NO. DRAWSTRINGS. ON. HOME. MADE. PONCHOS!!!!

When I developed the Car Seat Poncho in 2005 for my son, you had to look pretty hard to find information about the risks of puffy coats under car seat straps.  I only learned about it by reading the fine print in my car seat's manual, and the only other mention of it was in an About.com article by Heather Corley.

Fast forward, six years later, and the compression risks of a puffy coat in a car seat are ALL OVER.  TV news, blogs, books -- you name it.  I am so glad that more people know about it and that so many parents want to do whatever they have to do to keep their precious children safe.  My product is one option.  Some moms are crafty, and they want to make their own.  I totally get that.  I did the same thing six years ago.

Five days ago, a mom on the August 2010 Cafemom birth board posted about the no-sew poncho she made.  There are two layers, sewn together at the neck, which then serves as a drawstring.  It's adorable.  It might be warm, but it's not safe.

BECAUSE...

Drawstrings on children's clothing are strangulation hazards!

From BabyCenter: "CPSC issues new drawstring safety rule for children's clothing: The final rule designates children’s upper outerwear in sizes 2T through 12 with neck or hood drawstrings as substantial product hazards.."


From the Consumer Products Safety Commission: "Drawstrings at Neck and Waist Present Strangulation Hazard and Other Dangers"


From the Child Injury Law blog:  "CPSC Deems Drawstrings a "Substantial Product Hazard," Strengthening Rules on Their Production and Distribution"

This was one of the first things I blogged about.  Think about how much is going on when you are trying to leave the house with two little kids.  Consider all the movement and possible entanglements: getting out of the house, slinging diaper bags, seat belts, buckling, unbuckling, etc. The consequences could be disastrous.


This nice mom wanted to do a sweet thing for her children (she made one for each child), but traded one hazard for another.  The drawstrings are right around her children's necks, and it was even suggested one be tied around the back of the neck(!).  If you are considering using her no-sew method yourself, or if you see her online, please tell her:
 
NO. DRAWSTRINGS. ON. CHILDREN'S. CLOTHING.  EVER

PLEASE!