New parents feel the urge to buy different products for their newly born babies. As long there’s money, parents who just gave birth to their first child will seek ways to spoil their baby with any and every baby product they can find in the market – you’ll find them buying different lotions, baby soap, toys, cradle, and just about anything they can get their hands on.
Are they worried about whether the products they buy are safe or not? Of course not, many new parents think that if the product is marketed for babies then it’s obviously safe because it must have passed through different regulations before going into the market. So, are all products for babies in the market safe for babies? The answer is no, in fact, many baby products have caused injuries in babies and in the worst-case scenario, death. In today’s blog post, I’ll be telling you about some of the baby products you should avoid when next you go on a shopping spree for your baby.
Drop-side cribs
Drop-side cribs have been reported to be responsible for dozens of infant death. The reports showed that babies placed in drop-side cribs often fall from it, get trapped, or suffocate. As a result, drop-side cribs were banned in the US in 2010 which means that they cannot be sold, distributed, or manufactured due to the dangers they pose to babies.
Drop-side cribs weren’t created so they’ll be harmful to kids, rather they were made so that parents will be able to conveniently get their babies in and out of the bed. Rather than using drop-side cribs, use a crib that has a simple design with fixed sides.
Bumper pads
Bumper pads were made to prevent babies from hitting their heads on crib slats. They have been doing just that but the dangers associated with bumper pads are not worth the risk. The Journal of Paediatrics reported that bumpers pads were responsible for the death of children that fall with the age bracket of 1 month to 2 years by strangling or suffocating them.
Sleep positioners
Sleep positioners are made of foam and they were originally intended to keep babies on their back, elevate their heads to avoid acid reflux, and keep them safe while sleeping.
This baby product has led to the deaths of children in the past. The CPCS cites that over 13 deaths in the past 13 years in babies were as a result of using sleep positioners. The babies die through suffocation when they place their faces against the sleep positioner. Rather than using sleep positioners to prevent your baby’s reflux or congestion, visit your paediatrician.
Pillows and blankets
Pillows are great and blankets keep us cosy while sleeping, I mean, who wouldn’t like blankets and pillows right? Because we love them so much and they are good for us, we assume that they will be good for babies too so we purchase them for our babies. On the contrary, pillows and blankets are dangerous for babies because your child could get smothered by the pillows or your baby may suffocate from using the blankets.
Rather than using pillows and blankets, dress your child in footed pyjamas or sleep sack and place them in a comfortable bare crib.
