Baby Proofing: Looking for Potential Dangers

The kind of advice that you are likely to get when you are having a baby for the first time is amazing. There are so many people who will want to tell you all about what they think is right that sometime you hope and wish that there was a single right answer to all your troubles. The fact however, is that there are various arguments for and against almost all the practices and products that are common for babies.

It is best to use your own common sense and then decide what you want to do after listening to all the pros and cons about a specific topic. The same applies to the concept of baby proofing as well. There are various products that are touted as being extremely good for babies. These products are sometimes sold as baby proofing products but they may in fact be dangerous for your child. Think about some of the points mentioned below:

-          Sippy cups – Sippy cups are generally considered to be very convenient for the baby to transition from the bottle to the cup. However, the fact is that a sippy cup is nothing but a baby bottle and when you baby drinks from one, the liquid comes in contact with the teeth at the back and therefore causes bacteria to generate and accumulate in the area. The American Dental Association suggests that it is best to transition babies from the bottle to the cup. This is obviously something that requires hand holding for some time till your baby learns to hold the cup and drink on his own but the effort will be worth its while.

-          Plastic outlet covers – These are sold as the best thing to use so that you can baby proof your home properly. These outlet covers need to be removed every time you need to use them and the most dangerous aspect is that if you remove the cover and then forget to put back the stopper, your child can actually pick up the small piece and put it in his mouth. Swallowing such a small object causes choking. Invest in plastic covers that slide and latch so that the electrical sockets are all secured.

-          Warm clothing and blankets - Parents tend to cover their children with many warm clothing and blankets so that they stay warm. What they do not realize is the fluffy quilts and pillows can cause more harm. Experts believe that the baby crib should be completely empty and the baby should be dressed in enough warm clothing to keep him warm. Blankets and quilts increase the chances of SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome) that occurs when babies re-breathe the carbon dioxide that they have exhaled earlier.

Besides the dangers that have been mentioned above, there are others that can also cause harm to your baby. Make sure that you understand the concept of a baby product before you start using it. In such cases, review the details of a product and only then proceed to use it for your child.

Photography by Ocs Alvarez and Christian Halili