By, Sarah Chambers & Linda Bauchwitz

 

Nine months of trying, five months of fertility treatments, 72 ovulation testers, and 14 pregnancy tests. Who would have thought all it would take was a trip to Mexico? Yup…this baby planner is finally planning for her own baby!

Now that the boys have done their job, it’s time to get down to business. Although I know the most important part of pregnancy and parenting are the experiences; let’s get real…I will need baby “stuff” and so will you! And this baby “stuff” needs to be safe!

I am well aware of the sea of baby products out there: 700+ strollers, 1000+ cribs, not to mention the information overload! When I considered the right gear for my baby, there was a lot I had to think about: budget, colors, features, accessories, and functionality all come into play. Although we all love those bells and whistles, safety trumps them all.

Up until this point, I haven’t bought a lot but I have purchased three baby items: the crib, car seat, and stroller. Because these must haves are responsible for the largest number of infant injuries, I will focus on the safety considerations of these specific products.

 

Car Seat Safety

As new mommies and daddies, at times we need to focus on safety when purchasing baby products while other times we need to focus on safety when using these products. With that in mind, let’s start talking car seats.

Knowing that I can’t even leave the hospital without a car seat, I decided to make this priority number one. First dilemma: infant or convertible? I chose an infant car seat based on the knowledge that baby fits better and is safest traveling in an infant car seat for the first six to twelve months. Based on my extensive research, here are a few additional safety tips to keep in mind.

•       Don’t purchase a used car seat! Think about recalls, history of the seat, changes in safety standards, plastic becoming compromised, etc.

•       Register your car seat! Both the manufacturer and NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) should contact you regarding recalls.

•       80% of car seats are installed incorrectly – leave this to the professionals. Call us to get your closest installation site.

•       Fold back car seat handle when installed in vehicle. Chicco is the only exception.

•       Keep children rear-facing until 2 years. This is a new safety standard recommended by the AAP (American Academy of Pediatrics).

•       Pay attention to both height and weight limits of the car seat. Be aware if you pop out a baby Shaq!

•       Adjust harness straps to appropriate height as child grows. Shoulder straps should sit at or just below baby’s shoulders.

•       Make sure straps fit tightly around child. Only two fingers should fit under those shoulder straps.

•       Don’t place infant in car seat with bulky snowsuit. If baby resembles the boy in The Christmas Story, we’ve got a problem. Nothing heavier than fleece!

•       Not one model of car seat is made to fit on top of a shopping cart. Place baby and seat in cart’s basket or, even better, babywear!

 

Stroller Safety

Now that I have a safe car seat picked out, it’s time to think about a compatible stroller. My focus here is more on stroller usage rather than the actual purchase. One stroller is not necessarily safer than the other, but how you use it can put your child at risk.

•       Register your stroller! Again, the manufacturer should contact you regarding recalled products.

•       Be aware of and follow stroller’s child weight guidelines. 

•       Jogging strollers are great, but no jogging with baby until he/she is at least 1 year. Those little necks just aren’t strong enough yet. Check with your pediatrician.

•       Don’t leave a sleeping child unattended while in the stroller – even in your home.

•       Brakes cannot be trusted – particularly on an incline. You at the top of the hill, baby at the bottom? Not good!

•       Make sure to use the harness system at all times.

•       Don’t hang bags on stroller handles – no, no, no - tippy, tippy (finger wag)!

•       Keep child away when folding and unfolding.

•       Don’t use pillows, blankets, quilts as mattress for sleeping infants in stroller – suffocation hazard.

 

Crib safety

Silly me! I thought choosing a safe crib would be easy. I know that all cribs sold in the United States meet the same federal safety standards. You would think that would be enough. Well, with that being said, there were still over 4 million cribs recalled last year. Scary huh? Not only do we have to think about reputable brands and a quality product, we also need to think about how we use the crib. Here are my safety suggestions for cribs.

•       Don’t purchase a used crib!!! Think about changing safety standards, abuse, missing hardware, etc.

•       Be aware of cribs with attached dresser/changing table! You may find your curious toddler performing a balancing act atop that dresser.

•       Keep crib away from windows and heat vents. Issues: temperature, falling out of windows, hazardous cords.

•       Tighten screws and bolts every month – especially drop side cribs.

•       SIDS hazards in cribs – quilts, stuffed animals, sleep positioners, bumpers, pillows.

•       Slat spacing should be no larger than a pop can (2 ³/₈”).

•       Snug mattress – fit no more than 2 fingers between mattress and crib frame.

•       Sheet fit – use sheets with elastic all the way around.

I never dreamt there were so many things to worry about when becoming a parent. I have found these to be a few easy things to do to help minimize my safety anxiety. By sharing my knowledge, I hope to help keep you sane and your baby safe.