- Baby walker
- Crib bumpers
- Sleep Positioners
- Baby Bath Seats
- Some Baby Pacifiers
- Drop-side cribs
- Baby Slings
- Blankets and pillows
- Sleep positioning wedges
While welcoming a baby can be a very exciting time, it can also be a time filled with a lot of anxiety. As moms and moms to be we want to do everything we can to protect our babies and so we search the market for the latest and greatest gadgets that promise safety and convenience. Sadly, some of these gadgets can do more harm than good, some even resulting in the deaths of babies and infants. I have compiled a list of dangerous baby gadgets and why they are dangerous. You can check out this list of dangerous baby gadgets that you will need to eliminate from your list of baby products or simply chuck in the bin if you have them.
Baby Walker
Baby walkers became popular a few decades ago and so many babies spend some time in at least one baby walker. Baby walkers were invented supposedly to help babies to learn to walk. Ironically they actually limit the development of walking. Worse, there has been a number of reported cases of children falling down stairs while using a walker and so it is not surprising that the AAP has been calling for a ban on the product for some time now. About 4,000 children have been estimated to have been injured in 2010 alone from using baby walkers. For these reasons I have never purchased a baby walker for any of my three kids and so far my son started walking at 10 months and m daughter walked at 13 months I am sure my third will do just alright without a walker.
Crib Bumpers
Are crib bumpers safe? The answer is no! This one is quite obvious. I can’t count how many times I have been warned by pediatricians and nurses that the only thing that should be in my baby’s crib is the baby and a fitted sheet. Crib bumpers have been known to let loose and suffocate babies and sometimes babies’ faces get stuck in them. I get the concerns most parents have, but I have never used crib bumpers, and the force with which my baby’s head touches the crib bars is not even enough for her to cry. The fact that some States such as Maryland have gone as far as to band crib bumpers tells you all that you need to know about them.
Sleep Positioners
Sleep positioners were invented to keep babies who co-sleep with their parents safe. Instead, these are just as unsafe as crib bumpers,
There are cases where the baby’s face gets buried in the foam and suffocates. In fact, there have been 13 baby deaths resulting from the use of sleep positioners over the last 13 years.
Baby Bath Seats
Just because something is on the market doesn’t mean that it is safe. A lot of baby bathtubs for instance are being sold with bath seats. I personally hardly ever used them. The dangers with these bath seats are that they give the parents a false sense of security and some parents may leave the child in the bath seat with the water underneath and the child might fall into the water below and drown. Baby bath time can be literally five minutes so just hold your baby and give them a bath.
Some Detachable Pacifiers
Before I had my first baby, I was watching tv and heard about this baby who choked to death on a pacifier. The rubber part that the baby sucks got detached and stuck in the baby’s throat. This frightened the bejesus out of me, so I decided that I would never use detachable pacifiers. To be fear, these days the pacifiers seem very solid, but I am not taking any chances. I use an all-in-one-pacifier like the one below.
Drop-Side Cribs
Drop-side cribs are convenient, but they are not safe. These cribs are convenient because they allow the parents to slide down one side and easily take the baby out. Drop-side cribs are unsafe and have been responsible for 32 deaths since the year 2000. These cribs are banned in the United States and several million have been recalled. If you happened to still have a drop-side crib, get rid of it and invest in a proper solid crib.
Anything designed for bottle propping
Bottle-propping gadgets are so annoying to me. If a mom chooses not to breastfeed that is perfectly fine, but the least a mom or dad can do is to pick up their baby and cuddle the baby and feed her. Not only is using a bottle prop incredibly lazy, but it is also dangerous. A baby can choke on the milk. When you are feeding your baby yourself, you can tell when the baby is about to choke so you can quickly put the bottle down and hold the baby in an upright position and if needed flip the baby over and tap her back. But bottle propping.
Baby Slings
I have never used a baby sling with my first two babies. When I had my third she was super clingy ( I know she is a baby right), but she was more clingy than my other two. To the point where I can’t even put her down to make breakfast for my other two kids who are too small to do it themselves. Because of the restraint my clingy baby put on me, I decided to look into buying some baby slings. However, I couldn’t help but to think about what if my 6 weeks old baby slide slip out that’s a far way down because I stand at 5’ 8. I did some research and lo and behold baby slings are responsible for 14 baby deaths over the past two decades. That’s 14 too many for me. In addition to this number, several babies have suffocated in these slings, and babies who don’t die from falling from these slings suffer server head injuries.
If you insist on using a baby sling, use a front carrier and one that complies with safety standards. You should also keep your baby upright and at a “kissable” level to prevent breathing problems.
Baby Jumpers
Every toddler loves jumping and so it might be tempting to buy a baby jumper for your babies, however, studies have revealed that baby jumpers are not safe! Doorway jumpers can put them in serious jeopardy. If the jumper is poorly secured it can fall apart and overly enthusiastic babies can bounce so high they bonk their noggins on the doorway. Baby jumpers are constantly being recalled. In 2005 alone, 29,000 doorway jumpers were recalled. The product is known to cause amputation, crushing, lacerations, hematomas, bruises, and other injuries. My advice, keep your baby out of the jumper.
Changing Tables
Changing tables are everywhere and most of us parents are guilty of using at least one. The problem is that not all changing tables are safe, especially the ones that do not have four sides. Ensure that when you use a changing table, it has four sides. More than 4,500 children were injured in 2009 due to changing table accidents. If your table has a strap, use it when changing your baby’s diaper to keep them secure in case you look away for a moment.
There are so many baby products out there that promise convenience but rarely we see or hear about the dangers they pose. Do not take it for granted that because an item is being advertised on the open market means that it is safe. Do your own research.
Until next time, walk good Momma!
Xoxo Monica.
