Baby Safety Straps
Baby Safety Showers — Not Just Fun and Games!
Author: MY FIRST ROOM
If you’re looking for a creative and different way to honor new moms- and dads-to-be and help them get ready for their baby, consider throwing a baby safety shower instead of the usual “blankets and snugglies” shower.
Traditional baby showers are great fun and they offer new parents an opportunity to prepare their ”nests” for the arrival of a new baby.
Usually a baby shower is intended to give new parents a leg up in acquiring essential items like baby clothing, bath supplies, bottles or nursing equipment, toys and games, and special blankets or other treasures like silver cups.
I’ve always viewed baby showers as one of the best ways that a community can come together around the birth of a new child.
It reminds me of one of the best aspects of the ”old days” when a town, village, or neighborhood considered the birth and caring for a new child its responsibility, too.
A baby safety shower is in keeping with these old communitarian traditions.
It’s more than just fun and games, it’s really a learning experience for the whole community where all the activities revolve around baby and home safety.
Parents and caregivers certainly have a great time, but they also leave with a higher awareness of ways to keep their new babies safe at home.
The shower’s theme may focus on a variety of safety issues (see the Baby Safety Checklist below), including child-proofing one’s home, nutrition or health.
Also, you can arrange a baby safety shower for as many people as you can fit in your party space.
At bigger safety showers, all of the moms and dads in attendance — not just the couple being honored — can visit a variety of exhibits where safety-savvy parents illustrate home safety information with games, puzzles, songs, prizes, and other activities.
At smaller showers, it might work better to have one person lead the group in discussions and safety games.
Usually baby showers involve a collection of family and friends of the new parents, but safety showers are also a good way to create and promote partnerships within the broader community.
By offering, for example, to distribute baby products donated by local stores, or by providing information from local community health service providers, you can enhance your ties with the local business community and build your relationships with local health and social service organizations.
All this creates goodwill in your community and it provides your invited parents with welcome information, products, and services.
Use your creativity to create a baby safety shower for your personal situation.
The key to throwing a safety shower that will be rewarding for all involved is providing important safety information in a festive and inviting setting.
So — have fun, and learn about the all-important matter of better safety practices for your household.
BABY SAFETY CHECKLIST
The guidelines below were developed by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission.
It’s important to remember that, while these standards are based on sound principles, certain parents may disagree with some of them.
For example, the bedroom guidelines state that a baby should never sleep in the same bed as an adult.
However, from the Attachment Parenting perspective, sleeping with one’s baby is considered an important aspect of bonding and is even believed to possibly lower the incidence of SIDS.
Therefore, I recommend using the following guidelines as just that, guidelines, which should be examined carefully in light of your own views and beliefs about baby care giving.
Always consult your pediatrician if in doubt of the best way to proceed.
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In the bedroom:
Put your baby to sleep on her back in a crib with a firm, flat mattress and no soft bedding underneath her.
Follow this advice to reduce the risk of suffocation and Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS).
To prevent suffocation, never put babies to sleep on adult beds.
Make sure your baby’s crib is sturdy and has no loose or missing hardware.
This will prevent babies suffocating or strangling by becoming trapped between broken crib parts.
Never place your baby’s crib or furniture near window blind or curtain cords.
This will prevent babies from strangling on the loop of the cord.
To prevent falls, keep children away from windows.
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In the bathroom:
Keep medicines and cleaning products in containers with safety caps and locked away from children.
This will prevent children from being poisoned.
Always check bath water temperature with your wrist or elbow before putting your baby in to bathe.
This will prevent burns to a baby’s delicate skin.
Never, ever, leave your child alone in the bathtub or near any water.
This will prevent children from drowning.
In addition, keep children away from all standing water, including water in toilets, 5-gallon buckets, and pools.
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In the kitchen:
Don’t leave your baby alone in a highchair; always use all safety straps.
This will prevent injuries and deaths from the baby climbing out, falling, or sliding under the tray.
Be sure to use safety straps in strollers and baby swings.
Use your stove’s back burners and keep pot handles turned to the back of the stove.
This will prevent deaths and injuries from burns.
In addition, keep children away from tablecloths, so they can’t pull down hot foods or liquids on themselves.
Lock household cleaning products, knives, matches, and plastic bags away from children.
This will prevent poisonings, bleeding injuries, burns, and suffocation.
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In other living areas:
Install smoke detectors on each floor of your home, especially near sleeping areas; change the batteries each year.
This will prevent deaths and injuries from fires.
Use safety gates to block stairways and safety plugs to cover electrical outlets.
This will prevent injuries from falls and electric shocks.
Keep all small objects, including tiny toys and balloons, away from young children.
This will prevent choking and possible death.
Additional Information and Resources
If you would like more information about baby safety or about how to organize a baby safety shower, including specific tips on planning, organizing, and coordinating one, please write to us.
Frequently Asked Questions
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QUESTION:
looking for a chair for baby of 9 months with safety straps.Only the one he has at the moment tilts forward?
he keeps trying to stand up in his chair, and actually went completely forward the other day, luckily I was in the room with him when it happen. although he did hit his face on the floor but nothing too serious, but could of been. I have been looking everywhere for a baby chair from 9 months upwards with safety straps as he is not walking yet,and not sturdy enough to balance himself. The chair he has at the moment is for birth to infant FP.Can anyone help-
ANSWER:
If you’re talking highchairs, Peg Perego is great. If you’re talking a bouncy chair, which I think you are. Kids shouldn’t be in one after they learn to sit, it’s dangerous. Try putting him in his excersaucer, or if he doesn’t have one, that would be a good investment. Otherwise, put him in a play yard where he can’t escape from, but can move around safely
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QUESTION:
How to get mildew out of safety straps for a carseat?
I am having a baby in about 3 weeks and got the carseat out of storage. I noticed that it had a bit of mildew on the straps. It was likely put away without being cleaned by my husband. So I am wondering what will take out the mildew. The straps are a golden tan color and they are Graco. Thanks for any help!-
ANSWER:
While you *can* clean the straps off to a degree… you are not supposed to immerse them in liquid because it can weaken them and put your child at risk. With mildew… I really wouldn’t be happy with just a surface cleaning.If the seat itself is not expired you can contact Graco with the model number and other info and purchase a new set of straps. That would really be your best option for maximum safety at minimal cost.
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QUESTION:
Which brand is the best to use for baby safety?
I’m trying to stop my little one from opening doors, and drawers. I have the brand safety first, using their cabinet
& drawer latches, and the ones with the tension release strap, but i find the sticky stuff holding them in place, just fails…everytime. I sick of wasting money on a product that doesn’t work. What can I use to stop my child opening drawers, cupboards, shower doors……if you know something that definately works let me know..-
ANSWER:
I believe I have the same kind of cabinet locks and you are supposed to screw them in. The adhesive tape on them is so they stay in place while you screw them into the cabinet.If you have cabinet doors with the handle together, I suggest just getting the slide locks. They had them that looked like a U shape and you just slid the end on and then pushed buttons on the top and bottom to slide them off. I cant find them anymore though
BUT now they have these ones that look like a diamond and 2 zip tie looking things that you loop through the center diamond piece… they are mommy proof too though LOL! I bought both of these at walmart. For the doors, they have door knob covers at walmart too. OR you can buy a gate and not let him or her in the kitchen and close the bathroom door…
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QUESTION:
omg .. opinion on safety straps for prams?http://news.ninemsn.com.au/national/878388/witness-tells-of-baby-under-train-miracle
Now my opinion is that the mother shouldnt of taken her eyes of the pram! Let alone let go of it at a train station! Very stupid and irresponsible .. but my pram came with a safety strap that goes around my wrist so things like this dont happen .. i think here in australia its a law now .. i always use it just to be safe .. what do you think?
yes .. i have let go of my pram .. when ive had the safety strap on my wrist and im on level ground .. also she was waiting for the the train so she knew it was coming .. ive never let go of my pram on a train station when im waiting to cross the road etc .. but tis couldve been avoided with some responsibility .. im not saying shes a bad mother just this one this was very stupid.. i am also greatful that te baby is unharmed!
my pram came with one for my son which i bought when i was pregnant and hes 16 months old now so that was about 2 years ago .. and i bought a stroller a few months ago and te strap is on the pram and it cant come off unless you cut it and theres a label on it saying “warning use the strap to stop pram/stroller from rolling away”-
ANSWER:
safety straps are compulsory by law for precisely the reasons shown in that article. I was told they are compulsory on ALL strollers, not just the ones sold since the law came into effect. I don’t know if you remember the incident where the baby drowned because a stroller rolled down a hill into a body of water, but that was the incident that pushed the tether strap law through.However that doesn’t stop lazy parents from not using them and it doesn’t stop stupid parents from cutting them off, and it is those parents who will end up with the dead babies.
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QUESTION:
Can you use a forward-facing car-seat without the safety tether strap thing ?
Our second car is an old pick-up with one long bench seat, simple cab. There are no anchors of any type for baby seats. We are still installing her convertible face-backwards because I read in the manual that you should never do it in the forward-facing position without the safety strap.What do can I do ? She is getting too big to face backwards. Does anyone know of a model of seat that doesn’t require the safety strap ? Is it legal not to have it (this is an older vehicle ?)
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ANSWER:
its not wise to put a car seat in the front seat of any vehicle. its not safe.
if the seat has a safety strap then use it. if you got no points of contact then you are risking your daughters safety.
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QUESTION:
I need a strap for my baby swing.?
I was wondering, is it possible to buy a safety strap for a swing that doesn’t have one. The swing hasn’t been used as of yet, but will need that strap when the baby does start to use it. Please, if you can help me find one, that would be great.
Thanks.-
ANSWER:
check the manufacturer’s website. if they dont have them on the site to buy u may have 2 call the customer service number an see if there is any way to buy a replacement strap. If you bought this swing new I would disassemble it an take it back to the store. if you no longer have the reciept go out an buy a new one of the same thing an put the one that did not have the strap back in the box an then take it back. The store is not losing out on money an they will not be short on inventory as they will just send the defective one back to the manufacturer an get a credit for it. Hope this helps!!!
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QUESTION:
Baby Car Seat Safety – older vehicles? install teather latch?
I know that vehicles made after 2002 have an anchor for the carseat teather strap….but my vehicle is a 1990 Chrysler VanI read somewhere online that dealerships install the anchor latch free of charge….is that true or how much would it cost? Im in Canada
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ANSWER:
In Canada, it is a law to have your carseats tethered. Yes, GM will install one tether anchor at no charge…and there is no charge for the hardware. You need to contact your local dealership and they will install it for you. Since it is required in Canada, they MAY be able to install more at no charge.Is it a Chrysler Town and Country? You can have TA’s installed outboard, but not in the center and you can have them at all seating locations in the 3rd row. The part number is 05017529AA. That part no. is for all of the seating locations.
Refer to Technical Service Bulletin 23-08-00 Revision A for details. It is only with certain older models.
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QUESTION:
as a mom would you say anything, okay i’m gonna say something 4 the safety of the baby how do i?
w/o losing a friend?my husband is 22 & he has been good friends with this guy who is 19, for about 5 yrs. his friend just started working where my hubby does, the same shift, so he told my hubby, “hey i’ll drive since i have to come by your house to go to work.” so my husband said great, yesterday was the first time, now his friend lives with his girl friend (who is 17, and just had a baby 8 months ago) and her parents,
so my hubby comes home this morning and he was like their baby’s car seat is facing forward and it moves whenever he goes around a curve, i’m like what? so he said that the car seat literally raises up on one side when he goes around the curb. picture leaning on a motorcycle. and slides along the seat a little.
now i know they are young, but their daughter is 8 months old, and only weighs 14 lbs (she was a preemie) so i know it’s not suppose to be turned around facing forward yet & the fact that it moves, and moves that much. i was like did you say anything, he said i asked him about it and he said her parents put it in the car for them
okay now i’m just a nosy, very opinionated mom, and i can and will bite my tongue on stuff that is none of my business, but this is my business because if anything happens (like they wreck and that little girl dies) it’s on me cause i know better and i didn’t do anything about it, now i have no idea how in the instructions her parents missed the part about it being turned rear facing till 1 year old or a certain weight, nor do i know how they missed the part about it not having to be tight, but my husband said is leans and slides along the seat, so not safe
but what upset me more was i was mulling this around all morning, so i wake him up and tell him to call them and invite them up for a cookout and to play in the pool, they come up and she is like i love swimming, i told her i have a small baby pool for the kids, she puts her baby, who can’t sit up on her own in the baby pool and walks off, yes i was there, but what if i wasn’t, my son can sit up on his own, the fact that i never leave him alone has nothing to do with it. but so anyway, that’s fine, i assume she knew i’d be staying with the baby’s
when they were leaving she put her daughter in the car seat and she didn’t fasten the straps across her chest, she just fastened the bottom buckles, i was like you forgot the chest buckle, she said no it’s too hard to get fastened, and she cries because it takes me so long to get it unfastened. okay so my baby used to also but i still did it
so i said well let me show you a trick to it. so i showed her if she uses both hands it will unsnap faster, i had to buckle the baby in, but she was like, nah she’s safe as long as one of them is fastened. really how did she come up with that
so now i’m trying to figure out i should tell her that her car seat needs to be adjusted and rear facing with out hurting her feelings
i was thinking like when they come up again, be cleaning my babies and ask her to help me put it back in the car and making a comment about i can’t wait till he’s 1 yr old so i can turn it around forward or something. what do you think
yes i know i will get rude comments about minding my own business, but i’m not going to, so if that is all you have to say, don’t answer, thank you have a great night.
oh, and yes it’s a rear facing kind of carseathttp://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=3237055
this is the carseat they have, i know, we gave it to them for the baby shower, and it only goes up to 32 lbs, and is meant for rear facing.
our police station installs car seats in our town, it’s where all the moms donate their old carseats to so they can give them to families that can’t afford a new one so their babies are safe in a carseat that is fairly new and still in the safe guidelines
i know i just want to shake her and say you’re a mom now, grow up and take care of your baby right. and put her safety first.and then throw all my parenting books at her.
Celeys mommy i like that idea, i really don’t want to hurt her feelings or scream at her or damage my husband’s friendship with her boyfriend, but if i have to i will, i’m trying to be subtle about it first.-
ANSWER:
I agree… but I think you need to just sit down and be frank with her.. tell her that her baby is not safe in that car seat and you are very concerned for her safety…tell her as a young mom you can understand the oversight (obciously you’d be lying here… pleny of young moms know the right way) and offer to show her how to do it correctly and mention if they ever got pulled over they would be cited for not having that child rear facing.If she refuses then call CPS.. seriously. It’s moms like her that give young moms a bad name.
I feel very scared for that child and as a friend I think i is time to step in and gentle nudge her in the right direction or tke some sort of action, even if it means your hubby loses a friend.
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