Summer Infant bath seats recalled due to fall danger

Consumer Reports News: August 30, 2012 10:38 AM

More than 2,000,000 Summer Infant baby bath seats are being recalled in North America, warn the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission and Health Canada. The company's Mother's Touch and Deluxe Baby Bathers can suddenly collapse when parents lift them, dropping the baby out of the bather, posing a fall hazard and a risk of serious head injury.

The CPSC and Summer Infant have received seven reports of incidents in the U.S., including five instances of infants suffering a head injury after a fall from the bather. Four children between two weeks and two months old suffered a skull fracture, including one who required intensive care for bleeding on the brain. The fifth child received a bump to the head requiring emergency-room treatment.

This recall involves Summer Infant baby bathers with the following model numbers, located either on the side of the baby bather near the warning label at the base of the unit or on the front near the wash instructions:

Recalled Summer Infant Baby Bathers Model Numbers
08020, 08050, 08054, 08070, 08401, 08409, 08404, 08405, 08650, 08655, 08659, 08754, 08940, 08944
18004, 18040, 18049, 18050, 18120, 18125, 18129, 18254, 18360, 18375, 18379, 18390, 18394, 18440, 18445, 18449, 18470, 18475, 18479
38510, 38515, 38750, 38755

Some units have multiple model numbers. Bathers with an additional letter at the end of the model number are also included in this recall.

If you own a recalled bather, stop using it immediately and contact Summer Infant (800-426-8627; www.summerinfant.com/batherrepairkit) for a free repair kit, which includes a locking strap and installation instructions.

Consumer Reports believes that an infant bathtub is the best place to bathe your baby. Be careful when bathing your baby; for instance, you should always keep one hand on your child at all times. For more information, find out how to safely bath your baby.