Once your beautiful bundle of joy arrives, the
work of raising your child really begins. The
biggest job you have as a parent is keeping
your baby safe. Yet, it is impossible to watch
over your children twenty-four hours a day.
Thankfully, there are many safety products
available to keep them from getting hurt.
These products include safety gates, outlet
covers, oven and table bumpers, doorknob
covers, bed rails, locks and guards, and many
more. As a parent, you need to use products
that are one step ahead of their children's
abilities, and can do so by getting down on
their level and looking around. This gives you
a child's eye perspective of child safety issues
in your home.
But with so many products to buy and so many
different brand names, how do you decide
what products you need most? The best thing
to do when it comes to safety is buy new
products rather than used ones. An older,
used product may have been recalled due to
dangerous safety issues, or it may be
damaged from previous use. Although
hand-me-downs are great for clothes and
toys, your child’s safety is just too important to
leave to chance. Babies R Us is a great place
to find all the safety products you need.
That still leaves the issue of how to choose
between one safety gate, for instance, and
another. Here are some purchasing tips for
some of the more popular safety items you will
need for your baby.
Car Seats
More children are seriously injured and killed
in auto accidents than in any other type of
accident. Each year, hundreds of lives could
be saved if children were protected in cars by
using child safety seats. Using a child safety
seat is the best protection you can give your
child when traveling by car.
When purchasing a car seat, look for:
· Label states that it meets or exceeds the
Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards;
· Is the car seat appropriate for your child's
height and weight?
· Be aware of the type of seat belts your car
has; all car seats are not compatible with all
seat belts;
· Check recent car seat recalls before making
a purchase;
· Be sure that the seat you choose fits your
child - a smaller baby can slip out of a seat
that's too large. Infants one year or younger
and up to 20 pounds must be placed in a
rear-facing seat, toddlers (older than 1 year
and between 20 and 40 pounds) may use a
forward-facing seat, and children who are
between 40 and 80 pounds need to be placed
in a booster seat;
· Consider choosing a seat that is upholstered
in fabric - it may be more comfortable for your
child.
Safety Gates
Baby safety gates are an essential element in
making your home baby proof. Now that he's
on the move, every nook and cranny is a
potential area of exploration for him. Your baby
is curious about his new environment, wanting
to investigate each little corner and new room.
The best way to make sure he can't do any
harm to himself is to install safety gates. These
will prevent him from reaching the stairs,
kitchen, or an office room, where there might
be many wires and electrical equipment just at
his height
Accordion gates, which open to form
diamond-shaped patterns with wide V's at the
top, can trap a baby's head and have resulted
in strangulation deaths. In January 1985, gate
manufacturers halted production of these
gates, but there are still an estimated 15
million gates in use. Mesh gates also can be
dangerous because a toddler's fingers can
become trapped.
When purchasing a safety gate, look for the
following:
· A hardware-mounted gate that attaches to
the doorframe without any openings to trap
fingers or necks. Pressure-mounted gates
should not be used between rooms of different
levels or at the top of stairs; children can
dislodge them and take a tumble.
· Gates that swing out should never be used at
the top of stairways.
· Nonflexible vertical slats or rods should be no
more than 2 3/8 inches apart.
· Check for sharp edges and protrusions that
could hurt a toddler's hands.
· Avoid gates with structures that could give a
child a foothold for climbing. Keep large toys
away from the gate to prevent a child from
using them to climb over.
· The gate should be no less than 3/4 of the
child's height
Playpens
These high-sided, enclosed play areas are
popular because they allow parents to put their
baby down with the knowledge that he can't
wander off. It is great when you have to
answer the phone, do a bit of ironing, or just
catch a quick breath!
When purchasing a playpen, look for the
following:
· Holes in the mesh should be no larger than
1/4 inch to keep small fingers from getting
caught;
· The sides should be at least 20 inches high,
measured from the floor of the playpen;
· Look for padding on the tops of the rails to
protect your baby from bumps.
· The locks that allow you to lower a side
should be out of your baby's reach.
Baby Monitors
The idea behind a baby monitor is that you can
have the ability to move around the house or
your yard and still be able to keep tabs on your
baby by listening or now viewing your baby.
This can help alert you to a crying baby, a
baby who needs your help or just help you
watch baby while he or she sleeps.
The baby/nursery monitor that you buy will
have different levels of mobility. The base
usually plugs into the wall, usually the nursery
or wherever your baby is sleeping. The
receiver can plug in or be mobile. If you intend
to use the monitor as you move from room to
room, you will want to invest in the mobile
kind, versus the stationary variety.
When purchasing a baby monitor, look for the
following:
· There should be at least two channels to
choose from;
· Be sure that you have a low battery indicator
light. Without this you might be listening to the
receiver, thinking all is quiet in the baby's
room, when in fact all you've got is a dead
battery;
· Has a power-on light so that you can know
the unit is on without disturbing the baby;
· Has a volume control to put you in charge of
how loudly you wish to hear your baby;
· Are you planning to carry around your end of
the monitoring system? Then you might want a
belt clip!
Bath Seats
A bath seat gives your child added support
while in the bathtub and can help prevent a
soapy baby from slipping out of your hands
and hitting her head on the tub. Keep in mind,
however, that you should NEVER leave your
child unattended in the tub!
When purchasing a bath seat, look for the
following:
· Never use a bath seat on textured or
non-skid surfaces unless the manufacturer’s
instructions specifically state the seat is
intended for such surfaces;
· Look for the JPMA Certification Seal.
Always remember, no matter what safety
product you are buying, to look at the features
to be sure they meet your specific
requirements. Also check to be sure that the
product you are considering has not recently
been recalled. The safety of your child is of
utmost importance – don’t leave it to chance!
Claire Bowes is a successful freelance writer
and owner of baby-gifts-unique where you will
find further information on the products
available from babies r us and unique gift
ideas Personalized Baby Gifts
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