![]() ![]() Older babies and toddlers can also use the pads to climb out of their cribs. Between 19, 11 infants were suffocated by a bumper pad, 13 died from being wedged between a bumper and another object, and three were strangled by a bumper tie. “Once a baby is able to roll, she can press her face against a bumper and suffocate,” says Laura Reno, spokesperson for First Candle, a national SIDS nonprofit organization. The risk: While these pads can keep your baby from bumping her head, they may be risky. The best solution? Just hold wipes in your hands for a few minutes to warm them up. If it’s not brand-new, check to make sure that the model hasn’t been recalled. ![]() Safe strategy: If you use a warmer, follow the instructions carefully, especially if they recommend adding water. “There have just been too many fires and reports of problems,” says consumer advocate Alan Fields, who advises against these products in his book “Baby Bargains.” “It’s an unnecessary risk for something most kids can do without.” The risk: Several models have been recalled because they pose a potential electrocution and fire hazard, and others have scorched furniture. “You should never leave a baby alone in the bath, even for a moment,” says Denise Dowd, M.D., an emergency-room pediatrician at Children’s Mercy Hospital, in Kansas City, Mo. Most important, though, always keep your baby within arm’s reach in the bath. Safe strategy: Consider using a small plastic tub instead. The suction cups can suddenly release, causing your baby to tip over, or he could slide between the legs of the ring and become trapped underwater. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). The seats, which typically stick to the tub with suction cups, have been blamed for 123 drownings since 1983, according to the U.S. The risk: They help your baby sit up in the bathtub, but if you leave him alone in one - even for a few seconds - he can drown. The Home Safety Council recommends that if you use plug-in covers, you should look for ones that are too big to fit through a toilet-paper tube, or choose devices that you must twist or squeeze to remove (see above). Look for bed rails that can be securely attached on each side of your child's bed.Safe strategy: Get covers that screw into the wall and slide shut when outlets aren’t in use, or block unused outlets with furniture. Your child could get trapped between the wall and the mattress. Putting a bed against the wall is not an acceptable substitute for a bed rail. Leave at least 9 inches between the bed rail and the footboard and headboard of the bed.ĭon't use the wall as a bed rail. Be sure they fit tightly with no gaps between the mattress and the rail, so that your child can't get stuck. If they leave a gap or loosen during the night, your child could get trapped, so use the rails strictly according to the instructions and check them each night before use. (See What does the JPMA certification seal really mean?) Bed rails should be used when your child is about 2 until age 5.įollow the manufacturer's instructions when installing bed rails. (Young children should never sleep on waterbeds.) Look for a certification sticker from the Juvenile Products Manufacturers Association (JPMA) on the rail or the packaging. And don't use them on bunk beds, waterbeds, youth beds, inflatable mattresses, or a bed without a box spring. Never install portable bed rails on a crib or toddler bed because the mattress is too small to support them. Use bed rails only with adult mattresses and box springs. If you don't have a toddler bed, consider using an adult-size bed and install bed rails to keep you child from falling out of bed. Some children will try to escape from the crib earlier than others, so be sure to make the switch if you see this behavior, even if your child is still less than 35 inches tall. When your child begins to climb out of the crib or reaches a height of 35 inches, it's time to leave the crib behind.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |