3 On Your Side: Shopping For A First Child
By Jim Donovan
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Maybe it's because of high-profile mothers-to-be like Duchess Catherine and Kim Kardashian, but a new wave of high-end baby gear is making its way into magazines and stores. As 3 On Your Side Consumer Reporter Jim Donovan finds, there is even a name for it: baby bling. But no matter your budget, when shopping for a baby, safety should always come first.
Dana Evans, owner of Daisy Baby, can always spot a first-time parent in her shop. She says, "They have gone on the internet, they have every book, they have asked every girlfriend and someone has given them a spreadsheet of the best of the best."
For some, that means little luxuries with larger price tags, like a plush car seat with extra safety padding and a cup holder retailing for a whopping $875, or a stroller with a hefty price tag of $1,400.
Not everyone has the budget for the upper end, but whether shopping for baby bling or baby on a budget, the same safety advice applies:
-- Do research on things like product recalls and industry safety certification.
-- See the products assembled in the store, looking at hinges, springs and surfaces where an infant could come into contact.
-- Be careful about purchasing secondhand items that may not meet updated government safety standards.
For the most value, Evans suggests thinking beyond the baby on board. She says, "things that are timeless, that are going to last past baby number one, baby number two, and that maybe you'll pass on down to your sister."
To sign up for product recall alerts or to check on a safety certification on a baby item, visit: www.cpsc.gov or www.jpma.org
