rooms day or night.  I can switch from one camera to the other with a simple flip of a switch.   No matter what size house you live in – I highly recommend a video monitor!

We packed up all three kids in a hurry because honestly I got up a little later than I should have.  But in my defense, getting up to nurse a newborn 4 times during the night makes me a bit tired.  So, we were flying around the house throwing things in diaper bags, getting the kids’ shoes on, and filling sippy cups.  At the last minute, I told my husband to throw the shiny new double stroller in the back of the SUV because we were sure to need it at the zoo.  I didn’t bother to check to make sure the stroller was ready to go.  “Just throw it in.  I’m sure it’s fine,” I said in my deliriously tired state. 

When we got to the zoo (30 minutes late), we loaded Sawyer, our 2 ½ year old and Sutton, our 3 ½ week old in the stroller.  Now, Sawyer is completely capable of walking on his own but he is what we affectionately refer to as the “runner”!  That kid will take off in a moment’s notice causing us to chase him full speed down the street.  Since we were downtown, we had to try to avoid this at all cost.  So, in the stroller he went.  As we walked to the zoo, I noticed that the back wheels of this brand new stroller were low on air.  Very low on air!  Knowing that the stroller had those fancy air-filled tires that make maneuvering on different terrain easy, I should have checked them before we left.  But I didn’t.

As soon as we met my brother-in-law inside the zoo, I decided that I had to fix the tires.  My mild OCD was kicking in and I couldn’t stand watching this fabulous stroller roll along on nearly flat tires.  It wouldn’t take but a minute.  I grabbed the stroller pump that came with the stroller out of the basket (I had enough sense to make sure that was along) and bent down to fix the tires right there in front of the lions.  After the first…oh, I don’t know…TEN TIMES that I tried to pump up the tire, I realized that this wasn’t going to take just a quick minute.  It wasn’t working.  And now I had managed to let all the remaining air out of the tire so it was completely flat and laying on the rim.  Nice job, Hollie.

Since I was right in the middle of the main walkway of the zoo, I decided to pull the stroller off to the side by a bench.  I tried a few more times to pump up the tire before I decided that I would have to remove the wheel from the stroller.  Now, this is one of those big side-by-side double strollers and I had it sitting all cocked to the side with one wheel removed.  This is where it started to get a bit embarrassing.

I was sooo excited to take this new double stroller out and about.  Even after quite a few years of testing and reviewing stroller after stroller, I still get excited over a brand new stroller.  My husband gets excited over new cars.  I get excited over new strollers! Just how it is!  So, I was feeling pretty special that I had this high end (what I would consider a luxury) double stroller out in the world that is filled with Gracos.  I felt fancy.  This was one of those double strollers that you can usually only get in baby boutiques or by ordering online.  Definitely not a Baby Superstore-type of stroller!  But there I am, broke down on the sidewalk in the zoo.  I felt like I had a broke down Pinto on the side of the highway.  Except this was no Pinto.  This was the Mercedes of strollers!

Everyone that walked by glanced at me as I was sitting on the bench trying over and over to pump up this stupid tire.  I even got a few “Gotta flat…huh?”  No, I just like to sit with the wheel to my stroller on my lap as I try to pump it up over and over.   Yeah, I have a flat!  All the Gracos are zipping by me.  Even those back-breaking $9 umbrella strollers are zooming by.  And I have a flat!  After about 30 minutes (I don’t know why I tried pumping it up that long), I decided that either the tire was busted or the pump wasn’t working.  I figured I would have to find another pump to find out.  With all the strollers at the zoo that day, someone was bound to have a tire pump. 

As I looked around the area that I was sitting in, I realized that there must be a Bugaboo convention at that zoo that day.  I have never seen more Bugaboos in one location in Chicago in my life before.  They were everywhere!  I knew that one of those Bugaboos had a tire pump!  But I was too embarrassed to ask anyone.  I don’t know why.  I decided I had enough and was going to push the stroller on the flat tire.  Maybe someone would offer to help?  Maybe not? 

I met the rest of my family because they had abandoned me after attempt #2 to fix the tire knowing that I wouldn’t give up on it.  But alas, I had given up.  On the way out of the zoo, I stopped one of the zoo employees in a last attempt to fix the tire.  I asked if they knew where I could find a tire pump and to my surprise they knew where one was.  They had a tire pump at the train ride at the entrance.  I ran over to the train and asked the employee to borrow the pump.  It was one of those bicycle tire pumps that you stand on and pump the lever like those old dynamite explosives that you see in the cartoons.  It worked!  It took 3 pumps that the tire was as good as new.  Now, I had the stroller back in tip-top shape just in time to head home. 

Now, the moral of the story is to make sure that your fancy stroller is in working order BEFORE you leave the house.  Check the tires!  And if all else fails, don’t be embarrassed to ask a fellow stroller mama to borrow a pump.

I found a company that I am so excited about their gorgeous announcements that I had to share with our Baby Gizmo readers.  The Nesting Shoppe not only has a beautiful website, but offers unique, custom birth announcements, baby shower invitations personalized stationery and holiday cards as well as birthday party invitations, baptism and christening cards. 

I went straight to the birth announcements section of the website and was thrilled to see all the classic, timeless, modern and elegant designs.  The designs are all inspired by nature including birds, nests, twigs, trees, flowers, branches, berries and leaves.  There are so many gorgeous designs to choose from that I am having a hard time narrowing it down to one design.  And a great touch is that the announcement designs can be customized by changing colors and fonts to reflect my own personal style. Plus, what I love is that it’s an eco-friendly company printing all the cards on premium, 100% recycled card stock.

Nesting Shoppe was started by designer, author and photographer, Jessie Preza, so that customers across the nation can announce the special things in life…like pregnancies, save-the-dates, babies and good old-fashioned, hand-written correspondence on personalized stationary, all printed on beautiful, recycled papers.  The Nesting Shoppe does such gorgeous, high quality work that they have even designed for celebrities like Charlie & Brooke Sheen, Trista & Ryan Sutter, Scott & Kelley Wolf, Nancy O’Dell and Victoria Recano. 

I suggest you check out Nesting Shoppe’s designs to announce the important things in your life by visiting their website at:  http://www.nestingshoppe.com  Now just to decide what design will fit Sutton the best!

Nesting Shoppe is offering Baby Gizmo readers 15% off!  Just enter code GIZMO15 at checkout!  Code is good until August 15, 2009!

Reviewed by Hollie Schultz

Below are a few examples from their website:

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with LeapFrog Enterprises Inc., of Emeryville, Calif., today announced a voluntary recall of about 3,700 My Pal Scout Electronic Plush Toy Dogs.

This recall involves My Pal Scout, a green and beige electronic plush dog with plastic decals on its paws. When those decals are pushed, the dog plays songs, speaks and barks. “Scout” is printed on the dog tag at the dog’s neck. The plush dog measures about 9 inches high by 9 inches wide. “LeapFrog Ent. Item No. 19142” is printed on the white tag attached to the dog and on the toy’s packaging. My Pal Scout dogs with embroidered paws are not included in this recall.

The decals on the paws of the plush toy can be removed and ingested by a child, posing a choking hazard.  LeapFrog has received two reports of children removing the decals from this toy, including one report of a child ingesting part of the decal.

These plush toys were sold at Toys “R” Us stores nationwide, and on the Web at www.toysrus.com, www.leapfrog.com and other retail Web sites from May 2009 through June 2009 for about $20.

Consumers should immediately take the toy away from young children and contact LeapFrog to receive a replacement My Pal Scout with embroidered paws rather than decals.

For additional information, contact LeapFrog at (800) 701-5327 between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m. ET Monday through Thursday, and on Friday between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. ET, or visit the firm’s Web site at www.leapfrog.com/recall

In addition to the innovative crib design, Baby’s Dream has added a convertible changing table to this collection. The CUBE Changing Table has an innovative 3-in-1 design.  It can be used as 3-drawer dresser, pulled open as changer, and later as a desk.  The Cube Changing Table retails for $599.

You can find out more information about this fun and modern collection by visiting their website at:  www.babysdream.com.

This August pediped will debut 27 new styles including the introduction of the super chic and first ever Originals “The Couture Collection”.

The safari themed collection features four irresistibly captivating styles designed exclusively for fashion-forward children. Unique & comfortable ankle straps along with leather uppers in striking leather exotic skins will enhance any ensemble for mini-fashionistas. “The Couture Collection” maintains all the comfort and health benefits pediped™ shoes are known for: soft cushioned leather soles, velcro fasteners and the Seal of Acceptance from the APMA for promoting healthy foot development.

 The first four styles within “The Couture Collection” will be available in limited edition quantities for Fall/Winter 2009 before gracefully making way for the next quartet of styles expected to arrive Spring 2010.  The Couture Collection will retail for $42. 

Maclaren, a leading consumer lifestyle company known for its premium buggies and baby products, announced today that they have acquired the juvenile modern furniture company, NettoCollection. The acquisition initiates Maclaren’s entry into the nursery furniture category, and follows on the heels of the successful retail introductions of the Grand Tour travel system, Beginning personal care for mothers, and seasonal fashion buggy liner program.

“We are very pleased to be acquiring such a visionary company like Netto,” said Dan Pennacchio, President of Maclaren USA, Inc. “Like Maclaren, the Netto brand is synonymous with the highest level of quality, style, and innovation, which makes this acquisition a great fit for our company. Maclaren looks forward to leveraging our strength and history of success to further expand the Netto product line, to globalize Netto’s distribution and to expand the Netto brand into related nursery product categories. Our dedication to fulfilling the needs of the parenting lifestyle market is our focus as a company. The acquisition of a leading nursery company accelerates our time to market and helps us fulfill our consumers’ needs.”

“Being an iconoclast and innovator is a great way to begin, but becoming part of a company with international respect and stature is a great way to grow from small to big. Maclaren is the perfect global brand to help the Netto brand achieve this,” said David Netto, founder of Netto.

David Netto will continue his involvement with this innovative brand and will collaborate with Maclaren to design and develop future collections and other juvenile products.

We are very excited to see what these two great companies do together.  With such great products from Maclaren and Netto’s amazing modern furniture, we expect great things!