Babies: they comprise the future of our species, and they’re awfully cute, but they’re top-heavy. And early in their lives, their muscle control is pretty poor. The Bumbo baby seat is an adorable piece of molded plastic designed to let your baby sit up and look around before it has developed sufficient muscle control to sit up on its own for extended periods. They’re immensely popular, but frequently misused, and not wriggle-proof. So the Consumer Products Safety Commission has announced yet another voluntary recall on the seats.

You’re not supposed to put a Bumbo on a counter or table to keep the baby at eye level, but that doesn’t stop some parents and other caretakers. That was the reason for recalls in 2007 and last year, and the seats now bear a prominent warning label. Parents not reading directions aren’t to blame for this latest recall, though: it’s possible for babies to wriggle out of the seats or tip them over, seven at ground level, which has led to skull fractures and other boo-boos. The solution? Restraint belts within the seats.

Bumbo owners should stop using the seats until a belt is installed. You can get a free repair kit from Bumbo USA by visiting the recall web site, or call 866-898-4999 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. Central time Monday through Thursday and between 8 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. Central on Friday.

Once the belt is installed, you still shouldn’t use the seat to park your tot on a raised surface.

Baby Seats Recalled for Repair by Bumbo International Due to Fall Hazard [CPSC]

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