4 Dangerous Baby Items Many Parents Still Use

As parents, we all have our child’s best interest in mind. The same goes for us at Child Safety Store. As our readers know, we want to always keep you informed about how to keep your little ones safe and happy. Unfortunately, sometimes even well-meaning plans can cause unintentional danger. 

The truth is, just because an item is available at a store or on a website doesn’t mean it can’t still be harmful.  In fact, some rather popular items are not recommended by many experts. This is due to the potential risk these items can cause. It’s important to do your own research and make the decision that is best for your family.  

We’re here to help. Here are four baby items that are commonly used, but are actually quite dangerous.

1. Walkers

To many parents, walkers may seem like a great product that can help your little one to stand or practice walking even before they are ready to on their own. However if your child is not ready to walk, they will not be able to properly control the movement of one of these devices.

This may result in the child getting pulled, falling or, worse yet, wandering toward a restricted area like a staircase. This can result in a serious fall or injury. In fact, the American Academy of Pediatrics warns against the use of walkers and recommends that the United States take a note from Canada and ban the product altogether. 

Bottom line: Your child will develop at their own pace. To help them stand and explore, try a stationary activity table. This will encourage them to pull themselves up and walk the circumference of the table without getting into trouble.

2. Drop-Side and Secondhand Cribs

Believe it or not, regulations and guidelines regarding cribs are updated quite frequently. This is especially true post-2011, when standards became stricter. As experts learn more about crib safety and develop new case studies, they update their recommendations accordingly. Standard older models quickly become obsolete. While hand-me-downs like onesies and books are great, it is best to avoid using a secondhand crib. Unfortunately, it is possible that a previously used crib has been recalled, is missing a screw or two, or is now considered dangerous.  

One example of a crib style no longer available is the drop-side crib. On these older models, the side of the crib slid down, making it easier for parents to gently place or pick up the baby. Tragically, this sliding element resulted in the suffocation or strangulation of many babies. Eventually these cribs were recalled and even banned.

3. Inclined Rockers 

Next on the list is the infant rocker. This will be a familiar topic for our readers, as we’ve covered updates about this product several times in the past. Some of these rockers, swings and gliders have been recalled because of reports of infant deaths. Basically, if not used properly, a child can shift in their seat and suffocate on the padding. Additionally, they can get caught in the restraints and become strangled. Last, if they aren’t completely strapped into the seat, they can be thrown from the product. While these rockers are very popular items, the risk is severe – and potentially deadly.

4. Bumper Pads

In concept, bumper pads are great. They are designed to provide a soft surface that covers the hard wooden slats of a crib so that baby won’t bump their head. However, in reality this product can result in a far more severe outcome. As a matter of fact, bumper pads have proven to be fatal.   

It turns out, bumpers have been linked to Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, or SIDS. You see, a baby may end up with their face pressed against the fabric of these pads and struggle to roll away, causing them to suffocate. Older babies can also boost themselves up to climb out of the crib. To be clear, bumper pads are never ever worth the risk.

While we’re at it, we should note here that, just like bumper pads, it is not safe to put any items into the crib with your infant. Pillows, blankets and stuffed animals, while potentially calming to the baby are also suffocation hazards.

There you have it. If you are mindful of the items you are using around your baby, and do your research, you and your baby should be happy, healthy and safe!