Baby

It was announced yesterday that 223,000 Peg Perego strollers have been recalled by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission due to strangulation risks. The recall is for two stroller models, the Venezia and the Pliko-P3, which Peg Perego made between January 2004 and September 2007.

Two specific incidents prompted the recall to be issued -- the death of a 6-month-old boy in 2004, and a 7-month-old girl who was nearly strangled to death in 2006. In both cases, the infants' heads became trapped in between the seat of the stroller and the tray.

The CSPC says, "An infant can pass through the opening between the stroller tray and seat bottom, but his/her head and neck can become entrapped by the tray. Infants who become entrapped at the neck are at risk of strangulation."

It is a little bit disturbing and scary that it took eight years for this recall to be issued, especially since there are many of us who don't go out and buy new baby gear when our second, third, etc. children arrive. (That stuff is expensive!)

And hand-me-downs aren't the only case for worry, as many parents purchase strollers and other baby items at garage sales, consignment shops, or online auctions -- so there's a chance that your lightly used Peg Perego stroller may be part of this recall if you bought it second-hand.

But don't panic if you own a Peg Perego stroller that was made after September 2007, because the newer models are improved and don't pose any risks. However, always make sure your baby is strapped into the stroller harness of any model, just to err on the side of caution. Those straps are there for a very good reason -- so always use them no matter what!

To check and see whether or not your stroller is part of the recall, check out the list of recalled model numbers on the CPSC website.

Do you always strap your baby into his/her stroller?

Image via USCPSC/Flickr