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?!!!

[coddiwomple]

link about socket covers

www.fatallyflawed.org.uk/

[fanfrickintastic]

coddiwomple there's nothing wrong with isofix, just they are often more expensive than belted seats and sold as 'safer' when actually they aren't any safer (obviously some carseats are safer than others, but isofix doesn't make it safer).

[breadedbrielarson]

Johnsons' baby bath is the bubbliest though! All those lovely bubbly chemicals.

Do they really cause eczema or just make existing eczema worse?

[ChocolateRicecake]

Nothing is ever totally safe; there will always be some horror story somewhere. Agree that cot safety is most important as it's the one place you leave a baby for any length of time.

I felt guilty about having an old car because we couldn't have Isofix - felt it was billed as safest as well as most convenient. Turns out our belted seat is one of the safest available and will last longer.

I do get irritated by little babies dangling awkwardly out of shitty carriers.

[breadedbrielarson]

I thought isofix were just more convenient!

[breadedbrielarson]

I do get irritated by little babies dangling awkwardly out of shitty carriers

Shitty carriers? Or people using carriers shittily?

[mymycherrypie]

I understood that baby walkers (like forward facing slings) put too much pressure on the small of baby's back when they are not developmentally ready for it. Can result in a tilted pelvis which loads of people have and don't realise. It's not just walking on toes etc but the formation of the spine in the shape the walker holds them in. Very limited use is ok.

[Hulder]

Those bubbles really can strip your skin - they do look nice but you don't need bubbles to be clean. Does help sell baby lotion though so then of course you have bought 2 products instead of 1

So yes, it can cause ezcema, not just make existing ezcema worse.

[strawberrisc]

Don't you read the Daily Mail? Everything, including lying perfectly still is potentially harmful.

[breadedbrielarson]

I was being tongue in cheek about the bubbles, it makes sense that more bubbles=more/harsher chemicals. We use it once a week or so cos dd loves the bubbles and has had no ill effect but I do agree perhaps it should be clearer about the potential effects on skin.

[BugLand]

Baby bath seats are not the cause of drowning but rather parents leaving the child unattended.

I'm afraid this isn't accurate, they are deathtraps even with constant supervision. There have been multiple occurrences where they tip over but are still partially attached to the bath so the parent could not get the child free and get their face out of the water in time to save them. So tragic.

[BertramTheWalrus]

I do get irritated by little babies dangling awkwardly out of shitty carriers.

So do I! Baby bjorn or whatever they're called are just awful, why are they still sold?!

[TheCuriousOwl]

I'm super allergic to Johnson's stuff so there's no way I'd use it on a baby. If others want to then that's up to them but I wouldn't.

Cot bumpers aren't just a strangulation risk. They often aren't breathable enough and this can build up excessive CO2 in the cot environment which can be a contributor to SIDS. If you are using a proper cot the bars should be close enough together that a baby can't get its head wedged in the bars; an arm or leg maybe but I'd rather have a baby with a bruised arm than take the SIDS risk. Personal choice obviously.

[Sleepthief84]

Not leaving a bib on while a baby is asleep is common sense surely?! You don't put a baby to sleep with anything around it's neck or with anything that can get tangled round it's neck. I read a horrible story the other day about a mum who put her four week old down for a nap with one of those stretchy baby bow headbands on. Her baby died, the headband must have moved off her head and got stuck, somehow she suffocated poor little mite.

[TrashPanda]

When using a carrier or sling baby should be supported in a sort of froggy position with the fabric going from knee to knee. This means the hips will be properly supported. Bad carriers let baby legs dangle from the hips which can exacerbate hip problems as well as being uncomfortable.

[Beachbaby2017]

I agree. And I don't think "use your common sense" always applies here. To me, it isn't common sense that infants would be safest lying alone on their backs on a hard mattress with no blanket! If I think through each aspect, it does make sense, but it's not intuitive either. The guidelines keep changing over time as we learn more risk factors for SIDS and what used to be common sense becomes bad practice.

One that gets me is that, where I live anyway, bassinets and Moses baskets are not officially "safe," only a crib can be certified, but they also say to keep the baby in with you and you can use a bassinet if a crib won't fit - but they won't set safety standards for bassinets, because they're not considered safe, so you're flying blind if you want to buy one in order to keep the baby in your room.

Car seat accessories are a good example of unsafe items that are commonly available.

I generally don't think consumers should be the ones responsible for making sure that products on the market are safe.

[BunnyBardot]

That article about Johnson and Johnson was talking about the American product. In Europe it's a different formula.

[breadedbrielarson]

There have been multiple occurrences where they tip over but are still partially attached to the bath so the parent could not get the child free and get their face out of the water in time to save them. So tragic

Maybe we're talking about different things then cos the seat I have doesn't attach to the bath at all.

[Sleepthief84]

Ergo carriers are great if anyone is looking for a good one. Safe for their little hips and spines. Fine from newborn (you have to buy the insert additionally) and I have the 360 one so when baby is older (there's a minimum weight can't remember what but from about 1 year for us) baby can safely go forward facing, on your side or on your back. It was a godsend for a reflux baby, not cheap but I got my money's worth!

[SleepFreeZone]

I can't even get the baby bath seat unsuctioned when I'm trying to get the thing out post bath! I'm amazed they are considered a risk. I can only think they might be describing an old bath seat or maybe a cheap badly made one. I have the Safety First swivel seat.

[BugLand]

Breaded in my original post I said that it is toddler bath seats that are unsafe. Not bath seats for newborns or small babies that aren't attached to the bath, e.g. The Angelcare ones. Those are totally fine.

[flimflaminurjams]

Not all Johnsons stuff has SLS in, just checked one in the cupboard -its the yellow top to toe one. There was one being sold in Boots as gentle and all that malarkey, it was about £3 more expensive and contained SLS.

This and the isofix thing. We sold a car that had isofix and kept the one that didn't (unknowingly) and when we went to antenatal wasteoftimeclasses isofix was touted as the amazeballs thing and other seats were less safe, which is not the case necessarily.

It just seemed to create a scenario trying to convince parents that they are better parents because they part with more cash on things e.g. £8 for a bottle of bath wash, more expensive isofix seats, silly expensive prams, etc.

Plus its all so subjective. A friend who is a self proclaimed expert criticised plug socket covers, yet used a bumbo and did co-sleeping,. amber necklaces etc

[BugLand]

Sleep that is exactly the problem. Sometimes they do tip over and the parent cannot get the whole seat detached in time to free the child. A seat suctioned to the bath is dangerous.

[coddiwomple]

thank you fanfrickintastic

My understanding was that isofix was safer only because you couldn't get it wrong, whist it's easy not to secure a car seat properly with seat belts.

Re the baby lying on the back, whilst it might be safer, it's not the most comfortable for a baby with reflux, so they don't sleep!
You could also understand the reasoning with putting a baby on its side, you always worry they get sick at night.

Re johnson That article about Johnson and Johnson was talking about the American product. In Europe it's a different formula
I know, but that was my point about buying products from the pound shop. They are not uk produced (or not all).

[breadedbrielarson]

Ah ok sorry bugland