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AIBU?

To be utterly annoyed that things are sold for babies that aren't advised??

230 replies

minniemummy0 · 19/07/2017 20:30

I'm expecting my first baby soon. I'm 35 and consider myself fairly intelligent, and I've not been completely sheltered from babies, I've got a niece and nephew.

But honestly, it annoys me so much finding out that things available freely are potentially harmful. The two examples I can specifically think of are cot bumpers and walkers.

Even at the Mamas and Papas baby event I went to, the gentlemen who gave a talk on sleeping, which wasn't essentially an advert for their own products, said the bumper was for show and not safe for baby, and even when they are older could be used as a leg up to get out of the cot, so still not really safe.

And then now I read in another thread tonight that baby walkers stunt baby's development! What the heck! Why are they even sold?! I thought they helped baby to start walking safely! I was obviously wrong but can you honestly blame someone for presuming that?! It seems not something that would ever have occurred to me!

Aibu to think you should be able to presume baby related items are safe, and not damaging to baby, and if they are they shouldn't be bloody sold?!!!

OP posts:
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fruitlovingmonkey · 22/07/2017 13:43

JessieMcJessie sorry for the late reply. It was an unbranded carrier from a high street shop. Baby Bjorns can make hip problems worse but the main risk of bad carriers is the baby being too low and squashed (especially against boobs) as there's a suffocation risk.

To be utterly annoyed that things are sold for babies that aren't advised??
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sykadelic · 22/07/2017 02:47

@yellowgymball no I'm not actually lol. I have one myself and use it. It's a common "tongue-in-cheek" name for them because most parents who use them (like myself) joke that it's the only way to get shit done sometimes!

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coconuttella · 21/07/2017 07:04

Almost everything necessary for daily life carries a risk, and could be presented as 'dangerous'!

Toddlers have been injured falling down stairs - do we therefore insist we all live in bungalows?

Babies have been killed in car crashes, even in properly fitted seats! Do we insist that babies should never travel in cars?

Clearly safety is important, but over recent years, fueled by the Internet, it's been taken to a crazy level by some.

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Kittymum03 · 21/07/2017 04:42

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

OkPedro · 21/07/2017 02:53

Thanks for that rolf
I have never heard of anyone using talc on their vulva or in their vagina Shock
My Mam died from OC. She used talc on herself after a bath on her legs and arms. I did the same as a child. I haven't since then and never used it with my dc..

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RolfNotRudolf · 21/07/2017 02:28

This article is interesting - and certainly not conclusive on the risks of talc and ovarian cancer
www.nhs.uk/news/2016/03March/Pages/Talc-and-ovarian-cancer-what-the-most-recent-evidence-shows.aspx

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RolfNotRudolf · 21/07/2017 02:25

Although wasn't there a woman in the US who successfully sued for that OKPedro? I may be imagining it though.

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OkPedro · 21/07/2017 01:32

Wow Talc "causes ovarian cancer"
It really doesn't you know. There has been talk of a link between the two. A blanket statement saying it causes OC is very wrong

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ReesesPeanutButterCups · 20/07/2017 20:02

A lot of the terrible accidents sadly have cases of misuse of products or lack of supervision. Many things can be dangerous if you leave a baby unattended.

Cot bumpers (traditional thick tie ones) are risky because a baby is usually unattended in a cot and you cannot see if they have got stuck in them. A baby who can't roll freely is especially vulnerable as they could roll over and bury their face in them but be unable to roll back.

Johnson baby stuff has a lot of chemicals in it as well as perfume. I assumed it would be fine as it's for babies but I'm incredibly allergic to it. I used simple baby for my kids and my pregnant self.

Socket covers are absolutely useless at best and dangerous at worst. You cannot electrocute yourself by pushing your fingers in the socket. The third prong on a uk plug (others have 2) is an earth. The circuit is not active until this earth prong is totally pushed in. You will notice it's slightly longer as well so the socket won't activate until the entire plug in inside and the outside is flush with the socket. This is also the reason why if you knock a plug slightly it won't work.

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SerfTerf · 20/07/2017 18:26

PARENTS might want to...

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SerfTerf · 20/07/2017 18:25

with the strings cut very short

That's what was commonly done in the 70s and 80s (and before?). Seems much simpler than banning things might want to cautiously use.

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PrimalLass · 20/07/2017 18:13

I would have lost my mind without a baby walker for DS. He was born bored and the size of a 3-month-old. It wasn't until he could scoot about that he stopped winging the whole time. We had no steps and a stair gate over the kitchen door. See also 'Lying in front of the TV at 5 weeks' (that was like a miracle cure).

He is now uber sporty and very bright so I think we did ok.

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Oblomov17 · 20/07/2017 16:53

Oh purlease. None of these things are dangerous if used sensibly/occasionally/supervising.

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Hmmalittlefishy · 20/07/2017 15:53

Welcome wrecking! Just didn't want you to panic and think you had done something bad. But a sling library may help you find something a little more comfy

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Hmmalittlefishy · 20/07/2017 15:53

This is the best information I have found about hips and narrow based carriers.
As I said before they don't cause hip dysplasia but can aggravate an existing problem. Front facing can also be too much sensory overload and they are generally not as comfortable for parent or child.
Hips - www.sheffieldslingsurgery.co.uk/2013/09/19/healthy-hips-busting-some-myths/

Forward facing - www.sheffieldslingsurgery.co.uk/2016/07/21/the-fuss-about-facing-out/

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Wreckingball25 · 20/07/2017 15:47

@Hmmalittlefishy thank you very much!

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Windbeneathmybingowings · 20/07/2017 15:08

You know what teainbed I just had a (granted very small) look and I actually can't find a study that endorses the hipdysplasia org website. I'll have a better look when I have more than 2% battery but that's rather interesting... you'd expect there to be something. If anyone finds anything, do share. This is intriguing now!

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Rockhopper81 · 20/07/2017 14:26

High chairs that recline

I agree, you wouldn't feed a baby in a reclined high chair. The youngest nephew had a 'high chair that reclined' from birth, partly because it was somewhere to put him downstairs when they ate (they lived in a 3-storey townhouse at the time), partly because they have a dog (that lived on the bottom floor), so didn't really want him to lie on the floor around the dog all the time. Then when he was weaned, he had a high chair too.

That kind of comes back to 'whatever works best for you' and the supervision issue - he was never fed reclined, but it was the right choice for them as a family.

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minipie · 20/07/2017 14:22

As a couple of posters have said upthread, I really think it's a case of knowing the risks and taking an informed decision, weighing up against any other risks and downsides

For example we switched DDs to forward facing car seats around 15 months rather than ERF, because they were miserable RF and I reckoned the distraction from their yelling was more of a hazard (especially as most of our journeys are local ones at

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sashh · 20/07/2017 13:54

You can get socket covers (in the US anyway) that replace a regular cover (called a Mommys Helper White Safe Plate) that I think look pretty cool.

But in the UK the plug sockets are made in such a way that babies cannot make a circuit by sticking their fingers, or even a screwdriver in.

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ineedwine99 · 20/07/2017 13:49

Also love my prep machine, not had a single issue, i use branded filters and use filtered water in the machine to be extra cautious.

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ineedwine99 · 20/07/2017 13:46

@Bluefrog26 - i love the gro bag as does my baby, she can't wiggle down into it. As a new born we used the grosnug for swaddling her arms but keeping her legs free, it was brilliant.
I also only ever use isofix car seats after an incident in our last car where the seatbelt didn't lock into place and tipped our goddaughter to the side in her belted car seat, despite us yanking it locked before we set off

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RolfNotRudolf · 20/07/2017 13:43

I don't have a problem with rain covers per se but the one I linked to above does appear to act as more of a seal than a cover.

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BertieBotts · 20/07/2017 13:38

The car seat laws are no more stringent anywhere else.

I don't like those sleepyheads. Their website does say not to use unsupervised so I suppose their backs are covered but they also encourage them to be used for co-sleeping and suggest that the pillowed edges Hmm will stop parents rolling on the baby which is just bonkers.

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Alittlepotofrosie · 20/07/2017 13:35

There's no evidence at all that perfect preps are dangerous. The issues with "mould" in the pipes were found to be from people using non branded filters in them.

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