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?!!!

Whats wrong with johnsons?

i've managed to get 5 babies through school.....3 of them into adulthood and they all had these "lethal" things you mention

however, i look at modern day fads .....amber bracelets and teething necklaces.....and think yuk!! they are not only ugly, but look bloody dangerous

same as those weird "wraps" sling things....look they could spring undone at any minute

I have seen photos of a child with the mark of the bumper string around her neck - she survived, she was fine quickly but horrendous marks still on a few days later. I would never risk a bumper cot, babies just have to learn not to bash their head on them.

Amber necklaces. Even if you swear by them, do your research, don't buy any cheap rubbish and just be very careful.

Winter coats in car seats! Bulkier clothing means most kids are not stropped in properly. I re-read the instruction of my car seat and didn't see anything about it whatsoever. (on that note, I would recommend a "winter cocoon" kind of thing, as opposed to a bulky all in one. Quick to unzip and open in heated places, instead of overheating your baby, which is not ideal)

Johnsons is full of SLS which causes ezcema.

I was shocked when I was suffering from ezcema myself so looked at baby products for me, assuming they would be OK - Johnsons was very much not

Pound shop baby products are not always manufactured in the UK, so don't have the same regulations. Worth checking to what you buy there, if you do. They are not "fake", just follow different rules.

I use a bath seat for my baby, how is he gonna drown when I'm sat looking at him the whole time?

Some of these posts seem a bit dramatic tbh.

same as those weird "wraps" sling things....look they could spring undone at any minute

Um.. nope.

Obviously it takes a bit of practice learning to wrap and tie them, but perfectly safe if used correctly. I've not lost any of mine out of a wrap yet.... 😉

same as those weird "wraps" sling things....look they could spring undone at any minute

Wtf? If you ban those you'll basically end the sleep/parenting boards, "pop them in a sling" is the mn answer to nearly every thread on there.

Hulder I tried using some of DDs gifted Johnson's stuff on myself so it didn't go to waste and it brought out my eczema too, and I rarely get it now it's very under control - I can use loads of fragranced soaps and stuff. I've taken all the unopened stuff to the foodbank hopefully someone will be able to use it. One of the first things our GP said when I took DD down with her skin was 'are you using Johnson's?' I know some kids are fine with it though.

I used Johnsons once on my sensitive scalp. Scalp came off in chunks.

Smells lovely, but not worth it given my DC were likely to inherit the sensitive skin (3/3 had eczema as babies).

Healthy baby skin doesn't need lotion at all, or powder for that matter: just clean warm water and a pat down with a clean cotton towel. Poorly skin needs Sudocrem, Metanium, Oilatum etc not Johnsons.

Now I'm scared about my cot bumpers. I have the breathable Velcro ones down each side and a tie one at the end. The one end where there is a gap between bars my 18 month old regularly gets his arm or leg wedged 😬 I can't see how he would cope with no bumpers at all if I took them out he'd end up with every bloody limb wedged through a gap.

What's wrong with a dummy strap?

OP Just use common sense and you will be fine

On the flip side, all over the country there are babies interacting with items that are "not suitable for under 3s" because their older siblings have them, and being fine.
Obviously what 'over 3s' products are actually OK to use with parental supervision does have to be a case-by-case parental choice, but it does demonstrate that even some things that are considered 'dangerous' by law are not really instantly deadly. It can also depend on how they are used (as with the bath chairs) - eg: bubble mixture is a baby sensory class staple but it wouldn't be safe to just hand to a baby in case they drank it.

and yes it is annoying that many women don't do thorough research into things before buying
wtaf
since when are women responsible for buying everything?

To be fair, the point is not really to list the people who did survive in the past despite using this and that. It's trying to keep your baby safe, make your own life easier, not hope for the best.

When they were babies, my parents traveled everywhere in a moses basket on the back seat of their parents car. There were more comfortable and happier than me in my car seat, but there's a reason why car seats are mandatory nowadays. There's even arguments about forward and backward facing and the rules are changing.

Some of the car seats available on the market have terrible safety reviews. God knows why they are still allowed.

The baby nest was used incorrectly in the case where a baby died.

The base was tilted too steeply, the side was only half up and the baby was sleeping on it's front. I don't believe the product itself is unsafe if used correctly. But I suppose any product which is easy to use incorrectly could be deemed unsafe.

Dummy straps with kite marks are defensible. It's the "mumpreneur" home made ones which are horribly dangerous because they're too long (strangulation risk) or insecurely joined (choking hazard) or the wrong glue has been used (choking or poisoning) etc.

SIL has a fashion degree and for a while supplemented her income by making children's clothes. She deliberately avoided making anything for under 7s (iirc) because the safety regulations are so tight regarding seams, fixings, decoration etc. Most home sewers/crafty people aren't aware of that legislation.

Yeah cot bumpers are lethal, socket covers increase the danger. Bag slings (not correctly used fabric slings or carriers). Car seats with impact shields, places like mothercare telling people isofix is safer than belted carseats. Car seats attaching to prams. Baby rice at 4 months (even if you agree with weaning early, baby rice is terrible).

And then the NHS midwives go around saying cosleeping is never safe.

Can someone tell me what's wrong with Johnsons bath products?

Most everyday items can be dangerous. Gravity probably the worst! As others have said, just use common sense and make sure your baby is as safe as is practicable. I used a playpen when my children were young for those times when I needed them to be safe while I was doing other things - so cooking or tidying up in the kitchen, playpen would be out of the way but within my sight, other side of kitchen. Baby could see me, I could keep an eye, all was fine.

They seem to have gone out of fashion these days, no idea why.

It takes so much research Tommie tippie perfect prep aren't recommended http://www.firststepsnutrition.org/pdfs/Statementonnmakinguppformula%20safelyMarr2015final.pdf

They don't recommend swaddleing babies anymore

And no leaving bibs on when they sleep
And about 100 other things

time.com/4239561/johnson-and-johnson-toxic-ingredients/
better and more recent links available, but this will give you an idea

What's wrong with Isofix car seats now?

fruitlovingmonkey
What do you mean by a "bad sling"? Which brand?

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.

What's wrong with socket covers 😱 and what's the alternative?!

In the uk they are not needed neither is an alternative

j&j products are fine - just not as gentle as they would have us believe and simply not necessary.