Recalled Baby Hats Pose Choking Hazard

File this one under really bad baby product ideas. A baby hat that straps a pacifier right into the baby's mouth has been recalled for being an asphyxiation hazard.

Beeni Baby Hats, manufactured by Kahn Enterprises LLC, have been recalled in cooperation with the Consumer Product Safety Commission. If you or anyone you know has one of these hats, you should stop using it right away.

The hats are made of cotton and spandex, with one strap that goes under the chin and another with a removable plastic pacifier holder. The strap is designed to hold the pacifier in the baby's mouth, which must have seemed like a good idea. However, since the baby cannot easily spit the pacifier out, it effectively acts as a gag.

If the baby spits up while wearing the hat with the pacifier, he or she may choke or asphyxiate on the spit-up. Fortunately, there have been no reported incidents or injuries yet, and let's keep it that way.

The hats were sold from the company's website from January 2009 through May 2011. They were available in sizes small, medium and large, and in several colors and prints. Parents should look for model number 125867 on a tag sewn into the back inner rim of the cap.

If you have one of these hats, you may contact Kahn Enterprises for a full refund. For more information, visit the company's website at www.beeni.net, email them at info@beeni-kids.com or call them collect at (612) 310-4053.