Word of Advice

20 July 2009

Keeping babies out of trouble

Small children seem to have a knack for finding trouble. Even when you’ve bought safe baby products you’ll still need to supervise your little ones. Sometimes you need to think like a child to spot all the hazards. We’ve detailed a few things to look out for.

Baby walkers

With a baby walker, your baby can grab objects and get into situations faster than they would normally be able to. So you need to make sure you can see where your child is all the time.

Look out for hazards – including anything that could make your baby fall, anything that could fall on your baby, or that your baby could crash into, grab or hurt themselves with.

In the bath

Babies have drowned using baby bath seats, and Plunket recommends you don’t use them at all. If you do choose to use a bath seat then your baby needs your full attention the whole time. Baby bath seats aren’t safe enough for you to dash out of the room for the talcum powder.

Get everything you need together before bathtime and ignore any phone calls or doorbells. Don’t let older brothers or sisters be responsible for your baby’s safety.

Pyjamas

New rules have changed the labelling of some children’s nightwear and daywear. A “low fire danger” label or an orange caution label means the clothing has a lower risk of catching fire as long as the pyjamas fit snugly. But you still need to make sure children stay at least a metre from the heater.

Loose fitting pyjamas, second-hand pyjamas, and pyjamas with a red “high fire danger” label should not be worn near a fire or heater. No nightwear is heat or flame resistant. Using a fire guard or safety barrier is a good way to stop children sitting too close to the fire or heater.

Prams and strollers

Your child will probably be spending a lot of time in a pram or stroller and will be constantly exploring. Make sure the harness can firmly restrain your baby and that there are no cords or levers that your baby can reach or get caught in.

Also, check that there are good brakes and locking devices so the pram or stroller can’t unexpectedly take off, or collapse.

Cots

You’ll be leaving your baby alone in the cot so it has to be super-safe. Make sure you child can’t get their head, hands, fingers or toes caught in the bars or details. There shouldn’t be anything in or around the cot that your baby could choke on or be suffocated by. Put the cot far enough away from windows or shelves so that your baby can’t reach out for objects, cords or escape routes. When your baby starts climbing there is a higher risk of falling out, and it is time to change to a bed.

Portable cots and play-yards Portable cots and play-yards are not as sturdy as standard cots. They are designed for convenience and are usually not suitable for using constantly. Carefully assemble the cot or play-yard using the manufacturer’s instructions, and each time you set it up check that it is sturdy and safe.

On your shopping list When you are shopping, check with the seller that the product you are buying meets these mandatory product safety standards: Baby walkers (ASTM F977-03), children's nightwear (AS/NZS 1249:2003), and household cots (AS/NZS 2172). There are voluntary standards for folding cots (AS/NZS 2195 or AS/NZS 2172) and prams and strollers (AS/NZS 2088).

For more information visit product safety standards.