Parents always want to create a safe environment for their babies. However, all baby accessories or toys may not be baby-friendly or non-toxic. Some of these accessories could pose potential threats and health hazards for your baby. There are many baby accessories that are unsafe and that;s why it is important to make sure to read the fine print on the packaging of baby accessories and toys.
As they say, precaution is better than cure.
18 Baby Accessories That Can Be Unsafe
When it comes to new-born baby accessories, parents need to be extra careful. These are the accessories that your baby is going to spend most time with. Infants have the habit of fidgeting and putting things in their mouth. Such incidents could pose a choking hazard if the accessory is too small. Some toys are made of cheap and toxic materials that could cause serious health hazards. There are baby accessories that have been known to cause illnesses and injuries as well. Thus, before you buy accessories for your baby, take a look at 18 baby accessories that can be unsafe:
1. Crib bumper
Crib bumpers are used to protect your baby from bumping into the hard walls of the crib while they are sleeping. However, crib bumpers are known to be a hazard for babies. Babies may press their face into them while sleeping or even use them to climb out of the crib. Over the years, crib bumpers or bumper pads have been the cause of many infant deaths.
2. Drop side cribs
Drop side cribs are cribs that have collapsible walls on all four sides. However, if not built properly, the sides of the cribs can collapse accidently causing severe injuries, and even death. It is advisable to buy the regular cribs instead of drop-side cribs.
3. Play seats
Play seats are used to help your baby learn to sit up during the early months. Many safety tests have shown that putting play seats on high surfaces such as chairs or tables can increase the risk of your baby falling down and injuring their skull.
Even when using play seats on floors, it is important to ensure that there are no wires or cords hanging nearby.
4. Sippy cups
You can’t imagine your toddler without his/her Sippy cup. Though toddlers look adorable with their Sippy cups in hand, Sippy cups could cause serious accidents. Infants have the habit of running or crawling around with their Sippy cups in their mouth.
However, they may bump into a table or wall and the Sippy cup could cause injuries in your baby’s mouth. Sippy cups can cause chipped teeth, scrapes and even cuts in the mouth.
5. Unsafe baby accessories – baby headbands
We all love to see how cute our toddlers look in their hairbands. Hairbands make great fashion accessories and make those baby pictures look even more adorable. Many parents aren’t aware that many baby accessories for hair could cause choking hazards. Tight hairbands also hinder the growth of the baby’s skull and could affect your baby’s brain development.
6. Crib canopies
Crib canopies are like tents for babies’ cribs to prevent them from crawling out. Although it solves a big problem for parents, there are many hazards caused by it. Your child could try to keep bumping into the crib canopy in order to climb out of the crib.
Your toddler may get wrapped in the fabric and get accidentally strangulated. Crib canopies could also cause serious injuries to your toddler.
7. Teething necklaces
Teething necklaces are used to relieve the pain of teething that your toddler faces. However, be it teething necklaces or any other kind of necklace, all necklaces pose a hazard to babies. Your baby could get strangulated with the teething necklace.
As most teething necklaces have beads on them, your toddler may break the necklace and choke on the beads. Make sure you know the risks before buying one for your toddler.
8. Bath seats
While bath seats are helpful for your baby to sit up during bath time, you may think twice before buying one. There’s a high risk of your baby tipping over the bath seat and falling into the bath tub. In case of legged bath seats, babies could lose balance and may just slide down.
Bath seats have been the cause of many infant deaths. It would be more advisable to opt for an infant bath tub.
9. Baby hats and caps
Parents love to doll their babies up with hats and caps. Though hats and caps make your babies look undeniably cute, it could overheat your baby. During sleep, a baby’s body gets easily overheated.
Hence, it is not advisable to make your baby wear caps while they are sleeping. Such overheating could increase the risk of SIDS (sudden infant death syndrome).
10. Small hair accessories
Baby accessories for the hair, make our baby look adorable. However, there are some hazards associated with baby hair accessories. Tiny clips and bands may have glitter or stones attached to them. Babies might take them off and put them in their mouth which could cause choking. Ribbons and hair bows could accidently get wrapped around our baby’s neck and could cause strangulation.
11. Moses baskets
Moses baskets are used for bedding and as carriers for your baby. They are usually cheaper than bassinets and cribs. Many sleep experts and paediatricians advise against using Moses baskets. Infants may roll over and fall out of the basket. There’s also a risk of suffocation as infants can get caught between the gaps in the padding of the Moses basket.
12. Soft slings
Soft slings, also known as sling carriers are great for keeping your babies close to your chest, making them feel as if they are being held by you. However, soft slings pose a major risk of suffocation. Your baby’s head might get pressed against your body and block their airway.
Soft slings can also cause injuries as the baby might fall out of them. Unstructured slings could also affect the posture of your baby.
13. The SNOO
A SNOO is a smart sleeper that responds to your baby’s activity. When your baby gets up, the SNOO automatically responds by rocking your baby back to sleep and playing white noises. However, the fabric of the SNOO may overheat the baby.
It is important to check the room temperature before putting your baby in a SNOO. The SNOO could also affect the position of the baby’s limbs. Make sure that the SNOO isn’t wrapped too tightly around your baby.
14. Bedside co-sleepers
A bedside co-sleeper has a structure similar to a crib but has only three sides. The open side is attached to the parent’s bed so that the parent can continuously monitor the baby in close proximity. Though this accessory is helpful in many ways, the baby may get caught between the gap of the bed’s mattress and the co-sleeper.
Another risk is of your baby rolling over and getting hurt by the bed.
15. Pacifier– one of the most unsafe baby accessories
This may come as a shock to parents, but the age-old pacifier could be hazardous for your toddler. When your toddler bumps into a hard surface with a pacifier in its mouth, the pacifier could cause dental problems related to the gums and could also cause ear infections.
16. Sleep positioner
Sleep positioners are commonly used by parents to prevent their babies from rolling onto their stomachs. Sleep positioners also help in relieving your baby’s acid reflux. However, if your baby manages to slip from the baby positioner, it may roll over and suffocate itself. It also adds to your baby’s bedding which can overheat your baby’s body.
17. Teddy bears
Firstly, any toy that is sewn or glued, should be kept out of the reach of babies. This is because babies have the habit of putting things in their mouth. They could easily choke on the teddy bear’s eye or any other thing that can easily come off. Some teddy bears are made of toxic materials and could cause health hazards for your baby.
Teddy bears should also not be a part of your baby’s bedding until they are seven months of age. This is because keeping stuffed toys in the crib can overheat the baby and increase the risk of SIDS (sudden infant death syndrome).
20. Toy chests
When parents get a dozen of toys as gifts from friends and relatives, a toy chest helps in keeping the house organized. However, most toy chests are made of wood and your baby could bump into the chest while they are crawling. Many toy chests also have collapsible lids.
The baby may try to open the toy chest while you aren’t around and the collapsible lip could fall on your baby’s head if not opened properly. Hence, ensure that you take the necessary precautions before buying a toy chest.
Toys and baby accessories are an important part of your baby’s growth and development. Parents are always afraid of buying the wrong items for their baby. It is important to babyproof your apartment once your baby begins to develop its motor skills. This would avoid the risk of accidents when you aren’t around your baby. Make sure that all your baby’s accessories and toys are properly sanitized before giving it to them.