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

[minniemummy0]

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?!!!

Information on socket covers.

Short answer: UK sockets are brilliantly safe because they aren't live until activated by the earth pin of the plug. Socket covers have an earth pin and therefore activate the socket ... making it easier for a child to get an electric shock.

In other countries socket covers can be safer, but not in the UK.

What wrong with socket covers? I've always had them!

X post

Thanks all.

It is impossible to electrocute yourself by putting your fingers in a plug socket

Utter waste of time

what's wrong with Johnson's?

Thanks howthelightgetsin
Baby does like jumperoo but I don't have him in it all day

I have tons of Johnsons stuff, mostly gifts. Tried the bedtime stuff and it gave him a horrible rash and it took weeks to go. God knows what I'll do with it all.....hv said she'd happily ban it

Yes, you will be googling everything. It never ends. I just had to research whether a computer game was suitable for my ten year old...PEGI says yes...I'm not so sure.

Welcome to parenting.

I stopped looking things up about babies when I realised I was just looking for confirmation for my own opinions. I look back now and think...why was I worried? Or conversely, "why did I do that?" Butility we are all still here and DC's seem pretty good.

YANBU. You could add doorframe bouncers and bad baby carriers. My friend was sold a bad carrier in a high street baby store and it really annoyed me. She doesn't have much money and could've done without wasting 50 quid on a substandard product.

The other risk with baby walkers is older siblings pushing them at speed and jolting them can cause whiplash type injury. Most likely on hard floors!

But we...sorry about that.

"sitted" walkers are the ones not recommended.
They are dangerous with stairs and parents not realising that kids can reach hot drinks for example. They are terrible for their legs and hips.
That said, I had a walker for all of mine, just used them 10-15 minutes twice a day whilst cooking. The problem is people whose kids live in them

YANBU OP, I completely agree with you. Selling "happy 1st birday" cards with a design for a child, but not suitable for an under 3 is a funny one.
"children" food is abysmal as well. Check the content before you buy, it's sugar/salt fest and as unhealthy as can be.

Blinds and cords are a huge one, some are still being sold.

Mattresses are another one: they must fit exactly, it's more an issue with travel cot.

The list is endless, you need to read about everything, but it's not as bad as it sound. Your newborn only need bed/bath/ food/ travel system
you have time to research the various toys. Test them before you buy anything expensive anyway: all my kids hated and screamed bloody murder in jumparoos/ playpens, they hated not being able to explore.

Walkers and Bumbos "can" be dangerous if used incorrectly. Bumbos should NEVER be placed on a raised surface like a table or a kitchen countertop. They are actually great as a small chair for weaning feeds on the floor. They need to be constantly supervised, within reach at all times however. Walkers should NEVER be used where there are any steps. Despite that being bleeding obvious to everyone, too many babies launched themselves downstairs in them.
They only stunt development if used for excessive periods, which is easily done when they're so handy.
Cot bumpers I'm on the fence about. My DD1 kept getting her legs stuck in the bars or smacking her head really hard so I bought the bumpers that tie top and bottom tightly and stuff down the mattress. None of my kids ever attempted to climb out of the cot with them though so I can't comment on that bit.

I can't ever forget reading the story of a baby that got strangled by cot bumpers. So sad. The parents had no idea they could be dangerous

Cot bumpers are far worse than the other examples IMO because you leave the baby in the cot unattended. The cot should be the safest place. They should be banned, I can't believe that supposedly reputable shops still sell them!

Bath seats and walkers are in a different category, because they are safe so long as used properly under parental supervision.

good god! anything is dangerous these days it seems

whatever happened to common sense and judgement?

Plug socket covers! Was on my to-buy list for when they were older/toddling!! I would never, ever have thought there could be a downside! See what I mean?!!

I know everything in life is a risk and should be about personal judgement. I don't expect to be nannied in life. I just really expected modern rules and regulations to be such that anything baby relating sold in the U.K. would be more than safe!!! I'm going to have to google everything aren't I?!!!!

Some things are lethal but useful.

Children have suffocated on nappy sacks. They MUST be kept out of reach and don't need to be used for every single nappy.

As far as your baby's safety and best interests are concerned, assume nothing, except that those selling products are lying to you.

I bought a baby nest bedside crib from NCT and sent it back telling them it wasn't safe - I was strongly assured it was. Then that same 'safe' cot strangles a baby to death.

Assume nothing.

Personally my pet peeve is handmade dummy clips you see all over Etsy and Facebook. Nice choking size beads and ribbon stitched together with a bit of cotton and some hope, no safety tests and no guarantee that the stitching will hold. Never worth it. It may look pretty but I don't like the risk.
I parent as best I can using common sense and the latest guidelines (though cot bumpers were something we had to weigh up).

The biggest danger to babies is not what gadget we have but a lack of common sense and supervision.

The thing is most of these things are not dangerous or problematic when used according to the instructions and common sense. Baby bath seats are not the cause of drowning but rather parents leaving the child unattended.

I really think that if you look hard enough online you will find something or someone justifying your opinions regardless of what they are. Therefore other than the really obvious stuff like car seats you just need to use common sense.

MajorFuckUp - that's awful! Good for you that you trusted your judgement. That poor baby/family though. And from the NCT; really would have thought trustworthy.

I'm glad I've realised this now though, I don't want to veer towards paranoid but good to have a health you sense of scepticism.

I would never use a traditional cot bumper. When DD started getting legs stuck in her cot bars I bought an airwrap - like a bumper but completely breathable and velcros on instead of using ties. It's not the prettiest thing but it does the job. Traditional bumpers shouldn't be sold IMO. I got loads of Johnson's products as gifts and I used them once on her and it gave her eczema. I use Childs Farm and Aveeno products now and have no issues (she does have sensitive skin though). Never used a walker or bumbo but did use a Jumperoo for a limited time a few times a week. I do have socket covers though! They fit so tightly that OH can't actually get them off on account of having very short fingernails (he has to ask me to take them out 😂) so I'm not worried about DD removing any. OP lots of these things are just judgement, common sense and personal choice - I know lots of mums who have used things that I wouldn't and their kids are fine. Once baby is here you'll get used to checking everything out for yourself, it becomes second nature after a while. Kids yoghurts is another thing that shocked me - absolutely packed full of sugar! Natural yoghurt only in this house.

Dd used a walker and walks properly (and at an average age).
We have cot bumpers now as she kept hitting her head on the cot

Oh I've thought of more...Those bloody handmade dummy clips, fabric umbilical cord ties (hello infections, yuck!) and also amber teething necklaces. So dangerous, and readily available in so many places.