AmandaP
24-08-2005, 16:00
Hi!
I just wanted to let other parents know about our experience with this product. I am sorry about the length, but it is easiest just to cut and paste from the email I sent Babylove and the ACA:
In preparation for the birth of our first child, we purchased your Recliner & Ottoman from a Melbourne retailer in April 2004 after trying out the demonstration model in store.
Things went well at first, then it started making strange noises regardless of our applying graphite or WD-40. Then suddenly a copper-coloured ring dropped out of the bottom. We kept a close eye on it, but it seemed to be okay, so we kept using it. Then, after around 3 months of use, the chair suddenly collapsed while my husband was rocking our son to sleep. Fortunately it was on a forward rock and my husband was able to lean forward and stand up as the chair fell backwards.
A quick examination showed that the welds connecting the base to the chair had given way. We contacted the Melbourne retailer and were informed that we could obtain a replacement. We agreed with some hesitation, but were persuaded it was just a faulty chair. My husband insisted the replacement chair be opened from the box so that he could check the welds before taking it home. He found a crack in one of the welds which had failed on our original chair, and insisted on a different replacement. The second replacement seemed to be okay.
Things also went well with the replacement chair, although soon strange noises started as before. We took it very carefully, but after a few weeks of the noises with nothing happening, we decided it was just the sound that the chair makes. Today (16 months after our original purchase) I was rocking our son before putting him down for a nap when the replacement chair suddenly collapsed. Unfortunately, it was on the backward part of the rock and we fell backwards and to one side (the side I was holding my son on), and collided with the corner of my son’s cot. I was lucky to get off with a sore shoulder, but wasn’t able to shield my son from the cot corner and wheel lock. Quite aside from the trauma resulting from this happening (especially while half asleep), he has a large bruise in the middle of his forehead and two scrapes running from the bruise up and across his scalp. Very fortunately, this missed his fontanel.
Examination has shown that not simply one, but all four of the welds connecting the base to the chair failed (or at least, the metal in the vicinity has broken). I have attached photos of the broken replacement chair for your review. It now seems clear that instead of one or even two faulty chairs, there is quite possibly a larger safety issue either with the design, the materials or the workmanship used to assemble at least one batch of these chairs. Obviously, we will not be seeking a replacement chair. Equally obviously, the chair and ottoman were certainly not worth the $500 we paid for them.
We realise that Babylove is probably under no obligation, but we think this product should be carefully reviewed, especially any safety testing and the return/fault rate. This incident has left me very shaken and thankful that we didn’t fall into anything that could have collapsed on top of us from the impact. I would hope that Babylove would have an interest in ensuring that this doesn’t happen to any other parents or babies. (I have checked your website and find the product is currently for sale and the image shows the design is the same as the chairs we have had.)
I just wanted to let other parents know about our experience with this product. I am sorry about the length, but it is easiest just to cut and paste from the email I sent Babylove and the ACA:
In preparation for the birth of our first child, we purchased your Recliner & Ottoman from a Melbourne retailer in April 2004 after trying out the demonstration model in store.
Things went well at first, then it started making strange noises regardless of our applying graphite or WD-40. Then suddenly a copper-coloured ring dropped out of the bottom. We kept a close eye on it, but it seemed to be okay, so we kept using it. Then, after around 3 months of use, the chair suddenly collapsed while my husband was rocking our son to sleep. Fortunately it was on a forward rock and my husband was able to lean forward and stand up as the chair fell backwards.
A quick examination showed that the welds connecting the base to the chair had given way. We contacted the Melbourne retailer and were informed that we could obtain a replacement. We agreed with some hesitation, but were persuaded it was just a faulty chair. My husband insisted the replacement chair be opened from the box so that he could check the welds before taking it home. He found a crack in one of the welds which had failed on our original chair, and insisted on a different replacement. The second replacement seemed to be okay.
Things also went well with the replacement chair, although soon strange noises started as before. We took it very carefully, but after a few weeks of the noises with nothing happening, we decided it was just the sound that the chair makes. Today (16 months after our original purchase) I was rocking our son before putting him down for a nap when the replacement chair suddenly collapsed. Unfortunately, it was on the backward part of the rock and we fell backwards and to one side (the side I was holding my son on), and collided with the corner of my son’s cot. I was lucky to get off with a sore shoulder, but wasn’t able to shield my son from the cot corner and wheel lock. Quite aside from the trauma resulting from this happening (especially while half asleep), he has a large bruise in the middle of his forehead and two scrapes running from the bruise up and across his scalp. Very fortunately, this missed his fontanel.
Examination has shown that not simply one, but all four of the welds connecting the base to the chair failed (or at least, the metal in the vicinity has broken). I have attached photos of the broken replacement chair for your review. It now seems clear that instead of one or even two faulty chairs, there is quite possibly a larger safety issue either with the design, the materials or the workmanship used to assemble at least one batch of these chairs. Obviously, we will not be seeking a replacement chair. Equally obviously, the chair and ottoman were certainly not worth the $500 we paid for them.
We realise that Babylove is probably under no obligation, but we think this product should be carefully reviewed, especially any safety testing and the return/fault rate. This incident has left me very shaken and thankful that we didn’t fall into anything that could have collapsed on top of us from the impact. I would hope that Babylove would have an interest in ensuring that this doesn’t happen to any other parents or babies. (I have checked your website and find the product is currently for sale and the image shows the design is the same as the chairs we have had.)